Four 天美影视传媒 researchers have been named AAAS Fellows, according to . They are among 449 newly elected fellows from around the world, who are recognized for their 鈥渟cientifically and socially distinguished achievements鈥� in science and engineering. New Fellows will receive an official certificate and a gold and blue rosette pin 鈥� representing science and engineering, respectively 鈥� to commemorate their election.

A tradition dating back to 1874, election as an AAAS Fellow is a lifetime honor. AAAS Fellows play a crucial role in shaping public policy, advancing scientific research and influencing national and global perspectives on critical issues. Becoming a AAAS Fellow is among the most distinct honors within the scientific community, and those elevated to the rank have made distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. All fellows are expected to meet the commonly held standards of professional ethics and scientific integrity.

This year鈥檚 UW AAAS fellows are:

, professor of biochemistry at the UW School of Medicine and the director of the UW Medicine Institute for Protein Design, was recognized for his groundbreaking work in computational protein design. Baker鈥檚 early work was in predicting how chains of chemicals fold into molecular structures that determine protein functions. He went on to design new proteins from scratch to carry out tasks in medicine, technology and sustainability. His team is developing vaccines, targeted drug delivery for cancer, enzymes to break down environmental pollutants and innovative biomaterials, among other endeavors. Baker received the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his scientific achievements to benefit humankind. He has also been awarded the Overton Prize in computational biology, Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology, Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences and Wiley Prize in Biomedical Sciences.

, professor and chair of neurobiology and biophysics at the UW School of Medicine, was honored for her distinguished contributions to cognitive and systems neuroscience. Buffalo, who is the Wayne E. Crill Endowed Professor, is particularly noted for her pioneering research on the neural basis of remembering and learning, and for advancing translational research into broader insights on human brain function. She studies the relationship between eye movements and activity in the hippocampus and other nearby brain regions involved in forming memories, navigating and recalling the emotional context of past events. She is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, which presented her with the Troland Award for innovative, multidisciplinary studies. She also helps train postdoctoral scholars at the UW Medicine Institute for Translational Immunology.

, professor and chair of genome sciences at the UW School of Medicine, was noted for her distinguished contributions to the fields of genetics and genomics. She is known for advancing knowledge of the mechanisms underlying molecular evolution and genetic variation in yeasts and in humans. Her lab develops new tools to study mutations and their consequences, genome structure, gene interactions, and the evolution of gene expression. She has a longstanding interest in how copy number variations 鈥� how many times a particular segment of DNA repeats 鈥� affect adaptation, and how these variations arise. Dunham applies her genomics methods to diverse topics, including the biology of aging and the emergence of multi-drug antibiotic resistance. Dunham is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University and was a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Faculty Scholar.

, UW professor of chemistry, was honored for distinguished contributions to the theoretical understanding of nanoscale light-matter interactions, particularly for the design and interpretation of advanced spectroscopies that use electrons and light to probe material excitations. Masiello is an applied physicist whose research focuses on creating simple-yet-rich theoretical models that bring insight and understanding to observations spanning from quantum materials to nanophotonics. Masiello was hired as an assistant professor at the UW in 2010. He is a faculty member in both the Molecular & Engineering Sciences Institute and the Institute for Nano-Engineered Systems, and is also an adjunct professor of applied mathematics and of materials science and engineering. Masiello’s honors include receiving an NSF CAREER Award and a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, called PECASE, awarded by President Obama at the White House.

Five 天美影视传媒 researchers have been named AAAS Fellows, according to a . They are among 471 newly elected fellows from around the world, who are recognized for their 鈥渟cientifically and socially distinguished achievements鈥� in science and engineering. A tradition dating back to 1874, election as an AAAS Fellow is a lifetime honor. All fellows are expected to meet the commonly held standards of professional ethics and scientific integrity.

This year鈥檚 UW AAAS fellows are:

, professor of genome sciences in UW Medicine, was recognized for her distinguished contributions to the field of the evolution of tissue development by signaling pathways and to the training of junior scientists. She studies developmental biology, and her work focuses on the patterns and shapes that appear as an organism forms into a living creature composed of a variety of cell types and organs. Her laboratory models are fruit flies, and her investigations begin in the egg chamber and the laid egg. Among her research interests are cell signals and cell migration critical to development, and the evolution of these processes. In addition, new genomic technologies are enabling her research team to manipulate the timing and location of gene activity within developing fly cells. Berg and her team also have designed a system to obtain live imaging of some of the developmental events that take place. Among Berg鈥檚 overarching goals is to better understand the genetic and molecular dysfunctions that lead to prenatal malformations and other disorders. The hope, Berg says, is that basic research, over the long term, might lead to clinical diagnostics for risk factors and to evaluation of potential treatments. Berg鈥檚 course topics are wide-ranging, and include introductory biology, biomedical ethics and forensic genetics at crime scenes.

, the David R. M. Scott Endowed Professor in Forest Resources and professor of plant microbiology in the UW School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, was recognized for distinguished contributions to unraveling mechanisms by which microbes colonize plants, increase plant growth and yields in nutrient-limited conditions, increase water use efficiency and drought tolerance, and improve plant health. Her research is on the importance of the plant microbiome as a resource for nature-based solutions to environmental challenges including pollution, climate change and colonizing the moon. A UW faculty member since 2003, she has received several awards and honors including the Lockwood Endowed Professorship (2013-2021), Director鈥檚 Faculty Award for 鈥渆xemplary contributions to student mentoring鈥� and the Faculty Member of the Year award (2014). She serves on the executive teams of the International Poplar Commission (Co-Vice Chair, Environmental and Ecosystem Services) and the International Symbiosis Society (VP, Education). She holds an adjunct faculty appointment in the Department of Microbiology.

, professor of microbiology in UW Medicine, was recognized for his distinguished contributions to the field of microbial interactions, particularly with regard to unraveling mechanisms responsible for the formation of surface-attached communities called biofilms. Parsek explores the social biology of bacterial communities. One of his areas of investigation is quorum-sensing 鈥� how bacteria use signaling molecules to sense the presence of others of the same species. This communication system allows them to coordinate their behavior as a group. Another of his related fields of interest is biofilms. These are bacteria that produce an extracellular matrix to bind themselves together. The matrix protects the community and plays a role, for example, in resistance to antimicrobials and antibiotics and in the persistence of chronic infection. Parsek鈥檚 lab studies the composition of this matrix and how it is assembled. They are especially interested in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which lives in several different environmental niches, but is notorious for infecting the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients and for colonizing burn wounds and growing on implanted biomaterials. In recent work his lab looked at how these bacteria can sense surfaces. A UW faculty member since 2011, Parsek is a member of the American Academy of Microbiology and was named a Kavli fellow by the National Academy of Sciences.

, the Lloyd and Kay Chapman Endowed Chair for Oral Health in the UW School of Dentistry, was recognized for translating knowledge from the behavioral and social sciences to address the causes of children鈥檚 oral health inequities. In recent years Chi has studied why some parents reject fluoride for their children and worked with Yup鈥檌k communities to improve the oral health of Alaska Native children. In 2018 he was named Pediatric Dentist of the Year by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and in 2025 he received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from President Joe Biden. A member of the UW faculty since 2010, Chi is also the associate dean for research in the School of Dentistry and a professor of health systems and population health in the UW School of Public Health. He is editor-in-chief the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry and treats patients at the Odessa Brown Children鈥檚 Clinic in Seattle.

, the Larry R. Dalton Endowed Chair in Chemistry and associate dean for research in the College of Arts & Sciences, is honored for his contributions to the development and application of time-dependent quantum theory and relativistic electronic structure theory, and for advancing educational pathways and diversity in STEM. Li conducts research at the intersection of physics, chemistry, materials science, mathematics and scientific computing, and he has developed widely used computational software. A UW faculty member since 2005, Li’s honors include a Sloan Research Fellowship, the NSF CAREER Award, the American Chemical Society Jack Simons Award in Theoretical Physical Chemistry and the UW Distinguished Teaching Award. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society (APS) and the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), a Lab Fellow at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and an elected member of the Washington State Academy of Sciences.

NASA last month to establish a regional scientific consortium based at the 天美影视传媒, in partnership with Washington State University and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, that will use an interdisciplinary approach to explore how the space environment 鈥� both in low-Earth orbit and beyond 鈥� affects living things.

The , which stands for Biology in Space: Establishing Networks for DUrable & REsilient Systems, will focus on innovation, acceleration and implementation of knowledge and technology of space biology centered on human-plant-microbiome relationships. The long-term goal is to enable a durable听human presence in low Earth orbit, 90 to 600 miles altitude, and beyond.

“The establishment of the BioS-ENDURES Consortium marks an exciting new chapter in space biology research at UW, WSU and PNNL,” said principal investigator , professor and chair of aeronautics and astronautics at the UW. “We’ve long recognized that successful long-term space presence requires more than just rockets and spacecraft 鈥� it demands a deep understanding of the complex interactions between humans, plants and microorganisms in space environments.

鈥淚’m particularly excited that through this consortium, we’re bringing together experts across all three institutions to develop new ways to monitor and predict these biological interactions in space, work that will be crucial for establishing a sustainable human presence beyond Earth.”

The team includes biologists studying humans, animals and plants, who will work together with microbiologists and other experts to ensure an integrated view of the space flight biosphere by enhancing data acquisition, modeling and testing. BioS-ENDURES has three focus areas related to the effects of spaceflight stressors:

• Develop monitoring to measure underlying molecular status, or biomarkers, in humans, animals, plants and their associated microbial communities
• Create models that predict human-plant-microbe robustness and interactions among organisms in space
• Validate and apply understanding of human and plant health, including promoting beneficial human-plant-microbe interactions, to enhance health in space

At the UW, the interdisciplinary team includes and in microbiology; and in environmental and forest sciences; in Earth and space sciences; in pharmaceutics; Marissa Kranz at the UW Medical Cyclotron Facility; and in genome sciences; Dr. in laboratory medicine and pathology at the UW School of Medicine; in pharmacy; and in oceanography.

The BioS-ENDURES Consortium builds on a collaboration between the UW, WSU, PNNL and science and industry advisory boards. Consortium members will work with NASA to align work with current and projected needs. The funding is spread out over five years and will support yearly proof-of-principle demonstration projects to advance the science of the three focuses, annual symposia tracks, and physical testing.

“The 天美影视传媒 is excited to have this opportunity to contribute to the听development of new capabilities that will enable a sustainable听human presence in space,”听said Mari Ostendorf, vice provost of research at the UW and UW professor of electrical and computer engineering.听“This consortium enables new partnerships and brings together investigators who have a long history with NASA and space applications with researchers who have deep expertise in human/animal, plant and microbial biology.听This research will push the boundaries of our scientific understanding to reveal new biological mechanisms that will address both sustainability and risk mitigation needs in space.听We look forward working with WSU, PNNL and NASA, as well as with other industry and science partners to accelerate space technology.”

For more information, see or contact Morgansen at morgansn@uw.edu. 听

October 17, 1:30 PM | , Brechemin Auditorium, School of Music Building

Making his Seattle Opera debut in the role of King Marke in Tristan und Isolde, internationally acclaimed bass and recent GRAMMY winner Morris Robinson visits the 天美影视传媒 to share his story as a professional opera singer and his insights into the challenges of performing Wagner in the 21st century.

Free |

October 18, 7:30 PM| UW Public Lectures – Reckoning with Race: Fluidity, Invention, and Reality with Ann Morning, Kane Hall

The notion that race is a social construct, rather than an objective physical reality, is widely accepted 鈥� except in areas that include biomedical research, debates about transracial identities, and sports. In this talk, Ann Morning will dissect the reasons we hold firmly to the 18th-century understanding of race in these domains.

Free | More info

October 18, 6 PM | , online

Rena Priest (Lhaq鈥檛emish Nation), the Washington State Poet Laureate, has received numerous awards for her writing, including an American Book Award for her debut poetry collection, 鈥淧atriarchy Blues.鈥� Priest will share a reading followed by a conversation with UW Ta(oma professor Danica Miller (Puyallup), with an opportunity for audience questions afterward. The emcee for the event will be Annie Downey and the discussion moderator will be Anne Jenner, 鈥�93, both from the UW Libraries.

Free |

October 19, 7 PM | , Kane Hall

How and why did haiku come about? Why are haiku so short? Why do they include precisely 17 syllables in a 5-7-5 arrangement? This talk, which presumes no knowledge of Japan or the Japanese language, will answer these questions and more. In an engaging overview of this fascinating topic, Professor Paul Atkins will discuss the origins of haiku in medieval Japan, introduce the major classic poets, and explore the ways in which haiku is linked to other forms of Japanese literature and art. Haiku is not just a poetic genre鈥攊t is a way of looking at the world and, for many people, a way of life. This talk will be followed by a moderated roundtable discussion between Professor Paul Atkins, and haiku poets Scott Oki and Mitsuko Miller.

Free |

, online

What did it mean to be a Jewish minority in an Arab-Islamic society? How did Judaism shape Islam and vice versa? What is the future of Jewish-Arab relations?

Today, Jews and Arabs sometimes seem to be entrenched in a timeless conflict. But for centuries, over 90% of the world鈥檚 Jews lived, worked, and thrived (or sometimes floundered) in the Arab

Near East.

In four talks from scholars drawing on their original research, this series will explore interactions between Jews and Arabs across fifteen hundred years of history.

• October 19, 4 PM | Lecture 1. Arabian Judaism and Early Islam
• October 26, 4 PM | Lecture 2. The Jews of Medieval Baghdad in the Abbasid Era
• November 2, 3 PM | Lecture 3. Jews and Muslims in Colonial Algeria: Between Intimacy and Resentment
• November 10, 3 PM | Coffeehouses, Parks, and Neighborhoods: Jews and Muslims
  in 20th-Century Cairo

Free |

Autumn Quarter:

The College of Arts & Sciences is launching its initiative by inviting students, faculty, and staff to join a campus-wide reading experience, followed by conversations about how we can enhance teaching and learning at the 天美影视传媒.

(in person or Zoom).

October 20, 11 AM: Annual President鈥檚 Address, Henry Art Gallery Auditorium and online

Join President Ana Mari Cauce for her annual address to learn about her vision for the year ahead and the 天美影视传媒鈥檚 critical role in accelerating change for the public good through education, innovation, discovery and collaboration. Questions can be submitted in advance and during the event to presofuw@uw.edu.

Free | RSVP

October 20 – 22: , Meany Hall

For 50 years, Pilobolus has tested the limits of human physicality with choreography that changed the look of modern dance. Now for this anniversary celebration, Pilobolus questions its own 鈥済ivens,鈥� turns its traditions sideways, and brings its past into the future. As fresh and vibrant as ever, this feisty, shape-shifting arts organism puts the 鈥淥h!鈥� in 鈥婤IG FIVE-OH! and continues to morph its way thrillingly into audiences鈥� hearts and minds. The celebration includes signature works, from vintage classics to their trendsetting innovations in shadow play.

UW Faculty, UW Staff, UW Retirees and UW Alumni Association (UWAA): 10% off regular-priced single tickets, subject to availability. A valid UW ID (e.g. Husky card or UWAA card) is required; limit of one ticket per valid ID.

UW Student: $10 UW Student Tickets are available in Section B for most Meany Center visiting artist performances. A discount of 20% off regular-priced single tickets is available to UW Students in Section A. Limit of one UW Student ticket per valid Husky ID.

October 20, 2:30 PM | , HUB听

Ploughshares Fund President Emma Belcher in conversation with Jackson School faculty Christopher Jones and Scott Montgomery on the current state of nuclear threats within the confines of the escalating crisis in Ukraine. Together they will explore the geopolitical impacts of Russia鈥檚 war and the importance of diplomacy at this critical time.

Free |

October 20, 6 PM | , Alder Hall Auditorium听

Dr. Ali Mokdad will explore the drivers of health disparities in the United States among racial/ethnic groups. Dr. Mokdad will discuss the extent to which these patterns vary geographically at the local scale and how they are not well understood. He will address the urgent need to address the shared underlying factors driving these widespread disparities and the path forward to improve population health in the US.

Free |

Highlights of current and upcoming exhibitions:听

Until October 29 |, SOIL Art Gallery (Pioneer Square)

November 6 – April 16 | , Burke Museum听(Free admission for UW students, faculty and staff)

Until January 8 | , Henry Art Gallery (Free admission for UW students, faculty and staff)

Seven professors at the 天美影视传媒 are among 25 new members of the Washington State Academy of Sciences, according to a . Joining the academy is a recognition of 鈥渢heir outstanding record of scientific and technical achievement, and their willingness to work on behalf of the Academy to bring the best available science to bear on issues within the State of Washington.鈥�

Twenty of the incoming members for 2022 were selected by current WSAS members, while the other five were chosen by virtue of recently joining one of the National Academies.

UW faculty selected by current Academy members are:

• , the Robert G. and Jean A. Reid Executive Dean of Nursing, 鈥渇or pioneering research in cultural competence, conducting international collaborative research with professionals and family caregivers of older adults with dementia, advancing assessment of cultural awareness and its impact on healthcare, and supporting establishment of UW鈥檚 Center for Global Health Nursing and the first Center for Anti-Racism in Nursing.鈥�
• , the Harry and Catherine Jaynne Boand Endowed Professor of Chemistry, co-associate chair of the Department of Chemistry, and associate vice provost for research cyberinfrastructure, 鈥渇or a body of work that supercharges computational chemistry, including pioneering work in time- dependent electronic structure theory and quantum mechanical techniques,鈥� and 鈥渇or exemplary collaborative efforts, as well as leadership in developing educational pathways for underrepresented minority students in STEM.鈥� Li is also a faculty member in the UW Clean Energy Institute and the UW Molecular & Engineering Sciences Institute.
• , the Steven and Connie Rogel Endowed Professor of Chemical Engineering, professor of chemistry, and chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering, 鈥渇or pioneering contributions that advanced the frontiers of molecular simulation, impacting the prediction of enzyme activity in ionic liquids, peptide interactions with surfaces and molecular design.鈥� Pfaendtner is also a faculty member in the Clean Energy Institute and the Molecular & Engineering Sciences Institute, as well as a senior data fellow with the UW eScience Institute and staff scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
• , the Klaus and Mary Ann Saegebarth Endowed Professor of Chemistry, 鈥渇or pioneering fundamental and applied studies in mass spectrometry, physical chemistry, and newborn screening鈥� as well as 鈥減ropagation of science, science education, and technical expertise contributions to startup companies in Washington state.鈥�
• , the Kyocera Professor in Materials Science & Engineering and vice dean of the College of Engineering, 鈥渇or pioneering contribution to the discovery of new thermoelectric and energy storage materials for clean energy, and for exceptional leadership to promote interdisciplinary collaboration among academia, industry, and national laboratories for creating transformational and sustainable impact for Washington.鈥� Yang is also a faculty member in the Clean Energy Institute and the Molecular & Engineering Sciences Institute.
• Dr. , professor of radiology and director of the UW Medicine Image-Guided Bio-Molecular Intervention Laboratory, 鈥渇or work as an internationally prominent physician-scientist in the field of image-guided minimally invasive interventional therapies鈥� and 鈥渇or pioneering contributions and outstanding achievements in developing innovative and cutting-edge medical imaging and interventional radiology for effective management of life-threatening diseases, such as atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and cancer.鈥�

In addition, Dr. , UW professor of genome sciences, investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and faculty member in the Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute, was selected by virtue of his election to the National Academy of Sciences 鈥渇or pioneering a variety of genome sequencing and analysis methods, including exome sequencing and its earliest applications to gene discovery for Mendelian disorders and autism; cell-free DNA diagnostics for cancer and reproductive medicine; massively parallel reporter assays; saturation genome editing; whole organism lineage tracing; and massively parallel molecular profiling of single cells.鈥�

New members to the Washington State Academy of Sciences will be formally inducted in September.

Four faculty members at the 天美影视传媒 have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences. The new members from the UW are:

• , professor and chair of physiology and biophysics
• , professor of microbiology
• Dr. , professor of genome sciences
• James Truman, professor emeritus of biology

They are among 120 new members and 30 international members to the National Academy of Sciences this year. Election 鈥渞ecognizes achievement in science by election to membership, and 鈥� with the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine 鈥� provides science, engineering, and health policy advice to the federal government and other organizations,鈥� according to an May 3 by the academy.

is noted for her research on the neural mechanisms behind learning and remembering. She studies how a system of structures in the brain, including the hippocampus and its surrounding cortical regions, set up new memories and how this system functions during memory retrieval. These structures are the first to be affected in Alzheimer鈥檚 disease. Lesions within these structures are associated with profound memory deficits. Her work may help improve the understanding of what foreshadows the onset Alzheimer鈥檚 and other dementias. She has a particular interest in how the brain maps surroundings, because getting lost in familiar locations is a common early symptom of Alzheimer鈥檚. Buffalo earned her doctoral degree at the University of California, San Diego and did postdoctoral training in neuropsychology at the National Institute of Mental Health. She received the 2011 Troland Research Award for her innovative studies from the National Academy of Sciences.

is known for his research on how bacteria interact with each other in the environment and in our bodies. Much of his work focuses on the battles that occur within communities of bacteria. He examines the arsenals they deploy to attack each other and defend themselves. Among his areas of study are antibacterial toxins that disable target cells in a variety of ways, secretion systems that mediate antagonism between bacteria, and the toxins that virulent bacteria secrete to overcome host defense strategies. His laboratory also studies the densely populated mammalian gut microbiome, where conflict rages among microbes as bacteria compete for resources and struggle to survive. His lab is hoping to harness the antimicrobial tactics of bacteria to develop new therapies for infections and other purposes. Mougous earned his doctoral degree from the University of California, Berkeley. He is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and a researcher at the UW Medicine Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine. In 2021, he received the National Institute of Sciences Award in Molecular Biology for his pioneering studies in microbiology.

Dr. 鈥檚 research group has pioneered a variety of genome sequencing and analysis methods, including exome sequencing and its earliest applications to gene discovery for Mendelian disorders and autism; cell-free DNA diagnostics for cancer and reproductive medicine; massively parallel reporter assays; saturation genome editing; whole organism lineage tracing; and massively parallel molecular profiling of single cells. He has received numerous awards, including the 2012 Curt Stern Award from the American Society of Human Genetics, a 2013 National Institutes of Health Director’s Pioneer Award and the 2019 Richard Lounsbery Award from the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Shendure has been an advisor to the NIH Director, the U.S. Precision Medicine Initiative, the National Human Genome Research Institute, the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative and the Allen Institutes for Cell Science and Immunology. He received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees in 2007 from Harvard Medical School, where he trained with geneticist and molecular biologist George Church on advancing DNA sequencing techniques. He is currently an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, director of the Allen Discovery Center for Cell Lineage Tracing and scientific director of the Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine.

Truman鈥檚 studies have focused on the genes, hormones and neural architecture underlying insect development and evolution. Early in his career, he identified the key hormone in moths that induces molting, as well as the brain-based circadian rhythms that exert overall control over this process. He later studied regulation of molting in the fruit fly and genes that control metamorphosis in moths. Truman earned a doctoral degree from Harvard University in 1970, where he continued as a Harvard Junior Fellow until joining the UW faculty in 1973. He became a full professor in 1978. He retired from the UW in 2007 and became a Group Leader at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute鈥檚 Janelia Research Campus, where he studied nervous system metamorphosis in fruit flies. In 2016, Truman returned to the UW as a professor emeritus, and today continues to study the evolution and development of insects and crustaceans at the UW鈥檚 Friday Harbor Laboratories. In 1970, he received the American Association for the Advancement of Science鈥檚 Newcomb Cleveland Research Prize and was a Guggenheim Fellow in 1986. Truman was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2009.

With this year鈥檚 addition, the National Academy of Sciences now has 2,512 active members and 517 nonvoting international members, who hold citizenship outside of the U.S.

Sociologist Elizabeth Litzler honored by national network promoting women in engineering

The Women in Engineering ProActive Network, or WEPAN, has given its 2020 Founders Award to , UW affiliate assistant professor of sociology and director of the UW .

The , one of several given annually, is given to a network member “who exemplifies the spirit of the WEPAN founders through her extraordinary long-term service to the organization.”

The network is a national professional society that uses research and best practices to promote the inclusion of women in the field of engineering. Its members work to connect advocates across North America to increase the “participation, retention and success of women and other under-represented groups in engineering from college to executive leadership.”

Litzler’s and other 2020 WEPAN awards will be presented at the network’s next annual conference, planned for January 2021.

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Article by Joseph Wartman, Will Pollock of civil and environmental engineering wins award from media group

Professor and doctoral student of the UW Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering have won a for a feature magazine article they co-wrote on geologic hazard risks to听Syrian and other refugees.

Their non-technical article was titled “” and was published in November 2019 in the American Geophysical Union’s journal EOS. Wartman is the H.R. Berg Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering.

Association Media & Publishing 鈥� AM&P for short 鈥� gives out annual bronze, silver and gold EXCEL Awards for books, digital media, journals, magazines, newsletters, newspapers and promotional content. The awards recognize excellence and leadership in association media, publishing, marketing and communications.

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UW Medicine’s Mary-Claire King, Peter Byers honored by American Society of Human Genetics

The American Society of Human Genetics has honored two UW Medicine faculty members 鈥� and 鈥� with 2020 awards.

King was chosen to receive the society’s 2020 , which recognizes “substantial and far-reaching scientific contributions to human genetics.” The award is named for one of the first American physicians to extensively research human genetics and hereditary diseases. The award comes with a $25,000 prize.

King is the American Cancer Society Professor of Medicine and Genome Sciences, and an affiliate member of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Network.

The society’s president, Anthony Wynshaw-Boris of Case Western University, praised King for providing insight into the existence of the gene she named , “and changed our understanding of cancer prevention and treatment.” from the UW Division of Medical Genetics.

The genetics society, also called ASHG, chose Byers for its 2020 , which is given annually for exemplary leadership and vision by promoting genetics and genomics knowledge in the broader scientific community.

The award, which comes with a $10,000 prize, recognizes the importance of Byers’ research on the molecular pathogenesis of inherited disorders of connective tissue, and for his leadership in “nearly all facets” of the society’s work. Byers has served as the society’s president and editor of its American Journal of Human Genetics. on the UW Division of Medical Genetics website.

The society was founded in 1948 and its 8,000 members include researchers, academics, clinicians, laboratory practice professionals, genetic counselors and nurses. The awards will be presented at the next annual meeting, to be held virtually and not yet scheduled.

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, a UW professor of environmental and occupational health sciences in the School of Public Health, is recognized “for studies of effects of oxidative stress on adverse health effects associated with exposure to air pollution and environmental chemicals.”

Kavanagh investigates adverse health effects of exposure to air pollution and chemicals to understand the mechanisms by which they cause toxicity and inflammation. He also studies the role of antioxidants and is developing more accurate in vitro models to test chemicals for potential risk to humans.

Kavanagh directs the UW and the UW and co-directs the . He is also an adjunct professor in the departments of Medicine and Pathology.

, professor of genome sciences at the UW School of Medicine, was selected for 鈥渢he development of technologies and methods to advance genetics and genomics, with a focus on technologies that impact the understanding of human diseases.鈥�

Shendure leads a research group that advances rapid, less-expensive, next-generation DNA sequencing. He is also a pioneer in that looks at the protein-coding regions of an individual鈥檚 genome. Exome sequencing is now being used by groups worldwide to find gene variants for single-gene disorders and for disease traits influenced by multiple genes.

Shendure directs the , established last year to combine the scientific strengths in precision medicine of UW Medicine, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Seattle Children’s. He is also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and directs the .