Victoria T Tyron – UW News /news Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:05:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.5 UW faculty and researchers recognized with ACLS Fellowship, Beckman Fellowship and Humboldt Award听 /news/2026/06/10/uw-faculty-and-researchers-recognized-with-acls-fellowship-beckman-fellowship-and-humboldt-award/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:05:32 +0000 /news/?p=92146
Recent recognition of the 天美影视传媒 includes ACLS Fellowship, Beckman Fellowship and Humboldt Award听

Recent recognition of the 天美影视传媒 includes American COuncil of Learned Societies Fellowship, Arnold O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellowship and Humboldt Award from Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

Assistant professor awarded 2026 ACLS Fellowship

, assistant professor in the Department of Asian Languages & Literature at the UW, was awarded a 2026 ACLS Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies. The fellowship recognizes excellence in humanities and social sciences research and supports scholars whose work is poised to make original and significant contributions to their fields.听Rominger听will be the 2026 ACLS Pauline Yu Fellow.听

It means a great deal to hold a fellowship in Pauline Yu’s name,鈥 Rominger said. 鈥淗er scholarship on Chinese poetics is part of why I do this work.”

This year, the program awarded more than $3.5 million to 63 scholars selected from a pool of more than 2,000 applicants.

Rominger specializes in early Chinese literary and intellectual history. His project, 鈥淎urality and the Search for Sound and Meaning in Early Chinese Texts,鈥 examines how sound-based patterning听shaped meaning in early Chinese听philosophical texts, particularly in听writings听from the Warring States period to the Han dynasty.听

Rominger鈥檚 research shows how early Chinese thinkers employed the sound of language not only for style but also to build arguments and express complex ideas. The project brings together close readings of ancient texts, historical reconstructions of Old Chinese pronunciation, and computational tools to offer new insight into the relationship between literary form and philosophical thought.

Postdoctoral scholar awarded Arnold O. Beckman Fellowship in Chemical Instrumentation

, a UW postdoctoral scholar听in听chemistry, was awarded the Arnold O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellowship in Chemical Instrumentation. The fellowship supports advanced research by postdoctoral scholars in fundamental chemistry and the development and construction of chemical instrumentation.

The award provides two years of funding, along with an听additional听$200,000 budget to support instrumentation costs.

With the fellowship, Rebstock will build a new vibrational spectroscopy instrument designed to听observe听chemical reactions as they happen at surfaces. The instrument will allow researchers to see how molecules move and interact in real time, offering insight into surface chemistry that could help improve technologies such as batteries and clean fuels.

This fellowship provides Rebstock with a rare opportunity to combine instrument development with fundamental chemistry questions. I鈥檓 excited to pursue both and to explore new ways of probing the chemistry that happens at interfaces.鈥 Rebstock said.

UW researcher receives Humboldt Research Award

a UW professor of Earth and space sciences,听received a Humboldt Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. The award recognizes internationally leading researchers across all disciplines for their academic record and significant contributions to their fields.

Each year, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation grants up to 100 Humboldt Research Awards to researchers from abroad. Awardees receive personal award听money and听are invited to carry out research projects of their听choosing听in cooperation with specialist colleagues in Germany.

Teng said he was deeply honored by the recognition and grateful to Professor听Harry听Becker, head听of the Geochemistry Group at听FU-Berlin, for听the nomination. The award will allow听Teng听to spend extended periods over the next few years conducting research at Freie University Berlin, beginning with his听sabbatical this听summer.

鈥淚t is a wonderful opportunity to spend extended periods over the next few years conducting cutting-edge research at Freie University Berlin,鈥 Teng said.

The award will also enable Teng to develop new collaborations across Germany and become part of the Humboldt Foundation鈥檚 international network of distinguished researchers.

 

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UW faculty and researchers receive Dreyfus, Rosenstiel and community engagement honors /news/2026/06/02/uw-faculty-and-researchers-receive-dreyfus-rosenstiel-and-community-engagement-honors/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 20:40:31 +0000 /news/?p=92016 Bronze W front of green grass landscaping
Recent recognition of the 天美影视传媒 includes the Dreyfus Award, the Rosentiel Award, and the Distinguished Community Engagement Award

Recent recognition of the 天美影视传媒 includes the Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, the Rosentiel Award for contributions to ocean science, and the 2026 Distinguished Community Engagement Award

Assistant professor of chemistry awarded 2026 Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award

, assistant听professor听of听chemistry听at the听UW, received听a 2026 Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award from the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation. The award supports early-career faculty in the chemical sciences who have created an outstanding independent body of scholarship and听demonstrated听a strong commitment to education.听

Each Camille Dreyfus听teacher-scholar听receives an unrestricted research grant of $100,000. Golder was one of 17 scholars selected for the 2026 award.听

Golder鈥檚 research focuses on the design and reconstruction of plastics, with an emphasis on improving polymer integrity and sustainability. The work explores how chemical design can support stronger, more adaptable materials while addressing broader challenges in plastic waste and long-term environmental impact.

Golder said the foundation鈥檚 support will give his group the flexibility to continue pursuing 鈥渢he boldest and most exciting ideas鈥 over the next five years.听The听recognition听also听reflects the hard work and creativity of his research group over the past six years, he said.

Principal oceanographer receives Rosenstiel Award

, principal oceanographer at the UW Applied Physics Laboratory听and affiliate听assistant听professor听at the School of听Oceanography, received the听2026 Rosenstiel Award. The award, created in 1971 by the Rosenstiel Foundation, honors mid-career scientists whose work has made significant and growing impacts in their fields.听

The award is presented each year on a rotating basis across marine geosciences, atmospheric sciences, marine biology and ecology, ocean听sciences,听and environmental science policy. Whalen was invited to present a lecture at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine,听Atmospheric,听and Earth Science, where the award was presented in April.听

Whalen studies small-scale physics听in the ocean, including processes that generate turbulence听and mix the water, along with how these processes听interact with the dynamics of the water across ocean basins. Her work helps scientists better understand the physical drivers that shape climate and marine environments.

Whalen said she was honored to receive the award and to join the ranks of oceanographers whose work she admires. Receiving the award also gave Whalen the opportunity to visit the Rosenstiel School, where she met with faculty and students and learned more about their work.

Professor receives Distinguished Community Engagement Award

,听professor of ethnic, gender and labor studies and American Indian studies and adjunct professor of education at UW Tacoma听received the 2026 Distinguished Community Engagement Award in the project category. Montgomery is also an adjunct professor of bioethics and humanities at the UW School of Medicine.听The award recognizes her leadership of the Indigenous Speaker Series and Community Engagement: Promoting Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Multigenerational Community Learning.

Through support for the Haida Sails Resurgence Project and the Northwest Maritime Center, Montgomery鈥檚 work has created meaningful opportunities for co-learning, cultural听exchange,听and the uplifting of Indigenous Knowledge Systems through place-based and multigenerational learning experiences.

Montgomery鈥檚 community-engaged scholarship focuses on amplifying Indigenous voices, supporting dialogue around cultural and traditional lived experiences and strengthening partnerships that connect academic spaces with community knowledge. The Indigenous Speaker Series, which Montgomery created in 2015, has become a platform for sharing place-based Indigenous听knowledges听and expanding conversations across communities.听

鈥淎s a visitor to the Pacific Northwest, it is an honor to continue the responsibility to uplift place-based Indigenous听knowledges听and nurture the reciprocity of community partnerships,鈥 Montgomery said.

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Three UW faculty members elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences /news/2026/05/19/three-uw-faculty-members-elected-american-academy-of-arts-and-sciences/ Tue, 19 May 2026 22:51:55 +0000 /news/?p=91801
Three 天美影视传媒 faculty members from the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, the Allen School, and the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences鈥 2026 electees.

Three 天美影视传媒 faculty members听have been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Their work spans environmental science,听computing听and engineering, addressing challenges ranging from climate resilience and ecosystem sustainability to artificial intelligence and accessible healthcare technologies.

Founded in 1780, the听听recognizes leaders across disciplines whose work advances research, public policy听and the common good. The Academy elects听roughly 250听members each year.

,听UW听professor听in听the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, was听elected听for research on how climate change,听urbanization, and听land use affect freshwater ecosystems and fisheries.

Schindler鈥檚 work focuses on salmon habitats, watershed health听and ecosystem resilience in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, helping scientists better understand how environmental change affects ecosystems, wildlife听and communities that rely on fisheries.

鈥淚鈥檓 deeply honored by the recognition,鈥 Schindler said. 鈥淚鈥檓 also grateful for the colleagues and students at the UW whose听curiosity听and camaraderie have made our science impactful and genuinely fun.鈥

,听professor of computer science and engineering and听director of the Allen听School,听was elected听for听contributions to data management and data science,听as well as her leadership roles at UW and nationally.

Balazinska听develops data management systems and techniques听to help users across domains process complex and large datasets more efficiently and more easily, including tabular data, images and videos,听content听generated by听artificial intelligence,听and scientific datasets. Her work has included systems for cloud analytics, stream听processing, and video听analysis听among others.听

Balazinska听said joining the Academy听shows听how far science and engineering have come, while also听highlighting future听opportunities that will听arise as AI reshapes research and discovery.

鈥淎I has the potential to accelerate progress in ways I couldn’t have imagined at the start of my career,鈥 she said.

, professor in the听Allen School听and the听Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, was听elected听for research in ubiquitous computing, human-computer听interaction听and sensor-enabled systems.

Patel develops technologies that use smartphones,听sensors听and machine learning to expand access to healthcare and improve sustainability. His work includes smartphone-based health screening tools designed to improve access to care, as well as technologies that help households听monitor听energy and water use more efficiently.

Several technologies developed by Patel and his students have been commercialized through startups and later adopted by major companies, including Google.

Patel said he was 鈥渉umbled and honored鈥 by the recognition and听wants it to encourage听broader thinking about the role of applied computing research.

鈥淚 hope this serves as a catalyst for others to embrace a broader, more practical perspective on what computing can achieve for society,鈥 he said.

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Faculty/staff honors: Lifetime achievement award, Plyler Prize, Rome Prize fellowship /news/2026/03/09/faculty-staff-honors-lifetime-achievement-award-plyler-prize-rome-prize-fellowship/ Mon, 09 Mar 2026 21:28:47 +0000 /news/?p=90895 W statue in front of Memorial Way sycamore trees
Recent recognition of the 天美影视传媒 includes the Kenneth S. Norris Lifetime Achievement Award, the Earle K. Plyler Prize for Molecular Spectroscopy & Dynamics, the inaugural Trevisan Prize in the Theory of Computing, the John Gaus Award from the American Political Science Association, the Washington Governor鈥檚 Award for Outstanding Leadership, and the Rome Prize Fellowship in Environmental Arts & Humanities.
Affiliate professor of biology receives 2026 Kenneth S. Norris Lifetime Achievement Award

, a research scientist and affiliate professor in the in the Department of Biology at the 天美影视传媒, was honored with the 听from the听. The award recognizes exemplary lifetime contributions to science and society through research, teaching, and service in marine mammalogy.

Over a 40-year career, Moore鈥檚 research has focused on cetacean ecology, acoustics, and natural history, particularly in the Arctic. A prolific researcher, she is widely recognized as a pioneer in using marine mammals as ecosystem sentinels in this rapidly changing region. Over decades of studying whales, Moore has helped scientists understand the health of ocean environments and how they are changing over time. Her work provides critical insight into the impacts of climate change in the Arctic and how marine ecosystems are responding. Her contributions to Arctic science have also been recognized with the听听from the International Arctic Science Committee and the 2023听听from the Alaska SeaLife Center; she is also a science adviser to the Washington State Academy of听Sciences,听and was appointed Commissioner听of the听 in 2022.

Natt-Lingafelter professor of chemistry awarded 2026 Earle K. Plyler Prize

,听professor of chemistry at the UW,听was听awarded the 2026听 from the American Physical Society for her impactful contributions to the anharmonic vibrational spectroscopy and dynamics of molecular radicals, ions, and clusters. Established in 1976, the prize honors pioneering spectroscopist Earle K. Plyler and is sponsored by the Journal of Chemical Physics. The prize will be presented at the APS Global Physics Summit, the world鈥檚 largest physics research conference, in March 2026.

McCoy鈥檚 research focuses on theoretical chemistry, where she develops methods to understand how molecules move, vibrate, and exchange energy. Her work has helped scientists better understand the fundamental behavior of molecules鈥攑roviding insight into how chemical reactions occur and how energy flows through molecular systems. Much of her recent work has focused on hydrogen-bonded systems and, specifically, proton transport. She is also interested in exotic molecules, like CH5+ and H5+, which have been proposed to exist in the interstellar medium. These advances help lay the groundwork for progress in areas ranging from atmospheric chemistry to materials science.

UW joint professor of mathematics and computer science awarded inaugural Trevisan Prize

天美影视传媒 professor 听has received the听 for his breakthrough contributions to the study of optimization problems.听Rothvoss听holds joint appointments in the Department of Mathematics and the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering and was honored in the mid-career category鈥攁 recognition of his impactful work over the course of his career.

for outstanding work in the theory of computing is sponsored by the Department of Computing Sciences at Bocconi University and the Italian Academy of Sciences. Awardees receive a one-time monetary prize and a medal and are invited to give public lectures at Bocconi University. The award ceremony and lectures took place in January 2026.

Rothvoss听has built a distinguished record of contributions to theoretical computer science and discrete optimization. He shares that 鈥渙ver the years my focus has changed a bit…I worked on approximation algorithms, which deal with finding provably good solutions to NP-hard problems in polynomial time.鈥 His work has since shifted toward discrepancy theory and the theoretical foundations of linear and integer programming.听In simple terms,听Rothvoss听studies听the mathematics听behind making听optimal听decisions听in听highly complex听systems. His research helps reveal when efficient solutions are听possible and optimization problems can be solved.

Political听science听professor听receives John Gaus Award

,听professor of听political听science at the UW,听received the听听from the American Political Science Association听(APSA).

The John Gaus Award is presented annually to honor a lifetime of exemplary scholarship in the joint tradition of political science and public administration. Prakash was selected unanimously for the award in recognition of a career devoted to advancing scholarship at the intersection of political science and public administration. A nomination letter noted that Prakash鈥檚 research, particularly on environmental issues, has helped bring environmental concerns into public administration in a variety of ways, including examining how businesses and NGOs can fill governance gaps. At the same time, the letter highlighted how his work explores the risks of these nontraditional governance mechanisms, including potential issues such as regulatory capture and accountability deficits.

Prakash鈥檚 research spans environmental governance, public policy, and global political economy. Over the course of his career, he has published eight scholarly books and more than 130 articles in peer-reviewed journals, with his work cited more than 18,000 times across the field. As part of the honor, Prakash presented the Gaus Lecture at the APSA Annual Meeting in September 2025.

Washington Sea Grant听interim听director听receives听governor鈥檚听leadership听award

, interim director of Washington Sea Grant, received the听, which recognizes exemplary leadership and service to the state of Washington.

Little was honored for her work supporting the state鈥檚 coastal communities through Washington Sea Grant鈥檚 research, outreach, and partnership-driven initiatives.

Little has dedicated more than 15 years to strengthening Washington鈥檚 coast through strategic vision, inclusive practices, and sustained investment in community-centered programs. Under her leadership, Washington Sea Grant delivered nearly $250 million in services and economic benefits statewide between 2021 and 2024, reflecting the program鈥檚 broad impact across coastal and maritime communities.

鈥淎 big thank you to the team at Washington Sea Grant for the nomination,鈥 Little said.听鈥淚鈥檓听deeply grateful to work alongside such thoughtful colleagues, who are so dedicated to our shared work.听I鈥檓听so honored by this recognition from the听governor. This award really is a testament to the impact of Washington Sea Grant鈥檚 work in serving the state鈥檚 coastal communities.鈥

Biology听professor听awarded Rome Prize Fellowship in Environmental Arts & Humanities

, professor of biology听at听the UW,听was awarded听the prestigious in the new Environmental Arts & Humanities category by the听. This pilot fellowship supports collaborative projects that explore how human beings relate to, experience, and interpret the natural world.

In partnership with Katharine Ogle, lecturer听of听English at听the University听of Southern California, Summers will pursue a project titled听鈥淧iscis Romana.鈥听Their work draws on听natural history听research conducted at the Friday Harbor Laboratories to investigate the links between marine life,听ecology,听and poetic expression.

鈥淭his听award will allow听Katie Ogle and听me to听further explore the links between poetry and natural history that have been developed by a group of us at Friday Harbor Labs,鈥澨齋ummers said.

Summers鈥 biological research spans marine and aquatic systems with a strong emphasis on understanding organismal form,听function,听and the broader natural-history context in which听species听evolve and interact. Partnering听with Ogle, he will extend that scientific inquiry into the realm of arts and humanities, looking at how the natural world inspires literary forms,听metaphors,听and cultural narratives.

With this Rome Prize fellowship, Summers joins a competitive cohort selected from听nearly 1,000听applicants and will spend several听months in听residence at the Academy in Rome, working among scholars and artists from around the world.

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Faculty/staff honors: Early career award, advances in theoretical physics, CAREER award /news/2025/08/04/faculty-staff-honors-early-career-award-advances-in-theoretical-physics-career-award/ Mon, 04 Aug 2025 17:58:37 +0000 /news/?p=88717 W statue in front of green grass
Recent recognition of the 天美影视传媒 includes an AIS Early Career award, the Tomassoni-Chisesi prize and NSF CAREER award. Photo: 天美影视传媒

 

Recent recognition of the 天美影视传媒 includes an AIS Early Career award, the Tomassoni-Chisesi prize for contributions to theoretical physics and the National Science Foundation CAREER award.

Foster School鈥檚 Mingwen Yang receives AIS early career award

, UW assistant professor of Information Systems and Operations Management in the Foster School of Business, received the from the Association for Information Systems.

is a leading international organization dedicated to advancing the practice and study of information systems. Established in 2014, the award recognizes exceptional early-career scholars who have made outstanding contributions to research, teaching and service in the field of information systems, both locally and globally.

A 2024 recipient, Yang was honored for her impactful early work and dedication to advancing the discipline through scholarship and education.

鈥淚 am deeply honored and grateful to receive the Association for Information Systems (AIS) Early Career Award, a meaningful milestone in the early stage of my academic journey,鈥 said Yang.

David Kaplan awarded Tomassoni-Chisesi Prize for advances in theoretical physics

, UW professor of physics, received the for his contributions to theoretical physics. Awarded by Sapienza University of Rome, the prize 鈥 worth approximately $45,000 鈥 was presented on March 18, 2025 by Giorgio Parisi, recipient of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Kaplan was recognized for solving a long-standing problem in physics: 鈥 those that exhibit handedness, meaning they behave differently when left- or right-handed 鈥 on a computer. His domain wall approach, which adds a fifth dimension to lattice simulations, has become a foundational tool in particle physics.

Reflecting on the personal significance of the recognition, Kaplan shared that the breakthrough has been decades in the making. 鈥淚 first heard about the problem in 1981 when visiting Princeton,鈥 he said. 鈥淣obel laureate David Gross described it, and I didn鈥檛 really understand it then 鈥 but filed it away in my mind as something interesting.鈥 That early spark led to a 1992 theory involving a five-dimensional model with two surfaces. It wasn鈥檛 until 2019, however, that he saw how a single-surface geometry 鈥 like a doughnut or sphere 鈥 could yield particles with the same interactions observed in nature, including the weak force. 鈥淭he jury is still out 鈥 but I feel that I am on the right path now and it is very exciting.鈥澨 When asked of his plans for the prize money, Kaplan shared his plans to donate to the UW Department of Physics 鈥 鈥渨hich made the work possible.”

For such an incredible breakthrough, we asked what keeps him motivated to keep exploring such big, complex questions in physics. Kaplan鈥檚 answer was simple: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 need motivation to think about complex questions in physics,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 do it in the shower, as I walk to work, and in my sleep鈥 I find it all obsessively interesting and fun.鈥

Marchand Receives $800K NSF award to advance synthetic DNA research

, UW assistant professor of chemical engineering, received a from the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, Systems and Synthetic Biology Program.

The is the agency鈥檚 most prestigious honor for early-career faculty, recognizing those with the potential to become academic leaders in both research and education.

With this award, Marchand鈥檚 lab will develop sequencing technologies capable of precisely reading and interpreting semi-synthetic DNA alphabets 鈥 genetic systems that use more than the four natural DNA bases found in all known life. In other words, while natural DNA uses a four-letter code (A, T, C, G), Marchand鈥檚 group is exploring the implications of expanding that alphabet to six letters. Their research aims to understand what happens to biological systems when the genetic code is fundamentally altered.

鈥淟ife evolved to use a four-letter DNA alphabet,鈥 Marchand said. 鈥淗ow much of biology breaks versus works when we change that alphabet to six letters is unknown. New technology is required to investigate these questions, which we will develop with this award.鈥

Marchand said he鈥檚 proud of the recognition for his lab鈥檚 鈥渂old vision in engineering biology for compatibility with expanded genetic alphabets.鈥

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Faculty/staff honors: Innovation grant, best paper, outstanding research award /news/2025/06/11/faculty-staff-honors-innovation-grant-best-paper-outstanding-research-award/ Wed, 11 Jun 2025 22:53:47 +0000 /news/?p=88373 W statue in front of grass and trees
Recent recognition of the 天美影视传媒 includes an EarthLab Innovation Grant, the Best Paper Award from American Political Science Association and honorable recognition mention from the American Society for Theatre Research. Photo: 天美影视传媒

Recent recognition of the 天美影视传媒 includes an EarthLab Innovation Grant, the Best Paper Award from American Political Science Association and honorable recognition mention from the American Society for Theatre Research.

UW professor Richard Watts and team awarded EarthLab Innovation Grant

, UW associate professor of French, is part of an interdisciplinary team from the UW that received an to support their collaborative project, 鈥淟ife in Spite of It All: Water, Wetlands, and Reclamation in a Changing Climate.鈥澨

The $80,000 grant, awarded through EarthLab鈥檚 2024鈥25 funding cycle, supports a team that also includes additional members of the UW faculty: , remote-sensing scientist in the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, and听, professor of international studies and director of the Jackson School of International Studies. Independent wetlands scholar and visual artist rounds out the team. The project focuses on documenting climate change and cultural resilience in a threatened wetlands region of the Senegal River Valley in southwestern Mauritania.听

鈥淭his grant enabled our Seattle-based research and filmmaking team to conduct a second site visit to the region,鈥 Watts said. 鈥淭he footage the team gathered is now being edited for a documentary film that explores the environmental and human stakes of a disappearing landscape.鈥

Political science faculty honored for research on religion, policy and economic discrimination

, UW associate professor of political science, received the from the American Political Science Association鈥檚 (APSA) Religion & Politics Section.

The award honors the best paper presented at the previous year鈥檚 APSA Annual Meeting that exemplifies the section鈥檚 mission: encouraging the study of the interrelations between religion and politics. Recipients are recognized for addressing timely and relevant topics in a theoretically innovative and methodologically rigorous way.

Cansunar was recognized for her co-authored work, 鈥淗omogenizing the High Street: The Economic Cleansing of Minority Elites through Fiscal Discrimination,鈥 which explores the complex interplay between faith and policy. She sees the award as a meaningful affirmation of her scholarship in a field that is continuously evolving.

鈥淩eceiving this award recognizes my work on the interplay between faith and policy,鈥 she said. 鈥淭his recognition encourages further thoughtful analysis of the intersection between religion and politics, both within academia and beyond.鈥

Theatre professor Stefka Mihaylova earns recognition for debut monograph

, UW associate professor of theatre theory and criticism, received honorable mention for from the American Society for Theatre Research.

The honors exceptional research and scholarship in theatre history and is one of the most prestigious recognitions in the field. The honorable mention highlights Mihaylova鈥檚 debut monograph, 鈥淰iewers in Distress: Race, Gender, Religion, and Avant-Garde Performance at the Turn of the 21st Century.鈥

In the book, Mihaylova examines how avant-garde performance art engages with identity, faith and social distress, offering new insights into the political power of live performance.

鈥淭his is an award for my first monograph Viewers in Distress: Race, Gender, Religion, and Avant-Garde Performance at the Turn of the 21st Century,鈥 Mihaylova said.

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Faculty/staff honors: Best paper, collaborative innovation, young investigator award /news/2025/03/19/faculty-staff-honors-best-paper-collaborative-innovation-young-investigator-award/ Wed, 19 Mar 2025 21:20:14 +0000 /news/?p=87800 bronze W
Recent honors for UW faculty include awards for best paper and collaborative innovation as well as a young investigator award. Photo: 天美影视传媒

Recent recognition of the 天美影视传媒 includes the Best Paper Award at NeurIPS Pluralistic Alignment Workshop, Scialog: Early Science with the LSST Collaborative Innovation Award and 2024 AVS Thin Film Young Investigator Award.

Professor wins ‘best paper’ at NeurIPS Pluralistic Alignment Workshop

, assistant professor in the UW Foster School of Business, received the $1,000 Best Paper Award on Pluralistic Alignment at the NeurIPS 2024 Workshop.

Max-Kleiman-Weiner

The Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems, or NeurIPS, is one of the most influential conferences in artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science and is known for its rigorous peer-review process.

Kleiman-Weiner co-authored the paper, “,” which introduces the MultiTP dataset 鈥 a collection of moral dilemmas in over 100 languages that enables the assessment of large language models鈥 decision-making in diverse linguistic contexts. The analysis explored the alignment of 19 LLMs with human judgments across six moral dimensions.

鈥淏y examining moral decisions across over 100 languages, we discovered that language models often fail to capture the rich diversity of human moral preferences across cultures,鈥 Kleiman-Weiner said. 鈥淭his reinforces why pluralistic alignment — ensuring AI systems can understand and respect different cultural perspectives — is so crucial as we develop these technologies. I’m excited about this work because it pushes us to think critically about whose values AI systems reflect. 鈥 We hope this research encourages more work on building AI systems that serve all of humanity, not just a select few.”

Nora Shipp receives Collaborative Innovation Award

, UW assistant professor of astronomy, was part of one of eight interdisciplinary teams awarded the in the first year of Scialog: Early Science with the LSST.

Nora Shipp

This initiative, launched by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement, is a three-year program designed to support early-career scientists as they prepare to utilize data from the upcoming Legacy Survey of Space and Time, or LSST, at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile.

“Scialog has been a great opportunity to make connections with scientists across the field of astronomy to brainstorm new ideas for taking advantage of the unprecedented data that will soon be provided by the LSST,” said Shipp.

Shipp鈥檚 proposal brings together researchers to study stars and dark matter — not just in the Milky Way, but also in smaller galaxies. By using the LSST to reveal the faint outer regions of these galaxies, the research will help us to better understand the universe’s creation and the limits of how galaxies form.

, which is short for 鈥渟cience + dialog, “is a collaborative program launched by RCSA in 2010. It鈥檚 designed to accelerate breakthroughs by fostering a network of creative scientists across disciplines and encouraging intensive discussions on scientific themes of global importance.

As part of this initiative, the conference brought together an expert group of scientists and facilitators, including Eric Bellm, research associate professor of astronomy and DiRAC Institute Fellow, to guide the discussions.

Chemical engineering professor wins 2024 AVS Thin Film Young Investigator Award
David Bergsman

, UW assistant professor of chemical engineering, has been named the 2024 recipient of the American Vacuum Society (AVS) . Named in honor of Professor Paul H. Holloway, a distinguished scholar and contributor to AVS, the award recognizes young scientists for significant theoretical and experimental contributions to thin film research.

Bergsman studies how to deposit layers of plastic that are 1/1000 the thickness of a human hair, which he uses to develop better materials for computer processors, clean energy, and water purification.

鈥淭he American Vacuum Society was foundational to my growth as a young scientist,鈥 Bergsman said. 鈥淚 am deeply honored to receive this award from a community which has always been an inspiring and supportive environment. I鈥檓 excited to continue engaging with this network of scientists and pushing the boundaries of research in interfacial engineering, surface science, thin films, and related technologies.”

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