Jul 9, 2021

Remotely-piloted sailboats monitor ‘cold pools’ in tropical environments

An orange Saildrone uncrewed surface vehicle (USV)

Conditions in the tropical ocean affect weather patterns worldwide. The most well-known examples are El Niño or La Niña events, but scientists believe other key elements of the tropical climate remain undiscovered. In a study recently published in Geophysical Research Letters, scientists from the University of Washington and NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory use remotely-piloted sailboats to gather data on cold air pools, or pockets of cooler air that form below tropical storm clouds.

Shuyi Chen to serve as College of the Environment’s Associate Dean for Research

Shuyi Chen has agreed to serve as the UW College of the Environment’s associate dean for research, effective September 16, 2021. In this role she will foster multidisciplinary collaborations, promote and support the range of basic and applied research programs across the College and University, and help PIs identify opportunities to partner and collaborate with universities and research organizations both in the U.S.

Air pollution from wildfires impacts ability to observe birds

As smoky air becomes more common during Washington’s wildfire season, many wildlife enthusiasts wonder: What happens to the birds? Few studies have looked at wildfire smoke impacts on animals, let alone birds. And as Washington and the larger West Coast continue to experience more massive wildfires and smoke-filled air, understanding how birds are affected by smoke — and how air pollution may influence our ability to detect birds — are important factors for bird conservation.

Beth Gardner to serve as Director of the Center for Quantitative Sciences

Associate Professor Beth Gardner has agreed to serve as the director of the Center for Quantitative Sciences (CQS), effective July 1, 2021. In this role she will be responsible for the programmatic and financial health of the Center, which includes the graduate degree program Quantitative Ecology and Resource Management (QERM) and the curricular program Quantitative Science (QSCI), which offers both undergraduate and graduate courses as well as an undergraduate minor.

Crow science for kids (and adults!)

Chances are good that no matter where you live in the U.S., you’re somewhat familiar with crows. Perhaps you’ve seen them perching on a telephone pole, flying overhead, or raiding garbage. You can also likely recognize their caws. But have you ever noticed a crow letting ants crawl all over it, or sprawled out on the ground with its wings and mouth open on a hot day?