It’s been about 15 years since the state of Oregon started working to harness wave power for energy. Things are really speeding up with this technology, although some would rather we take it slow and assess the side-effects before, rather than after, large-scale implementation. University of Washington is mentioned in this overview of the history and state of wave-generated energy. 

How do you find nature in the city? What if you’ve never been outside the city before? This intrepid science educator seeks to do just that, by pointing out the nature hidden all around us to children in urban environments. Check out this intriguing story about Molly Steinwald; Dean Lisa Graumlich is quoted. 

A temperature record derived from measurements of an ice core drilled on James Ross Island, Antarctica, prompts a rethink of what has triggered the recent warming trends on the Antarctic Peninsula.  Read more about what Eric Steig – professor of Earth and Space Sciences – has to say about this. 

When the University of Washington launched its Alaska Salmon Program 66 years ago, researchers were tasked with determining why Alaska’s sockeye salmon catches had declined by over 50% in just 20 years: from 22 million fish per year to 10 million. At that time the fundamental biology of salmon was poorly known and there were no long-term studies integrating salmon and their ecosystems in a holistic manner, SAFS‘ Thomas Quinn wrote in a history of the program and the five field camps UW established. 

University of Washington has a thriving student farm, a growing number of LEED buildings, and an extremely supportive bike-commuting program. And it’s been recognized for these efforts and more, repeatedly. The latest: UW makes #4 on Sierra Club’s “Cool Schools”, and it is included in the Princeton Reviews’ “Green Honor Roll”. Read up about UW’s latest efforts!