Jul 30, 2015

College of the Environment researchers elected as AGU fellows

Greenland ice canyon filled with melt water in summer 2010 (photo: Ian Joughin, UW APL Polar Science Center)

Two University of Washington scientists from the College of the Environment have been elected as follows of the American Geophysical Union. The Earth sciences group recognizes one in 1,000 members each year for their scientific work and sustained impact. The College’s honorees—Department of Atmospheric Sciences’ Christopher Bretherton and Department of Earth & Space Sciences’ Ian Joughin—are among 60 new fellows. Bretherton studies how clouds form and change over time and how to better represent this in climate and weather-forecasting models.

College of the Environment scientists named 2015 CoMotion Presidential Innovation Fellows

University of Washington Interim President Ana Mari Cauce recently announced the appointment of 17 new members to the university’s prestigious CoMotion Presidential Innovation Fellows program, including two scientists from the College of the Environment. As part of the 2015 class of fellows, the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences’ Ivan Eastin and the Department of Atmospheric Sciences’ Cliff Mass were chosen for fostering a culture of innovation at the UW through initiating groundbreaking programs, collaborating with industry professionals, and by sharing their ideas, knowledge, and entrepreneurial thinking with other visionaries at the UW.

Jun 25, 2015

Researcher at UW’s Olympic Natural Resources Center helps pinpoint massive harmful algal bloom

The algal bloom that shut down several shellfish fisheries along the West Coast earlier this year has developed into the largest and most severe in a decade or more—stretching from at least central California to as far north as Alaska. UW research analyst Anthony Odell is part of a NOAA-led team of harmful algae experts who are surveying the extent of the patch and searching for the swirling eddies that can become toxic to marine mammals and humans.

Group at UW shows how to account for nature’s benefits in decision-making

A mangrove buffer protects the Belize coast.

How can we assess the value of food, energy, clean water, and other resources we depend on? A group with field offices around the U.S., including at the University of Washington, is working to figure that out. The Natural Capital Project wants to integrate the socioeconomic, cultural, and spiritual values of nature into all major decisions affecting the environment and human well-being.

Dean's Letter: Diversity, Inclusion, Access

Interim President Ana Mari Cauce brought renewed focus to diversity, inclusion, and access at UW through her widely publicized address to the campus. In wake of her talk, many have asked me to define the College’s vision for diversity and I have a ready answer. I cite the need, especially in a college devoted to environmental sciences, to have “all hands on deck” – ensuring that access to our critically important research and education is never deterred by gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, or disability.