Nov 2, 2021

UW petrologist George Bergantz honored with AGU Bowen Award and Lecture

Earth and Space Sciences' George Bergantz

University of Washington Department of Earth and Space Sciences petrologist George Bergantz is one of two 2021 recipients of the Norman L. Bowen Award and Lecture from the American Geophysical Union, a named lectureship which the organization presents annually to one or more mid-career or senior scientists in recognition of outstanding contributions to the fields of volcanology, geochemistry and petrology. The award reflects Bergantz’s innovative scientific contributions on the physics of magmas, hydrothermal systems, metamorphism, and eruption processes.

How Dungeness crabs’ complex lifecycle will be affected by climate change

A Dungeness crab, or Cancer magister, sits on kelp

New research on the Pacific Northwest portion of the Dungeness crab fishery, which spans the West Coast of the U.S. and Canada, projects how this crustacean will fare under climate change. Results show that by the end of this century, lower-oxygen water will pose the biggest threat. And while these crabs start as tiny, free-floating larvae, it’s the sharp-clawed adults that will be most vulnerable, specifically to lower-oxygen coastal waters in summer.

After California’s 3rd-largest wildfire, deer returned home while trees were ‘still smoldering’

A deer peeks at the camera amidst burnt trees

When a massive wildfire tears through a landscape, what happens to the animals? While many animals have adapted to live with wildfires of the past — which were smaller, more frequent and kept ecosystems in balance across the West — it’s unclear to scientists how animals are coping with today’s unprecedented megafires. More than a century of fire suppression coupled with climate change has produced wildfires that are now bigger and more severe than before.

UW Environment geosciences program ranked #6 in US News Best Global Universities list

The UW College of the Environment was ranked #6 for geosciences in the 2021 US News & World Report Best Global Universities rankings. The program ranking came as the University of Washington climbed one spot to #7 overall on the list, maintaining its #2 ranking among U.S. public institutions. “It is gratifying to see the UW’s impact on people and communities around the world being recognized,” UW President Ana Mari Cauce said.

ShakeAlert helps students learn to Drop, Cover and Hold On

Students practicing "Drop, Cover and Hold On" at the ShakeOut drill

On October 21, thousands of students, teachers and staff in the Stanwood Camano School District and beyond “Dropped, Covered and Held On” at exactly 10:21 a.m., emulating the synchronicity of a well-rehearsed dive team. The Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill, held around the globe annually and supported locally by the University of Washington’s Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN), is a coordinated effort to practice what to do in the event of an actual earthquake.