The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), an independent research organization at the 天美影视传媒, has received a landmark 10-year grant from the Gates Foundation to strengthen freely available, scientifically rigorous health evidence used by governments, researchers, and leaders to improve the health and well-being of people in Washington, the United States, and around the world.

IHME is part of the UW School of Medicine, and the $540.2 million investment will provide long-term support for expanding the Global Burden of Disease study to provide health data for thousands of new areas. GBD is the most comprehensive assessment of health trends and conditions across countries. Under the grant, GBD will expand from roughly 925 locations today to nearly 5,000 鈥� a major expansion in the geographic detail available to the people making decisions. The grant will also support IHME鈥檚 health forecasting and future-scenarios work, and its tracking of health spending worldwide.

Together, these resources help decision-makers, researchers, and health professionals understand the health challenges people face today, anticipate what is coming next, and determine how limited resources can be used most effectively to improve health.

鈥淩eliable and independent evidence can mean the difference between reacting to a health crisis after it has taken hold and acting early enough to change its course,鈥� said Dr. Christopher J.L. Murray, IHME director and professor of health metrics sciences. 鈥淭his investment will allow us to provide high-quality evidence at a much more local level and help leaders understand not only where health is improving or worsening, but which decisions can make the greatest difference for people.鈥�

Murray, the grant鈥檚 principal investigator, started the Global Burden of Disease study in the early 1990s and has led its development since, in collaboration with a global research network now spanning more than 150 countries and territories.

The Gates Foundation, along with the state of Washington, provided the founding investment that established IHME at the 天美影视传媒 in 2007, creating an independent institute dedicated to measuring the world鈥檚 most pressing health challenges and evaluating whether policies and programs are improving people鈥檚 lives. Its sustained support has helped build the field of health metrics itself. IHME has developed many of the methods and standards the field now relies on and has helped collaborators contribute to the field as well. The new grant builds on that longstanding partnership and provides a base for IHME鈥檚 next phase of growth.

鈥淓very government and funder faces difficult decisions about where to invest limited resources for greatest impact, and those decisions depend on trusted evidence,鈥� said Mark Suzman, Chief Executive Officer of the Gates Foundation. 鈥淔or nearly two decades, IHME has been one of the foundation鈥檚 most important global partners, helping us, governments, researchers, and global health partners around the world understand where health is improving, where progress is stalling, and where action is needed most. Our long-term commitment recognizes the value of this work to strengthen a shared evidence base that will continue to inform decisions to improve鈥攁nd save鈥攎illions of lives.鈥�

The Global Burden of Disease network has grown to more than 20,000 collaborators in over 150 countries and territories: researchers, clinicians, government analysts, and policymakers who contribute to the study鈥檚 data and methods and carry health measurement into their own institutions and ministries. This next phase of IHME鈥檚 work is an opportunity to consolidate that foundation and extend it considerably further.

The grant comes as countries confront overlapping health threats and growing pressure on public and global health budgets. By producing more detailed, timely, and forward-looking evidence, IHME aims to help leaders identify urgent needs, prepare health systems, and invest in policies and programs most likely to prevent illness, disability, and premature death.

The award is the largest charitable grant ever given to the 天美影视传媒.

鈥淭he Gates Foundation has been a steadfast partner of the 天美影视传媒 for decades, and we are grateful for its generous support. The UW is committed to improving the health of people in Washington and around the world, and this investment will expand IHME鈥檚 already significant impact, which will mean longer, healthier lives for countless people,鈥� said UW President Robert J. Jones.

IHME鈥檚 research and findings are freely available to countries, researchers, and communities regardless of their income or access to commercial data systems.

鈥淲e are deeply grateful to the Gates Foundation for this extraordinary investment in IHME and the 天美影视传媒 School of Medicine,鈥� said Dr. Timothy Dellit, CEO of UW Medicine and dean of the 天美影视传媒 School of Medicine. 鈥淭heir longstanding partnership has helped make it possible for IHME to deliver trusted health evidence around the world. This new grant will extend that impact by giving leaders data that are comprehensive and comparable to guide decisions that help improve the health of communities and save lives.鈥�

Read . For interview requests, data inquiries or general questions, please contact IHME at ihmemedia@uw.edu.

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Going forward, procedures will be updated to ensure the standards we have for University-hosted events like the Speaker Series are met, particularly so that we can help elevate the level of dialogue on divisive topics during a polarized time in our country.

Update 鈥� August 19, 2026

In the process of reviewing the 2026-27 Speaker Series, it was determined that a total of seven of the 16 announced events did not go through the committee-based process for selecting featured speakers. These events will also not be held.

Procedures will be updated to ensure there are clear standards, transparent criteria and robust processes for selecting future Speaker Series participants in a manner consistent with the UW鈥檚 mission as a public research university.

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A new study using data from NASA鈥檚 found that star formation in the nearby Andromeda galaxy has undergone a 500-million-year decline, with an even steeper drop in the last 40 million years. Andromeda, a spiral galaxy comparable in size to our Milky Way, is close enough to be seen with the unaided eye from areas with dark skies. Located about 2.5 million light-years from Earth, practically our cosmic backyard, Andromeda is close enough for astronomers to examine its stellar populations in detail and learn about the past of galaxies like our own.

July 27 in .

To reach this conclusion, the researchers combined data from two Hubble surveys: the and the . Together, these two surveys mapped two-thirds of the disk of Andromeda in ultra-sharp detail. In total, the team measured about 200 million individual stars across the galaxy, giving them a detailed picture of Andromeda鈥檚 past activity.

鈥淲e need to measure the individual stars because they are the fossil record of the galaxy鈥檚 formation,鈥� said , a research professor of astronomy at the 天美影视传媒 and a co-author on the study. 鈥淗ubble is the only telescope that can give you high enough spatial resolution in the blue part of the spectrum over a large enough area to be able to do that in Andromeda.鈥�

Massive stars are bluer and short-lived, while less massive stars are redder and longer-lived. As a result, areas that have experienced recent star formation tend to have a larger fraction of blue stars, while areas with less recent star formation typically have a redder population. The team divided the Andromeda images into thousands of squares, spanning 300 light-years on each side, and determined the history of star formation within each parcel to gain a comprehensive view of the galaxy鈥檚 past.

Previous research showed the Andromeda galaxy experienced a dramatic burst of star formation about 2 billion years ago, likely due to a past interaction or merger with another galaxy. Since that time, star formation has been steadily declining.

This movie, created from an analysis of data from NASA鈥檚 Hubble Space Telescope, demonstrates how the rate of star formation in the Andromeda galaxy has declined over the past 500 million years. Brighter colors indicate where star formation was highest during a given time. Credit: Visualization: Tobin Wainer (UW); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI); Video: NASA, ESA, STScI, Gregory Bacon (STScI)

Astronomers measure the rate of star formation in terms of the mass, or amount of gas and dust, converted into stars per year. The researchers calculated that, 500 million years ago, Andromeda formed stars at a rate of about one solar mass per year. However, the formation rate dropped to about half that by 40 million years ago. The current rate has plummeted even farther, to about one-fifth the mass of our Sun per year.

The team also examined whether that decline was consistent across the galaxy or concentrated in certain areas. They found that much of the recent star formation has occurred in a star-forming ring located about 32,000 light-years from the galaxy鈥檚 center. As a result, much of the decline they measure is driven by decreasing activity within that ring.

The decline is likely to be a natural winding down from its previous, more active state.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just like after running a marathon, sometimes you鈥檝e got to take a bit of a breather,鈥� said lead author , a UW graduate student in astronomy.听

The team also investigated whether there was any connection between the decrease of activity in Andromeda and its proximity to the satellite galaxy Messier 32, or M32. The M32 galaxy is separated from Andromeda by about 16,000 light-years in the plane of the sky; however, its 3D location in space is uncertain. As a result, astronomers are unsure if or when it might have interacted with Andromeda in the past.

鈥淥ne of the major motivations for this program was to probe potential interactions between M32 and Andromeda鈥檚 disk,鈥� said co-author , a UW postdoctoral scholar in astronomy.

Survey data from the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Southern Treasury allowed the team to study the history of star formation in Andromeda near M32. They found that this area showed signs of decreased star formation compared with other regions. The timing of this decrease, which this study finds began roughly 60 million years ago, could help constrain when the M32 galaxy interacted with Andromeda鈥檚 disk.

鈥淲e can鈥檛 explicitly say that we are seeing a decrease in star formation because of M32. But it鈥檚 right there, and it鈥檚 definitely the most likely suspect,鈥� Wainer said.

The team plans to continue analyzing the Hubble data and combine it with data from ground-based observatories to gain additional insights into the history of Andromeda.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a strong scientific value to this archival data,鈥� said co-author , a professor of astronomy and astrophysics at University of California Santa Cruz. 鈥淎ndromeda is important because it鈥檚 a neighbor that is close enough that we can see it in great detail while also getting a global perspective.鈥澨�

An even greater global perspective is likely to come from NASA鈥檚 Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope after it launches as early as Sunday, Aug. 30. Roman鈥檚 gigantic field of view can cover at least 100 times as much area as Hubble at near-infrared wavelengths in a single observation. A newly approved will image the entirety of Andromeda鈥檚 disk and areas of its surrounding halo, allowing astronomers to measure hundreds of millions of stars and enabling groundbreaking new science.

Hubble is a project of international cooperation between NASA and the European Space Agency.听

UW co-authors include , professor emerita of astronomy and , and , former UW graduate students in astronomy.

A complete list of co-authors is .

This research was funded by NASA.

For more information, contact Wainer at tobinw@uw.edu.

This story was adapted from a press release by .

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Researchers at the 天美影视传媒 and partners at Carnegie Mellon University are collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy’s on a new project to help scientists use artificial intelligence to better understand the universe.

Modern astronomy is producing more data than ever before. Powerful telescopes 鈥� like the 鈥� and other instruments around the world are collecting detailed information about billions of stars, galaxies and other cosmic objects. These observations help researchers investigate some of the biggest mysteries in science, including the nature of dark matter and dark energy, how the universe evolved over time and what it is made of.

But there is a challenge: Much of the data from those projects is stored in different formats, housed at different institutions and difficult to combine. As a result, scientists often spend significant time preparing data before they can begin analyzing it.

鈥淭he scientific opportunities and the data analysis challenges are incredible,鈥� said , head of physics at Carnegie Mellon University.

The new effort, led by Mandelbaum and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy鈥檚 , will create a shared data service to allow researchers to seamlessly access and combine information from multiple astronomy experiments. Rather than moving massive datasets from one location to another, the system will allow the data to remain where it is stored while making it available through a central platform.

鈥淎 new generation of telescopes and surveys will each change the way we understand our universe,鈥� said co-investigator , a UW professor of astronomy and director of the eScience Institute. 鈥淏ut it is when we bring these data together to look at the universe from a unified perspective that these discoveries will be truly transformative.鈥�

The data infrastructure developed as part of this project will be available to the astronomical community at the SLAC-hosted Rubin Observatory鈥檚 U.S. Data Facility and via the American Science Cloud, which integrates the nation鈥檚 most advanced high-performance computing systems, scientific facilities, data resources and production capabilities into a single, coordinated AI-driven system. The project extends the UW鈥檚 investments in Rubin Observatory and the UW , which are supported by Charles and Lisa Simonyi and led by and .听

The infrastructure also will support a growing area of AI known as foundation models. These AI systems are trained on large and diverse datasets, enabling them to recognize patterns and connections that might otherwise go unnoticed.

In astronomy, foundation models could help researchers analyze many different types of observations at once, including images, measurements of light from distant objects and records of how those objects change over time. By bringing these data sources together, scientists hope to uncover new insights about the universe more quickly and efficiently.

Ultimately, the team hopes to transform the vast collections of astronomical data being gathered today into a long-lasting scientific resource, helping researchers answer some of humanity’s most fundamental questions about the origin, evolution and makeup of the universe.

Other UW co-investigators include , a research scientist and engineer in astronomy. Other co-investigators include , director of engineering for the LINCC project and , senior staff scientist at SLAC and at Stanford鈥檚/SLAC鈥檚 Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology.

Additional modeling will be provided by Francois Lanusse of the French National Centre for Scientific Research. Their work is an extension of the Schmidt Sciences-supported LINCC Frameworks program, a partnership led jointly by CMU and the UW.

This story was adapted from a press release by .

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From a mountaintop in Chile, under clear dark skies, the Simonyi Survey Telescope at the NSF鈥揇OE Vera C. Rubin Observatory has officially begun the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (). The 10-year survey will create the most comprehensive, cinematic record of the universe in history. Over the next decade, Rubin will observe the entire southern sky every few nights to create an ultra-wide, ultra-high-definition time-lapse record of our universe.听

鈥淭he decision to officially begin the LSST was made after a period of system optimization and a careful operational review of technical readiness, data system performance and scientific validation,鈥� said , a 天美影视传媒 professor of astronomy and head of LSST. 鈥�The 天美影视传媒 Rubin team played a central role in optimizing the observatory and helping prepare it for the start of full survey operations.鈥�

The Simonyi Survey Telescope鈥檚 unique design combines enormous light-collecting power, the ability to move rapidly across the sky and a wide field of view. The attached 3,200-megapixel camera 鈥� the largest digital camera in the world 鈥� is now capturing a new, detailed image approximately every 40 seconds. Using a telescope with this speed and sensitivity, Rubin is capable of catching faint objects and fleeting events with reliability and consistency every night.

Over the next decade, Rubin will illuminate a treasure trove of discoveries: pulsating stars, supernova explosions, the fossil record of galaxies, clues to the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter, and entirely new phenomena we鈥檝e never seen before. Some cosmic processes unfold slowly, unpredictably or incredibly rarely, which is why a 10-year survey is essential. By returning to each point in the sky about 800 times over a decade, Rubin data will provide the scientific community with deep, time-rich views needed to uncover subtle events, capture moving objects and study the accelerating expansion of the universe.

This milestone follows the Rubin First Look event that took place in June 2025, which was followed by final commissioning work, an operational readiness review and the beginning of the alert stream.

Each night, Rubin collects approximately 10 terabytes of data and produces as many as seven million alerts of changes in the night sky. These alerts stream to : automated systems that sort and classify these changes so scientists can act quickly. UW researchers led by , research associate professor of astronomy, developed the alert pipeline.

鈥淎stronomers have already used Rubin’s public alerts to discover and follow up hundreds of transient phenomena during the early optimization period,鈥� Bellm said. 鈥淲e can expect many more exciting discoveries with the start of the full survey.鈥�

Not only is Rubin helping to unlock the mysteries of the distant universe, it is also the most powerful solar system discovery machine ever built. By taking about a thousand images every night, Rubin is compiling a detailed census of our solar system, including millions of asteroids and comets. In just a month and a half, during early optimization surveys, Rubin discovered over 11,000 never-before-seen asteroids, including 33 near-Earth objects and 380 trans-Neptunian objects.

When the LSST is complete, the final dataset will contain billions of objects with trillions of measurements, all accessible through regular data releases. This is the first time so much astronomical data will be available to so many people, opening the door to new kinds of discovery by both scientists and the public. Rubin invites anyone in the world to engage with its data and explore the dynamic universe in ways never before possible.

鈥淚t is amazing and humbling to be here at this time and place as we start the Legacy Survey of Space and Time, after more than two decades of incredible work by our dedicated team,鈥� said Bob Blum, director of Rubin Observatory at NSF NOIRLab. 鈥淩ubin Observatory is for everyone; the LSST will change how we do astronomy and astrophysics, allowing researchers anywhere to participate in cutting-edge science.鈥�

Visit to follow the status of the LSST in real time.

Rubin Observatory is jointly operated by NSF NOIRLab and SLAC. Observatory operations听are funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy鈥檚 Office of Science.

For more information, contact Ivezi膰 at ivezic@astro.washington.edu.

This story was adapted from a press release by .

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Project Name: UWMC Outpatient Medical Center Expansion

Proponent/Lead Agency: 天美影视传媒

Comment Period Closes: July 6, 2026

Description: The project is intended to modernize and expand the existing medical center by remodeling four existing and developing four new operating rooms, including upgrades and additions to associated support spaces (approx. 9,700 sq.ft. expansion). SEPA checklist: https://facilities.uw.edu/committees/sepa

Location: The proposal is located at 10330 Meridian Avenue N in the Northgate neighborhood of Seattle. The site is generally bound by multi-family residential buildings to the north, Interstate-5 to the east, an apartment complex and undeveloped, natural areas to the south, and Meridian Avenue N to the west.

Contact Person: Julie Blakeslee, UW Planner; UW Facilities; Box 359571; Seattle, WA听 98195-9571; jblakesl@uw.edu

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The 天美影视传媒 recently was ranked highly among its global peers in both the and the . Both rankings were released in mid-June.

According to U.S. News, the UW is No. 12 in the world on the 2026-27 rankings, No. 3 among U.S. public institutions. The UW also placed in the top 10 globally in six subject areas.

On the QS World University Rankings, the UW is among the top 100, landing at No. 92, or No. 7 among U.S. public universities.

More about the U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities ranking:

The U.S. News ranking methodology 鈥� based on data and metrics provided by Clarivate 鈥� weighs factors that measure a university鈥檚 global and regional research reputation and academic research performance. For the overall rankings, this includes bibliometric indicators such as the number of publications, citations and international collaboration.

The overall Best Global Universities ranking encompasses 2,250 institutions spread across 105 countries.

Here are the UW fields of study that are in the top 10 in U.S. News鈥� subject rankings:

• Public, environmental and occupational health 鈥� No. 4
• Molecular biology and genetics 鈥� No. 6
• Microbiology 鈥� No. 7
• Biology and biochemistry 鈥� No. 7
• Infectious diseases 鈥� No. 7
• Clinical medicine 鈥� No. 8

More about the QS World University Rankings:听

This is the 23rd edition of the global higher education ranking by the analyst firm QS Quacquarelli Symonds. The UW placed No. 92 in the world and No. 23 in America. The UW is in the top 10 among U.S. public universities, landing at No. 7. This year’s ranking features more than 1,500 universities across 106 higher education systems, including 184 in the U.S.

The QS World University Rankings are based on a weighted index of indicators including research and discovery, employability and outcomes, global engagement, learning experience and sustainability.

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Seven 天美影视传媒 students and recent alumni were awarded听听scholarships for the 2026鈥�27 academic year, joining about 2,000 students and recent graduates from around the country to pursue graduate study, conduct research and teach English abroad.

The Fulbright scholarship program is the largest U.S. international exchange opportunity for students to pursue graduate study, advanced research and teaching in elementary and secondary schools worldwide.

The Fulbright awards speak to the talent, curiosity and global commitment of 天美影视传媒 students, said UW Vice Provost for Global Affairs Ahmad Ezzeddine.

鈥淔ulbright remains one of our nation鈥檚 most powerful platforms for learning across cultures, and it gives students the opportunity to pursue ambitious research, teaching and study while building meaningful relationships around the world,鈥� Ezzeddine said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e grateful for the State Department鈥檚 continued investment in this program and proud to see UW students representing our university 鈥� and the best of higher education 鈥� as thoughtful ambassadors engaged in work that will have lasting impact.鈥�

Among this year鈥檚 recipients are four UW undergraduate students or recent alumni who plan to travel to Europe and Asia to take part in graduate study, research and teaching assistantships. Three graduate-level students, including one recent alumnus, plan to travel to Asia, Europe and South America.

The UW also had five undergraduate students selected as alternates.

This year鈥檚听听awardees are:

• Katherine Guild: English teaching award, South Korea
• Tin Pak: Master鈥檚 degree program award, Taiwan
• Sofia Regan-Bon茅: English teaching award, Spain
• Wendi Zhou: Study award, Germany

This year鈥檚听 awardees are:

• Vecksle Drake: English teaching award, Mongolia
• Tessa Marks: Research award, Honduras
• Justin Zeitlinger: Study award, Netherlands

The Fulbright program, funded by the U.S. Department of State, provides round-trip travel, health insurance, a housing stipend and visa assistance to awardees. Awardees may, from time to time, decline the Fulbright scholarship to pursue other opportunities.

Read more about this year鈥檚 UW Fulbright Student Program finalists and the projects they will pursue abroad at the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards听and the Graduate School鈥檚听.

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Cauce is the immediate past UW president, having stepped down at the end of her second five-year term in 2025. She is one of five new听councilors听elected to three-year terms on the NAM Council.鈥�听

Cauce arrived at the UW in 1986 as an assistant professor and eventually served as executive vice provost, dean of the UW College of Arts & Sciences,听provost听and president. Cauce鈥檚 career has been defined by a commitment to improving the health and well-being of individuals and communities through psychology, public听health听and public service. She has championed health equity and interdisciplinary approaches that bring together medicine, public听policy听and community partnerships, helping reshape how institutions address complex health challenges and improve lives.听

听was first conceived in the 1960s and officially launched in 1970 to provide a source of independent, evidence-based guidance to inform health policy decisions. The organization has national standing and makes recommendations informed by research, rather than business or political interests.鈥�听

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