Sep 30, 2015

Known fish species living in the Salish Sea increases in new report

Kelp greenling (Hexagrammos decagrammus)

Coho salmon, Pacific halibut and even the dogfish shark are familiar faces to many people in the Salish Sea region. But what about the Pacific viperfish, northern flashlightfish, dwarf wrymouth or the longsnout prickleback? A new report co-authored by Ted Pietsch at The School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences documents all fish that live in the Salish Sea, a roughly 6,500-square-mile region that encompasses Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Strait of Georgia, the San Juan Islands and the Canadian Gulf Islands.

Ivan Eastin to serve as College's Associate Dean for Research

Professor Ivan Eastin has agreed to serve as the College of the Environment’s Associate Dean for Research, effective October 16. In this role he will foster multidisciplinary collaborations, promote and support the range of basic and applied research programs across the College and University, and help faculty identify opportunities to partner and collaborate with universities and research organizations both in the US and around the world.

College scientists named to inaugural class of American Fisheries Society Fellows

Ray Hilborn and Tom Quinn, professors in the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, are among the first-ever group of Fellows named in the American Fisheries Society (AFS). Fellows are recognized for their outstanding or meritorious contributions to the diversity of fields that represent the AFS, which can include leadership, research, teaching and mentoring, resource management and/or conservation, and outreach or interaction with the public.

Scientists: Let wildfires burn when prudent

With nearly 9 million acres burned this year across the nation, 2015 is shaping up to be one of the most destructive wildfire seasons yet. And with drought and climate change, wildfires are only predicted to get worse. In a commentary published Sept. 17 in Science, a team of scientists, including School of Environmental and Forest Sciences‘ researchers Jerry Franklin and James Agee, describe unique opportunities and provide suggestions to reform forest fire management to reduce the impacts of inevitable wildfires in future years.

Seattle Times lauds UW's Climate Impacts Group and Arctic studies program

Arctic ice with water between large chunks of ice.

In a piece published by The Seattle Times, the editorial board calls for the United States to get out from behind the curve in addressing emerging challenges and opportunities in the Arctic. They call for comprehensive policies that will position the U.S. to capitalize on the upcoming changes — many of which are already here — and cite the University of Washington’s new Arctic Studies Program and the Climate Impacts Group as leaders in the kind of interdisciplinary thinking and approach it will take to be successful.