Apr 4, 2018

Marine Science

Bowhead whales, the ‘jazz musicians’ of the Arctic, sing many different songs

A bowhead whale surfaces in Fram Strait, to the northwest of Norway. — A bowhead whale surfaces in Fram Strait, northwest of Norway.

A University of Washington study has published the largest set of recordings for bowhead whales to discover that these marine mammals have a surprisingly diverse, constantly shifting vocal repertoire.

The study, published April 4 in Biology Letters, a journal of the United Kingdom’s Royal Society, analyzed audio recordings gathered year-round east of Greenland. This population of bowhead whales was hunted almost to extinction in the 1600s and was recently estimated at about 200 animals. Audio recordings gathered from 2010 to 2014 indicate a healthy population and include 184 different songs.

“If humpback whale song is like classical music, bowheads are jazz,” said lead author Kate Stafford, of UW’s School of Oceanography and Applied Physics Laboratory. “The sound is more freeform. And when we looked through four winters of acoustic data, not only were there never any song types repeated between years, but each season had a new set of songs.”

Apr 3, 2018

Earth and Space Sciences' Tyler Valentine honored by Goldwater Foundation

Earth and Space Sciences' Tyler Valentine, a 2018 Goldwater Scholar. — Earth and Space Sciences’ Tyler Valentine, a 2018 Goldwater Scholar.

Three University of Washington undergraduates—including Tyler Valentine, a junior in the College of the Environment’s Department of Earth and Space Sciences—are among 211 students nationwide named as 2018 Goldwater Scholars. One UW student received honorable mention.

Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships are awarded to students who have “outstanding potential” and plan to pursue research careers in mathematics, natural sciences or engineering. The awards cover tuition, room and board, fees and books up to $7,500 annually for one or two years.

Valentine, a lifelong Washingtonian, is majoring in Earth and space sciences. He plans to pursue a doctorate in space science and engineering focused on using the resources of near-Earth space. He’s interested in planetary science and space exploration generally, but his main passion is asteroid mining.

“The idea is that you can go to an asteroid, latch on a spacecraft, and then extract a bunch of resources from it. My dream is to start my own asteroid mining company after pursuing a Ph.D. in space science and technology,” Valentine said.

Apr 2, 2018

Climate

Earth’s stable temperature past suggests other planets could also sustain life

NASA Johnson Space Center — The study may also help shed light on what conditions were like during the early evolution of life on Earth.

New research from the University of Washington suggests a milder youth for our planet than what has often been cited. An analysis of temperature through early Earth’s history, published the week of April 2 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, supports more moderate average temperatures throughout the billions of years when life slowly emerged on Earth.

“Ideas about the early Earth’s environment are all over the place, from a very hot world, to one locked in a permanent ice age, from a world with acidic oceans to one with seawater so alkaline it would sting your eyes,” said David Catling, a UW professor of Earth and space sciences. “These simulations show that our early world had about the same average temperature as today, and a seawater pH within roughly one unit of neutral.”

That is good news for the search for life on other planets. If Earth’s temperature was moderate throughout its history, other planets located in the habitable zone must also retain a fairly stable climate long enough for other lifeforms to evolve.

Apr 17, 2018

Rick Keil appointed director of School of Oceanography

Rick Keil, incoming director of the School of Oceanography.

Beginning July 1, UW Environment’s School of Oceanography will have a new director. Professor Rick Keil has agreed to serve a five-year term where he will lead faculty, staff and students studying biological, chemical and physical oceanography, as well as marine geology and geophysics. Keil has been serving as the director of the Program on the Environment and has proven to be an effective and collaborative leader.

The School of Oceanography focuses on advancing the ocean sciences, providing solutions to problems of societal relevance, and elevating public awareness of the marine environment. It is at the forefront of creating knowledge and understanding about the ocean through observation, theory, modeling and technological innovation. The School of Oceanography focuses on learning and discovery, equipping students with knowledge and insights, scholarly methods, scientific tools and communication skills.

Keil’s own interests lie in applying organic geochemistry to address big environmental issues that we face, like climate change. In addition, he coordinates various field experiences and citizen science projects like Ocean Intern and started Sound Citizen with Washington Sea Grant.

Keil will take the helm from Ginger Armbrust, a passionate advocate for the school who oversaw a strong and steady increase in undergraduate enrollment and cutting-edge innovation in the curriculum. She also provides leadership in UW’s eScience community, elevating the awareness of the rich opportunities for ocean sciences in this emerging arena.

Apr 13, 2018

UW Environment alumna Eliza Dawson to row across the Pacific Ocean for climate change awareness

Eliza Dawson, a former UW crew member who majored in atmospheric sciences at UW’s College of the Environment, is part of a four-woman team that will row across the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii this June. She and her team hope to break the world record for women rowers — 50 days, 8 hours, 14 minutes — set in 2014.

Dawson is also taking part in the 2,400-mile rowing race from Monterey, California, to Honolulu to spotlight the far-reaching impacts of humankind on the Earth by rowing across parts of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a vast gyre of plastic garbage occupying an area four times the size of California.

“It’s going to be a hard, demanding journey — and that’s what it’s going to take to combat climate change,” Dawson, 22, told The Seattle Times.

Aquatic and Fishery Sciences' Chelsea Wood receives 2018 Distinguished Teaching Award

Congratulations to UW Environment’s Chelsea Wood! The assistant professor at UW’s School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences was recently selected to receive the 2018 Distinguished Teaching Award. She will be honored at the UW’s Awards of Excellence ceremony on June 7, 2018, at 3:30 p.m. in Meany Hall. The UW community and general public are invited to attend.

Distinguished Teaching Award recipients are chosen based on a variety of criteria, including mastery of the subject matter, enthusiasm and innovation in teaching and learning process, ability to engage students both within and outside the classroom, ability to inspire independent and original thinking in students and to stimulate students to do creative work, and innovations in course and curriculum design.

Chelsea’s research program explores the ecology of parasites and pathogens in a changing world. In addition to receiving the 2018 Distinguished Teaching Award, Chelsea was recently awarded the Sloan Fellowship for early-career research and a University of Washington Innovation Award.

Please join us, as well as the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences’ Trevor Branch and Friday Harbor Labs’ Adam Summers, in offering congratulations to Chelsea and the rest of the 2018 Awards of Excellence winners!

WOW! Our very own @DrChelseaLWood just got the @UW-wide Distinguished Teaching Award, which is amazing! https://t.co/nuLIh304uO

— Trevor A. Branch (@TrevorABranch) April 25, 2018

Congratulations to @DrChelseaLWood on winning the UW wide distinguishe teaching award!!@UWEnvironment

— Adam P. Summers (@Fishguy_FHL) April 25, 2018

April 2018

See also:

Check out our calendar for more events