This week, a surfboard arrived in Antarctica. Not only was it missing a surfer, but the unique board was covered in parts that let it move independently and measure the surrounding seawater. The University of Washington project will first use the Wave Glider to investigate the summer conditions near Palmer Station on the Antarctic Peninsula, to better understand how the warming ocean interacts with ice shelves that protrude from the shore.
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About 450 nonnative, plant-eating insect species live in North American forests. Most of these critters are harmless, but a handful wreak havoc on their new environment, attacking trees and each year causing more than $70 billion in damage. The problem is, scientists often don’t know which insect will emerge as the next harmful invader. A team led by the University of Washington, drawing largely on the evolutionary history of insect-plant interactions, has developed a way to understand how nonnative insects might behave in their new environments.
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Just because campus is quieter over the summer, doesn’t mean College of the Environment researchers are on vacation. From the tea plantations of Taiwan to the coral reefs of Australia to the glaciers of Greenland, UW Environment students and researchers had a busy summer deepening their understanding of the world around us both inside and outside of the classroom. Here are some examples of work done by researchers from various units, schools and departments within the College: Exploring environmental and social resilience in Taiwan 13 students spent four weeks exploring environmental and social resilience in Taiwan on a Program on the Environment study abroad trip.
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Terryl Ross, assistant dean of diversity, equity and inclusion at the College of the Environment was awarded the University of Washington Multicultural Alumni Partnership (MAP) Distinguished Alumni Award on Sat., Oct. 19 at the 25th annual UW Alumni Association MAP Bridging the Gap Breakfast. MAP has worked to connect the region’s diverse communities, promote equity at the UW and celebrate the achievements of distinguished alumni and accomplished students.
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A population of humpback whales in the South Atlantic has rebounded from the brink of extinction. Intense pressure from the whaling industry in the 20th century saw the western South Atlantic population of humpbacks diminish to only 450 whales. It is estimated that 25,000 whales were caught over approximately 12 years in the early 1900s. Protections were put in place in the 1960s as scientists noticed worldwide that populations were declining.
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