Annual research trip off Oregon coast gives students once in a lifetime experience at sea

the tommy thompson

Most things that humans build need a little maintenance every now and again. That’s no different for the Regional Cabled Array, a high-tech engineering marvel off the Pacific Northwest coast studded with all kinds of oceanographic equipment that gives humans a real-time, 24/7 look at what’s happening under the sea surface. The lengths that scientists and engineers go to keep the array working and up to snuff is extraordinary, and they are currently at sea providing its annual check-up. 

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Whodunnit? Uncovering the mystery of a tiny toxin killing shellfish in Puget Sound

clams killed by yessotoxins

Around 50 years ago, Pacific oysters in the Puget Sound started dying at noticeably increasing rates during the summer, causing residents and scientists to wonder why. Researchers in what is now the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences investigated many factors that may cause mortalities such as bacteria, reproductive stress related to spawning and changes in other environmental conditions. The evidence collected pointed towards stress on the animals when they spawn, as the Pacific oyster spends a lot of their energy on reproduction. 

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UW Atmospheric Sciences achieves No. 1 global ranking; nearly three dozen UW subjects in top 50

student gives weather forecast

Eight University of Washington subjects ranked in the top 10 and Atmospheric Sciences moved to its position as No. 1 in the world on the Global Ranking of Academic Subjects list for 2022. The ranking, released Tuesday, was conducted by researchers at the ShanghaiRanking Consultancy, a fully independent organization dedicating to research on higher education intelligence and consultation. Other UW subjects in the top 10 include oceanography at No. 

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"The stars have moved": how climate change is impacting the planet at multiple scales

a calving glacier

Situated on an Arctic barrier island along the northwest coast of Alaska is the village of Kivalina, an Iñupiaq community of about 500 people. Colleen Swan, city administrator and coordinator of its volunteer Search and Rescue organization, is an advocate for her community and has always taken concerns about Indigenous health, environment and identity seriously, and works to seek out solutions. 

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From the Amplify archives: revisiting recent SciComm conversations 

amplify graphic image

Science touches nearly every aspect of our lives. Over the past several years, we have invited esteemed guests — both inside and outside of academia — to share a wide variety of perspectives on where science meets society, and the role communication plays. Through these discussions, we have explored new pathways for scientists to think about their own work, and considered ways to strengthen our collective impact. 

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