Back in person: how UW Environment instructors are preparing for autumn quarter

Students participate in a socially-distanced in-person lab.

After more than a year of remote learning, the imminent return of students and faculty has brought excitement and uncertainty to the University of Washington campus. We spoke with four UW instructors who are getting ready for an entirely in-person autumn quarter, once again preparing classrooms, lab spaces and offices for the a new school year.  Integrative Oceanography (OCEAN 210) is a core course for Oceanography and Marine Biology majors with about 100 students. 

Read more »

UW ranked third among U.S. public universities for physical and life sciences

View of Drumheller Fountain and Mount Rainier

The University of Washington is among the best universities in the world for the studies of health and life sciences, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2022. The rankings looked at four overall disciplines: physical sciences, life sciences, psychology and clinical & health. In physical sciences, the UW ranked No. 21 in the world, third among U.S. 

Read more at UW News »

UW part of $25M NSF-funded effort to retrieve Earth’s oldest ice core

Michelle Koutnik stands next to an ice core drilling site in the South Pole

University of Washington glaciologists will join colleagues from around the country in a new effort to discover Antarctica’s oldest ice and learn more about the history of our planet’s climate. The new Center for Oldest Ice Exploration, or COLDEX, will be created under a five-year, $25 million National Science Foundation grant announced on Sept. 9. Roughly $5 million of that grant will go to the UW. 

Read more at UW News »

UW professor and lead author on IPCC report sees hope for our climate future

headshot of Kyle Armour

It may seem counterintuitive, but on the heels of the most recent IPCC report on our changing climate, Kyle Armour finds reasons for optimism. “The degree of climate change we’ll experience this century depends on our future greenhouse gas emissions, which depend on the collective choices we make. Our future is up to us,” says Armour. He posted his thoughts on Twitter when many headlines about the report’s findings were overwhelmingly grave. 

Read more »

Friday Harbor Laboratories' observation system collects and shares real-time data about Salish Sea

The docks at FHL

Friday Harbor Laboratories (FHL) recently established the Friday Harbor Laboratories Ocean Observatory (FHLOO), vastly expanding their capabilities to collect and share real-time data about the surrounding marine environment. Connected to the larger Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS), FHLOO takes continuous seawater measurements such as salinity, temperature, CO2, oxygen and chlorophyll, in addition to monitoring microplankton. While the system has been taking measurements since the summer of 2020, the ability to live-stream its data is new, providing a window into the Salish Sea accessible to researchers, students and the public. 

Read more »