Aug 1, 2019

Cecilia Bitz and Abigail Swann receive 2019 AGU section and named lecture awards

Congratulations to Cecilia Bitz and Abigail Swann for receiving awards from the American Geophysical Union, the world’s largest earth and space society. This year, the AGU recognized 82 scientists for their “sustained and unique contributions to advancing our understanding of Earth, its atmosphere and oceans, and planets and astral bodies beyond our own”. Cecilia Bitz is a professor and chair of the Department of Atmospheric Sciences who studies the role that sea ice plays in shaping the climate in high latitudes.

How to consider nature’s impact on mental health in city plans

Cherry tree blossoms in full bloom in the University of Washington Quad in Seattle, Washington.

Almost one in five adults in the U.S. lives with a mental illness. That statistic is similar worldwide, with an estimated 450 million people currently dealing with a mental or neurological disorder. Of those, only about a third seek treatment. Interacting with nature is starting to be recognized as one way to improve mental health. A number of scientific studies have shown that nature experiences may benefit people’s psychological well-being and cognitive function.

UW hosts student robotics challenge Friday to mark 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 moon landing

A Lego Mindstorms robot, with a plastic astronaut strapped to the front, approaches the lunar lander.

This Saturday will mark a half century since the Apollo 11 mission landed on the moon and two U.S. astronauts, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, walked its surface. At the University of Washington, the NASA-funded Northwest Earth and Space Sciences Pipeline, or NEESP, is marking the occasion with a robotics challenge for middle and high school students from across the state.

Laura Prugh wins Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers

Associate Professor Laura Prugh of the University of Washington’s School of Environmental and Forest Sciences received the 2019 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor given by the U.S. government to early career scientists and engineers. This award is bestowed to outstanding scientists and engineers who are beginning their independent research careers and who show exceptional promise for leadership in science and technology, according to the White House.

Nives Dolšak named director of the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs

Marine and Environmental Affairs' Nives Dolsšak

The UW College of the Environment is pleased to announce that Nives Dolšak has agreed to serve for a three-year term as director of the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, effective September 1, 2019. Dolšak studies how common pool resources are governed. She looks at the role of community action, social capital, market-based instruments, as well as traditional regulatory policies.