Jul 16, 2018

Student’s augmented reality game takes players to UW campus under altered climate scenarios

University of Washington's Suzzallo Library

University of Washington Bothell’s Andrew McDonald, a student in the interactive media design program, has long been passionate about video game design. Then he heard about EarthGames, a group of researchers, game developers and students based at UW who create games to inspire climate action and accountability. “I had done some work with augmented reality before, but had never worked with it to EarthGames’ scale,” McDonald said.

LGBT STEM Day: UW Environment Dean says it's time to talk about it

College of the Environment Dean Lisa J. Graumlich

UW Environment Dean Lisa J. Graumlich shares her thoughts about LGBT STEM Day, celebrated July 5th, on the American Geophysical Union’s From the Prow blog. “So, why do we need a special day for LGBT STEM? The data speak for themselves. According to a 2013 study in Nature, 43 percent of our scientific community is not comfortable being out at work,” Graumlich says.

Read more on AGU's From the Prow blog »

Jul 3, 2018

Study identifies which marine mammals are most at risk from increased Arctic ship traffic

Beluga whales in the pack ice in West Greenland. Ships using the Northwest Passage would travel through Baffin Bay off Greenland’s west coast.

In recent decades, parts of the Arctic seas have become increasingly ice-free in late summer and early fall. As sea ice is expected to continue to recede due to climate change, seasonal ship traffic from tourism and freight is projected to rise. A study from the University of Washington and the University of Alaska Fairbanks is the first to consider potential impacts on the marine mammals that use this region in autumn and identify which species will be most vulnerable.

Department of Earth and Space Sciences welcomes new Chair, Ken Creager

The University of Washington’s College of the Environment is pleased to announce that Professor Ken Creager will serve as Chair of the Department of Earth and Space Sciences for a two-year term that began on July 1, 2018. During the search process, Creager — who has served in a number of leadership roles within Earth and Space Sciences and is regarded as a trusted, respected leader within the Department and College — emerged as the Advisory Search Committee’s top choice to lead the Department in the coming years.

NASA, NSF expedition to study ocean carbon embarks in August from Seattle

The Pacific Ocean off the West Coast is teeming with phytoplankton, plant-like marine organisms that reflect green light. Puget Sound is at the top of this image.

Dozens of scientists, as well as underwater drones and other high-tech ocean instruments, will set sail from Seattle in mid-August. Funded by NASA and the National Science Foundation, the team will study the life and death of the small organisms that play a critical role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and in the ocean’s carbon cycle. More than 100 scientists and crew from more than 20 U.S.