University updates – UW News

12 UW professors elected to Washington State Academy of Sciences

Lauren Kirschman — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 19:07:53 +0000

Pictured in order, starting from the top left: Margaret Kuklinski, Dr. Dushyant Sahani, Michael Regnier, Ulrike Peters, Nikolla Qafoku, Dr. Judith Wasserheit, Dwayne Arola, Anirban Basu, Phillip Levin, Tessa Evans-Campbell, Ruth Etzioni, Alberto Aliseda

UPDATE Aug. 20, 2026: This story has been updated to include a faculty member who was originally omitted.��

Twelve faculty members at the ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý have been elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences. They are among 30 scientists and educators from across the state July 16 as new members. Election recognizes the new member’s “outstanding record of scientific and technical achievement and willingness to assist the Academy in providing the best available scientific information and technical understanding to inform complex policy decisions in Washington.”

New WSAS members are selected by current members or by their election to national science academies. All 11 UW faculty members were voted on by current WSAS members:��

, chair and PACCAR Endowed Professor of mechanical engineering and adjunct professor of neurological surgery and of aeronautics and astronautics, for “significant contributions to scientific understanding of multiphase and biomedical flows, including the role of fluid mechanics on arterial disease, heart failure, biomedical devices, and surgical planning for respiratory disease, through work combining rigorous experimentation and analysis that has influenced both engineering and clinical practice.”

, professor of materials science and engineering, for “pioneering research on structure–processing–property relationships and the aging of hard tissues that has shaped modern oral health science, and for influential contributions to advanced manufacturing, biomechanics, and bioinspired materials — coupled with exemplary educational leadership — that have made a lasting impact across disciplines and the STEM community.”

, professor of health economics and Stergachis Family Endowed Director of The CHOICE Institute, for “pioneering health economic methods — including causal estimation of personalized treatment effects, cost-effectiveness frameworks, and value-of-information analysis — that have shaped national drug pricing policies, international discussions on the economics of innovation, and the scientific foundations of the economics of precision medicine.”

, affiliate professor of health services and biostatistics and professor in the Public Health Sciences Division at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, for “pioneering statistical models that transformed cancer early detection and screening policy, reshaping national and global guidelines and advancing equitable public health decision‑making, and for exceptional leadership, cross‑disciplinary collaboration, and mentorship, influencing generations of scientists.”

, Charles O. Cressey Endowed Professor of social work and executive co-director of the Indigenous Wellness Research Institute, for “pioneering research across historical trauma, cultural buffers, and healing; substance use/misuse prevention; indigenous health disparities and family wellness; and youth health interventions.”

, Endowed Professor in Prevention in the School of Social Work and director of the Social Development Research Group, for “contributions to the economic assessment of prevention programs addressing substance abuse and mental health, and for advancing community-engaged research, and effective communication of findings to different audiences.”

, director of and research professor in the UW School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, for “leadership and contributions in ecosystem-based management, salmon conservation, urban ecology, and pioneering contributions to the development of social-ecological approaches to environmental problem solving.”

, research professor of epidemiology and associate director for public health sciences at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center for “integrating large‑scale genomic, environmental, and tumor data to advance colorectal cancer prevention and reduce population disparities, and for her leadership at Fred Hutch, shaping precision prevention and population health science.”

, affiliate professor of environmental engineering and chief scientist and laboratory fellow emeritus at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, for “his seminal leadership and sustained contributions to soil and agricultural science and environmental geosciences, spanning basic and applied research, university-level teaching and mentoring, and exceptional service.”

, professor of bioengineering, the Dr. James B. Bassingthwaighte Endowed Faculty Fellow in Bioengineering, director of the Center for Translational Muscle Research, and�� associate chair of research and translation for the Department of Bioengineering, for “internationally recognized leadership in discovering the molecular mechanisms of contractile dysfunction with familial genetic mutations that lead to muscle dysfunction with disease, the design of novel, targeted therapies, and training the next generation of scientists and engineers to have further impact in understanding and treating heart failure and skeletal muscle diseases.”

Dr. , professor and chair of radiology in UW Medicine, for “contributions to the science and clinical practice of radiological imaging and for leadership in national programs and professional and scientific societies that advance academic radiology.”

, affiliate professor of civil and environmental engineering and chief scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, for “pioneering the integration of climate science with power systems studies through computational, data-driven, experimental approaches, resulting in significant cost savings for energy customers and a safer, more reliable grid.”

Additionally, Dr. , professor emerita of global health and of medicine and epidemiology in the UW School of Medicine, was elected to the WSAS Board of Directors. Wassersheit has been a member of WSAS since 2008. An infectious disease physician and epidemiologist, Dr. Wasserheit played a central role in launching the UW Department of Global Health and served as chair from 2014-2022. She also served as co-director for the UW Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness. She was the founding chief of the U.S. National Institute of Health’s Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Research Branch, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s STD/HIV Prevention Program and director of the FHCRC-based HIV Vaccine Trials Network. Her work on epidemiological synergy between HIV and sexually transmitted infections has shaped prevention policy worldwide.

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With landmark 10-year investment, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation will deliver more local, timely health evidence worldwide

UW News staff — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 18:03:34 +0000

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, an independent research organization at the UW, has received a landmark $540.2 million, 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. Photo: Mark Stone/University of Wahsington

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), an independent research organization at the ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý, 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 — a major expansion in the geographic detail available to the people making decisions. The grant will also support IHME’s 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.

“Reliable 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,” said Dr. Christopher J.L. Murray, IHME director and professor of health metrics sciences. “This 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.”

Murray, the grant’s 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 ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý in 2007, creating an independent institute dedicated to measuring the world’s most pressing health challenges and evaluating whether policies and programs are improving people’s 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’s next phase of growth.

“Every government and funder faces difficult decisions about where to invest limited resources for greatest impact, and those decisions depend on trusted evidence,” said Mark Suzman, Chief Executive Officer of the Gates Foundation. “For nearly two decades, IHME has been one of the foundation’s 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—and save—millions of lives.”

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’s data and methods and carry health measurement into their own institutions and ministries. This next phase of IHME’s 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 ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý.

“The Gates Foundation has been a steadfast partner of the ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý 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’s already significant impact, which will mean longer, healthier lives for countless people,” said UW President Robert J. Jones.

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

“We are deeply grateful to the Gates Foundation for this extraordinary investment in IHME and the ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý School of Medicine,” said Dr. Timothy Dellit, CEO of UW Medicine and dean of the ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý School of Medicine. “Their 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.”

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

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8 UW faculty and staff named Fulbright Scholars; will conduct research around the world

Jackson Holtz — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 20:36:49 +0000

Photo: ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý

Eight ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý researchers have been selected as Fulbright Scholars for 2026-2027 and will pursue studies around the world.��

Fulbright Scholars are college and university faculty, administrators and researchers, as well as artists and professionals, who build their skills and connections, gain valuable international insights and return home to share their experiences with their students and colleagues.

This year’s UW cohort represents a variety of disciplines, including sciences, engineering, business, environmental sciences, electrical and computer engineering, and computer science. The scholars will conduct research across the globe, including in Australia, India, Indonesia, Western Europe, Scandinavia and East Asia.

Two-thirds of this year’s UW applicants were selected as Fulbright Scholars — an astonishing acceptance rate in the prestigious and highly selective program.

“We are incredibly proud of these outstanding ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý faculty and staff whose selection as Fulbright Scholars reflects the excellence, innovation and global impact of their work,” said UW Vice Provost for Global Affairs Ahmad M. Ezzeddine. “The knowledge, partnerships and cultural understanding they gain through these experiences will enrich the UW and strengthen our shared commitment to addressing global challenges through collaboration and discovery. As the Fulbright Program celebrates its 80th anniversary, we are grateful for the U.S. Department of State’s continued investment in this transformative program.”��

The Fulbright Scholar Program for academics and professionals supports more than 800 people to teach and conduct research abroad.��

This year’s UW Fulbright Scholars are:

Berry Brosi Photo: Karen Levy

is a professor in the Department of Biology in the College of Arts & Sciences. His research focuses on how mutually beneficial interactions between species — such as how insects pollinating plants is beneficial to both — scale into networks involving multiple species, and how the structure of those networks affects ecosystems. For example, some ecological network structures, or how connections between species are arranged, make these networks more resilient to perturbations, such as droughts or climate change.

Brosi’s Fulbright Scholar award will be through Spain’s flagship public research institution, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, at the Doñana Biological Station in Seville. His work there will involve synthesizing and analyzing two comprehensive long-term datasets — one from his lab and one from his Spanish host lab — to better understand global patterns in pollination networks. In particular, scientists have recorded species that appear to be “specialists” — such as a bee species that has only been recorded visiting one plant species�� — in many ecological networks, but, without long-term data, it’s difficult to disentangle whether they are really specialists or just rare. Brosi will tackle this problem in collaboration with his Fulbright host, Ignasi Bartomeus, at Doñana.��

Kalei Combs Photo: ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý

is the director of academic services in the Department of Bioengineering in the College of Engineering and UW Medicine. She supports the department’s doctoral students with a focus on improving the research experience, expanding opportunities and advancing access and collaboration.��

While a Fulbright Scholar, she will develop a framework for a new doctoral biomedical research exchange between the UW and Tampere University in Finland. Combs will work with faculty, students and staff at both universities to lead the development of a preliminary structure of a doctoral research exchange, including eligibility criteria, mentorship plans and evaluation metrics. She will also explore funding sources for the program’s ongoing sustainability and draft a memorandum of understanding for the institutions to consider.

Alicia DeSantola Photo: ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý

, an assistant professor of management and organization and the Helen Moore Gerhardt Faculty Fellow in Entrepreneurship in the Foster School of Business. Her areas of expertise include entrepreneurship, organizational growth and scaling, technology and innovation strategy, and venture capital. DeSantola teaches entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial strategy to undergraduates, master’s and doctoral students. She was named a Poets & Quants top 50 undergraduate business professor in 2021.��

DeSantola will use her Fulbright award, during which she will be a visiting U.S. Scholar to University College Cork in Ireland, to study factors influencing innovation and entrepreneurship in novel food technologies. The project connects to a broader stream of DeSantola’s research exploring the emergence and evolution of new technology-based industries.

Kristen M. Green Photo: ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý

is�� an interdisciplinary scientist in the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs in the College of the Environment. Her work focuses on how coastal communities adapt to climate change and other environmental and socioeconomic stressors, particularly within fisheries and aquaculture systems. During the past 15 years, she has worked with coastal populations, including Indigenous harvesters, to support food sovereignty and long-term approaches to adaptation and resilience.

Green’s Fulbright award is to advance the inclusion of�� fish and other aquatic foods —�� “Blue Foods” — into Indonesia’s National School Lunch Program. The goal of this project is to improve nutritional outcomes for school-aged children while strengthening local food systems. Through working directly with fishers and fish suppliers, Green will work with the project team to identify the conditions necessary to provide Blue Foods that promote positive nutritional outcomes for children, support local fishers and sustain local ecosystems. This project is a pilot program for the initiative that will hopefully be expanded nationally.

Tanushree Mishra Photo: ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý

is an associate professor in the Information School and also is part of the Responsibility in AI Systems and Experiences (RAISE) Center. An interdisciplinary scholar with expertise in human-centered AI, Mitra’s work draws on human-computer interaction, machine learning, natural language processing and social science to understand how people and AI interact in large-scale online systems. Her research examines the societal impacts of generative AI and develops methods to make AI systems more trustworthy, culturally aware and beneficial for diverse communities.

She will use her Fulbright award in India, where she will collaborate with researchers at the Centre for Machine Intelligence and Data Science (C-MInDS) at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Bombay) — the nation’s topmost and most selective public research institution. She will investigate the risks and capabilities of generative AI systems across socio-cultural contexts most relevant to the Global South. The work aims to advance more culturally aware and responsible AI while strengthening research partnerships between the United States and India.

Robert Morris Photo: ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý

is an associate professor in the School of Oceanography in the College of the Environment. Morris’ research uses cultivation and whole-genome DNA sequencing to identify the roles of bacteria in global nutrient cycles. With a focus on carbon, nitrogen and sulfur, he has conducted studies that show the effects of low dissolved oxygen on the nutrient cycling activities of the ocean’s most abundant organisms.��

During his time at in South Korea, Morris will pursue a project entitled, “High-throughput cultivation-based genomics of freshwater Chloroflexota.” A key goal is to advance understanding of the evolution of this important group of bacteria and its potential to mediate key nutrient transformations.

Amy Orsborn Photo: ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý

is an associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and in the Department of Bioengineering in the College of Engineering. She leads a neural engineering lab focused on motor brain-computer interfaces, or BCIs. Her work combines experiments with computational methods to develop new ways to build BCIs that interact with plasticity in the brain.

During her stay at the Champalimaud Institute Centre for Restorative Neurotechnology in Portugal, she will collaborate with two researchers, Dr. Juan Álvaro Gallego and Dr. John Krakauer. The new projects aim to improve our understanding of how plasticity shapes brain dynamics and apply new BCI algorithms for stroke rehabilitation.��

Chirag Shah

is a professor in the Information School and an adjunct professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering in the College of Engineering. He is the founding director of the InfoSeeking Lab and founding co-director of RAISE, the Center for Responsibility in AI Systems & Experiences. His research focuses on agentic AI, human-centered information seeking and responsible AI, examining how intelligent systems can act on people’s behalf while remaining transparent, trustworthy and accountable. He is also the founder and CEO of VersarAI, a startup translating his research on AI agents into enterprise applications. His book, “Agent Nation,” was published this year.��

Shah will use his Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, to study how agentic AI can responsibly power entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems. Working with RMIT researchers and Australia’s startup community, he will investigate what he calls the Delegation Paradox: the tension between the efficiency gained by delegating tasks to AI agents and the oversight, trust and accountability that delegation demands. The work aims to produce frameworks that help founders, enterprises and policymakers adopt AI agents in ways that drive innovation without sacrificing human agency.

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UW kicks off one-year study to explore expansion and address needs for health care, impactful research

Victor Balta — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 21:45:43 +0000

An aerial view of the UW Medical Center-Montlake.

The ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý is exploring a significant redevelopment and expansion of UW Medical Center–Montlake, the Magnuson Health Sciences Center and west campus.

To kick off this potential 10-year effort, the UW Real Estate office is issuing a Phase-1 request for proposals for a one-year exercise to find a development advisor that will, in collaboration with the UW, deliver an executable strategy for the project. This Phase-1 work would include a year-long process to identify potential capital funding sources, assess the existing south campus buildings and infrastructure, and determine a realistic program and plan for expansion and redevelopment.

The UW’s current facilities cannot meet the demand for health care as more patients turn to UW Medicine for cancer, heart and transplant treatments, among other care needs. UWMC–Montlake currently operates with a shortage of beds, and that shortage is expected to grow to nearly 300 by 2040.

Additionally, modern biomedical research and health research, such as the Institute for Protein Design led by Nobel Prize winner David Baker and the Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine require expanded facilities to continue delivering new treatments and cures.

Teaching, research and clinical facilities in the Magnuson Health Sciences Center are split across many floors and wings, and many of those spaces need replacement or will soon. The review will also include close consultation with the schools of Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy to determine the need for improved teaching, clinical training, research and dental care facilities.

A four-month initial feasibility study conducted by Seattle architectural and design firm NBBJ, along with the UW Medicine Strategy Team, determined the clear need for a new hospital tower at UWMC–Montlake with capacity for up to 400 additional beds. In a separate assessment, it was determined a new electrical substation is needed, as the existing substation is at capacity.

The RFP states a clear preference for limiting situations where a unit has to move more than once and for minimizing disruptions to teaching, research and patient care. If the project proceeds, the preferred project timeline includes the construction of new, permanent space for any units that may need to move, to be completed in approximately five years, at which point the existing hospital tower and portions of the Magnuson Health Sciences Center would be demolished and replaced. If the project proceeds, any units that are impacted will be supported through the project, including if there is a need to move to temporary space during construction.

An important component of the RFP is the development of a structured, multi-source funding plan for the entirety of the project. Potential funding sources include, but are not limited to, philanthropy, government funding, public-private partnerships and ground leases. If the year-long review determines that some aspects of the program are not feasible, the team will provide an alternative plan.

For more information, contact Victor Balta at balta@uw.edu.

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President and Provost join new faculty on bus tour of Washington

Jackson Holtz — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 21:23:48 +0000

President Robert J. Jones, Provost Tricia Serio and more than two dozen new ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý faculty toured Washington state last week on the annual Faculty Field Tour.

The five-day bus tour departed from the Burke Museum in Seattle on June 15 and made stops at historic sites, the state capitol, health clinics, vineyards, farms, cities and towns throughout the state.

Jones met the group in Richland to participate in a fireside chat. The following day, the UW president joined them at Schoesler Farms, the Ritzville wheat farm owned by Sen. Mark Schoesler, a Republican, and his family. Jones, an agronomist, was delighted to spend time with new faculty, meet Schoesler and get a hands-on tour of the wheat farm.

“We are a state university. We have an obligation on both sides of the mountains,” Jones said. “We have breadth that runs the entire state. And on this tour, these relatively new faculty members have a chance to experience that.”

UW’s Faculty Field Tour began more than 30 years ago to foster connection between new faculty and communities statewide. While making a counterclockwise loop around Washington, the participants learn about Washington’s varied economies, diverse geography and the places where their students grew up. The tour typically stops in Tacoma, Olympia, Mt. St. Helens, Vancouver, Toppenish, Tri-Cities, Ritzville, Spokane, Grand Coulee and Leavenworth before returning to Seattle.

Held the week following Commencement, the tour is open to faculty from all three UW campuses. This year’s cohort included an oceanographer from the College of the Environment, a writing studies professor from UW Tacoma, an economist from the College of Arts & Sciences, and UW Bothell’s executive vice provost for academic affairs, among others.

“Our students come from all over the state, right? Certainly not just Seattle,” said , a UW assistant professor in the Information School who was on the tour. “If you want to be an effective educator, you need to understand where your students come from and what their communities are like.”

The 2027 Faculty Field Tour is scheduled for the week of June 14.

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Rankings: UW recognized as one of the best universities in the world

UW News staff — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:37:04 +0000

The UW ranked highly among its global peers in both the U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities and the QS World University Rankings. Both rankings were released in mid-June. Photo: Dennis Wise/��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý

The ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý 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 — based on data and metrics provided by Clarivate — weighs factors that measure a university’s 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’ subject rankings:

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

More about the QS World University Rankings:��

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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7 UW students receive Fulbright exchange awards for study, research and teaching positions around the world

UW News staff — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 20:25:44 +0000

Seven UW students and a recent alumnus have been awarded Fulbright scholarships for study around the world. Pictured above, starting in the upper left, are Vecksle Drake, Katherine Guild, Tessa Marks, Tin Pak, Sofia Regan-Boné, Justin Zeitlinger and Wendi Zhou. Photo: ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý

Seven ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý students and recent alumni were awarded��scholarships for the 2026–27 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 ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý students, said UW Vice Provost for Global Affairs Ahmad Ezzeddine.

“Fulbright remains one of our nation’s 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,” Ezzeddine said. “We’re grateful for the State Department’s continued investment in this program and proud to see UW students representing our university — and the best of higher education — as thoughtful ambassadors engaged in work that will have lasting impact.”

Among this year’s 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’s��awardees are:

Katherine Guild: English teaching award, South Korea
Tin Pak: Master’s degree program award, Taiwan
Sofia Regan-Boné: English teaching award, Spain
Wendi Zhou: Study award, Germany

This year’s�� 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’s UW Fulbright Student Program finalists and the projects they will pursue abroad at the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards��and the Graduate School’s��.

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UW faculty and researchers recognized with ACLS Fellowship, Beckman Fellowship and Humboldt Award��

Victoria T Tyron — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:05:32 +0000

Recent recognition of the ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý includes ACLS Fellowship, Beckman Fellowship and Humboldt Award

Recent recognition of the ��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý 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.��Rominger��will be the 2026 ACLS Pauline Yu Fellow.��

“It means a great deal to hold a fellowship in Pauline Yu’s name,” Rominger said. “Her 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, “Aurality and the Search for Sound and Meaning in Early Chinese Texts,” examines how sound-based patterning��shaped meaning in early Chinese��philosophical texts, particularly in��writings��from the Warring States period to the Han dynasty.��

Rominger’s 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��in��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��additional��$200,000 budget to support instrumentation costs.��

With the fellowship, Rebstock will build a new vibrational spectroscopy instrument designed to��observe��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’m excited to pursue both and to explore new ways of probing the chemistry that happens at interfaces.” Rebstock said.��

UW researcher receives Humboldt Research Award��

a UW professor of Earth and space sciences,��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��money and��are invited to carry out research projects of their��choosing��in cooperation with specialist colleagues in Germany.��

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

“It is a wonderful opportunity to spend extended periods over the next few years conducting cutting-edge research at Freie University Berlin,” Teng said.��

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

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UW’s Class of 2026 celebrated with ceremonies in Husky Stadium and ceremonies in the Tacoma Dome and HecEd

Jackson Holtz — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 17:38:56 +0000

��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý President Robert J. Jones presided at the UW’s 151st Commencement ceremony on Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium on Saturday, June 13.

Graduates have profound potential and have capacity to combine purpose, skill and cooperation in ways that will change the world,�� Jones said.��

“They are innovators, scientists, artists, educators, healers, entrepreneurs and storytellers who have made their mark on the UW and are poised to do the same in the world beyond,” he said. “Because of that, I feel not just hope — but confidence — that the future is in their capable hands.”

About 7,500 UW graduates of the Class of 2026 participated in Saturday’s ceremony. Officials said about 50,000 family members and friends cheered the graduates from the Husky Stadium grandstands. Families from 42 countries from every continent except Antarctica joined the ceremony virtually.

, Class of ’83, who shared the, was the featured speaker.��

“Leave yourself open to opportunities when they arise. Be willing to take a risk and to say yes to the unknown,” Brunkow told the crowds in Husky Stadium. “You chose UW — and succeeded here — because it is a place of discovery, collaboration and optimism. Carry those values with you out into the world. We can’t wait to see what you make of them.”

By Sunday evening, President Jones will have presented nearly 18,462 degrees to the Class of 2026 across all three UW campuses’ ceremonies. Members of the UW Board of Regents, deans and other representatives of the University’s 24 colleges and schools across all three campuses also participated in the ceremonies.��

The following��data, drawn from preliminary information broken down by campus and prepared by the Office of the University Registrar, will be presented��at the Board of Regents’ June 11 meeting:��

For work completed at the��Seattle��campus, about 14,932 degrees will be conferred, specifically: 9,066 bachelor’s degrees, 4,372 master’s degrees, 615 professional degrees, 16 Educational Specialist degrees, and 863 doctoral degrees.��
At��UW Bothell, about 1,886 degrees will be conferred, including 1,619 bachelor’s degrees and 267 master’s degrees.��
And at��UW Tacoma,��students will receive about 1,644 degrees, including 1,321 bachelor’s degrees, 304 master’s degrees, 10 Educational Specialist degrees and nine doctoral degrees.��

Degrees are awarded to those who have completed academic requirements during the 2025-2026 academic year. Many colleges and schools also hold separate graduation programs and investiture ceremonies.��

UW Tacoma will hold its commencement June 12 at the Tacoma Dome. UW Bothell’s graduation ceremonies are scheduled for June 14 at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion.

More information

UW Tacoma’s is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Friday, June 12, at the Tacoma Dome. To watch a livestream, visit the . Doors open 60 minutes in advance.

The June 13 Commencement ceremony in Seattle will be streamed starting at 12:30 p.m. To watch, visit the UW commencement website. Doors to Husky Stadium open at 12:30 p.m. “Purple Carpet” programming begins at 12:30 p.m., followed by the procession of graduates at 1:30 p.m. and the Commencement ceremony at about 2 p.m.

UW Bothell will host the on Sunday, June 14, at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion in Seattle. The Purple Ceremony, beginning at 11 a.m., includes students from the Schools of Business, Educational Studies and Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences. The Gold Ceremony, beginning at 4 p.m., is for students from the schools of Nursing & Health Studies and of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics. Doors open one hour prior to the ceremony.

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Former UW President Ana Mari Cauce elected to National Academy of Medicine governing council

UW News staff — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:55:38 +0000

��Ӱ�Ӵ�ý psychology professor��Ana Mari Cauce��has been��elected��to serve on the��

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��councilors��elected to three-year terms on the NAM Council. ��

UW President Ana Mari Cauce

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,��provost��and president. Cauce’s career has been defined by a commitment to improving the health and well-being of individuals and communities through psychology, public��health��and public service. She has championed health equity and interdisciplinary approaches that bring together medicine, public��policy��and community partnerships, helping reshape how institutions address complex health challenges and improve lives.��

��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. ��

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