On the shores of the Chukchi Sea in far northwest Alaska, climate change is already impacting the traditional way of life of the Iñupiaq people. The inhabitants of this region have lived off the land for thousands of years, hunting caribou and bearded seals, fishing for salmon and sheefish, and foraging wild berries and plants. But as the planet warms and Arctic sea ice thins, accessing and harvesting these traditional foods has become more difficult.
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Earlier this month, marine geophysicist Maya Tolstoy joined the University of Washington as the Maggie Walker Dean of the College of the Environment. Over her more than 30-year career as a researcher, professor and administrator, Dean Tolstoy has dedicated herself to furthering our understanding of the fundamental processes of our planet and advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in academia. The College welcomes its new dean at a pivotal time, when the impacts of the climate crisis are growing more visible each year and the need for equity and justice in our field is clearer than ever.
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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.
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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.
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After a brutally hot, dry summer, chilly winds and soaking rain have finally returned to mark the start of autumn in the Pacific Northwest. According to Washington State Climatologist Nick Bond and Assistant State Climatologist Karin Bumbaco, both researchers in the Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean and Ecosystem Studies, chances are we’re due for a lot more cold, wet weather this winter.
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