More than 100听doctoral听students across the country are eligible based on their pursuit of research on core AI disciplines such as machine learning, computer听vision听and natural-language processing.听听

The program鈥檚 goal is to support听innovations that will underwrite the next step in the evolution of practical AI.听The $10 million in student funding will be awarded annually for each of the two academic years,听2024鈥�2025 and 2025鈥�2026.听Another $24 million听will be听given听annually听in听Amazon Web Services听(AWS)听cloud-computing credits, bringing the program鈥檚 total听value听to听$68 million over two years.听听听

Each听doctoral听fellow听will be听paired with an Amazon research liaison, a senior scientist working听on a topic related to the听fellow鈥檚听work. Liaisons will meet regularly with听fellows to听offer听guidance and听discuss听real-world implications of their听research. Fellows will also听have opportunities to听pursue their projects听over the summers听as Amazon interns.听

鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to be part of this impactful initiative and deeply grateful to Amazon for its investment in the next generation of AI leaders,鈥� said Nancy Allbritton,听Frank & Julie听Jungers听Dean of Engineering at the 天美影视传媒. 鈥淗aving nine of our students selected 鈥� seven from the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering 鈥� is a testament to the strength of our AI research community and the caliber of our听doctoral听programs. This fellowship will accelerate their work on real-world challenges and deepen our collaborative ties with Amazon. Together听we鈥檒l听shape the future of AI to solve real-world challenges and advance technologies that听benefit听society.鈥�听

Universities听selected听fellows听by following guidance听from Amazon to prioritize work that promises to make an impact on practical AI problems.听听A complete list of UW fellows will be announced听at a later date.听

Funding is intended to cover tuition,听stipends听and fees. Each university receives $1.1 million per year, and the number of fellows funded varies according to the universities鈥� financial arrangements听with听students.听

Other听participating universities听are:听Carnegie Mellon University; Johns Hopkins University; the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Stanford University; the University of California, Berkeley; the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of Texas at Austin; and the University of Illinois鈥揢rbana Champaign.听

The 天美影视传媒听enjoys existing research collaborations with Amazon, through the Amazon Hubs program, the Amazon Scholar program,听Amazon听Research听Awards听and other initiatives.听

For more information:听听

is back for the first time since 2019!

This 天美影视传媒 College of Engineering event brings thousands of elementary and middle school students from all over Washington to campus to be engineers for a day. Students participate in more than 100 hands-on activities 鈥� with names like “Walk on Water” and “Electrochemical Engin-earring” 鈥� that demonstrate cool engineering concepts.

This year 3,801 students registered to attend the event on May 2 and 3,495 students registered to attend the event on May 3.

Discovery Days is part of the College of Engineering’s effort to prepare K-12 students for success in STEM. Kids, parents and teachers get a chance to meet UW engineering faculty, staff and students for a fun and educational day of activities including making ice cream, creating colorful earrings from titanium metal, building a mini edible bridge, and seeing demonstrations of drones, robots, cars, trucks and aircraft.

The 天美影视传媒 is at the forefront of an international effort to innovate the semiconductor industry while building a skilled U.S.-based workforce to design and manufacture chip technology. UPWARDS for the Future will support work already underway in the UW’s Washington Nanofabrication Faciliity. Video credit: Kiyomi Taguchi, UW News

The 天美影视传媒 is at the forefront of an international effort to innovate the semiconductor industry while building a skilled U.S.-based workforce to design and manufacture chip technology.

Part of a landmark education partnership that was in May 2023 at the G7 meeting in Japan, the effort brings together researchers and faculty from the U.S. and Japan to support the University Partnership for Workforce Advancement and Research & Development in Semiconductors (UPWARDS) for the Future project. Micron Technology and Tokyo Electron Limited, as founding industry partners, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and universities together are investing over $60 million for the five-year project. Many of the participants are attending kick-off activities at the UW this week.

鈥淲ith our University鈥檚 proven track record of using public research investment to spur economic and technological growth, the UW is excited to be taking the lead in expanding our capacity to educate professionals and drive discovery in the critical field of semiconductors,鈥� said UW President Ana Mari Cauce. 鈥淲e鈥檙e grateful to Senator Cantwell for her leadership and for the collaboration of our partners.鈥�

Modern technology 鈥� including household appliances, automobiles, computers and defense systems 鈥� relies on semiconductors. The semiconductor was invented in the U.S., yet today the U.S. produces about only 10% of the world鈥檚 supply. Recognizing the economic and national security risks this poses, U.S. policymakers passed the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) & Science Act in 2022 to strengthen the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem.

鈥淥ur nation鈥檚 success in advanced technologies depends on having a skilled workforce. The 天美影视传媒 will help establish the Pacific Northwest as a leader by training the more than 90,000 students, faculty, and skilled professionals needed to build the most advanced chips right here in the United States,鈥� said Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., who was instrumental in passing the landmark CHIPS & Science bill. 鈥淚f we want to lead the world tomorrow, we must invest in worker training today.鈥�

Boise, Ida.-based Micron and the partner universities will jointly recruit new faculty members, named as UPWARDS Professors, who will work on high-impact research projects with the industry partners. In addition to their research responsibilities, UPWARDS Professors will also contribute to curriculum development and other UPWARDS for the Future activities, including advising exchange students and graduate fellows. The first cohort of UPWARDS professors, all women, will also participate in industry-led mentoring programs to help gain valuable insights supporting in the advancement of their own careers. The grants will also support graduate fellowships and provide research experiences for undergraduate students.

Initiatives like UPWARDS for the Future prioritize expanding the STEM talent pipeline to reach groups that are underrepresented in the semiconductor industry today. This vision for UPWARDS for the Future aligns with UW efforts to close the STEM gender gap, establish pathways into higher education and facilitate new programs dedicated to attracting and retaining historically underrepresented groups. President Cauce and College of Engineering Dean Nancy Albritton are members of the national Education Group for Diversification and Growth in Engineering Consortium, or EDGE. And, last summer, the UW joined the Northwest University Semiconductor Network, led by Micron, to grow the next generation of semiconductor experts, by enhancing experiential learning opportunities in the semiconductor industry, and prioritizing access for underrepresented students, particularly in rural and tribal communities.

鈥淲e are proud to be part of this innovation partnership and to lead the NSF grant for UPWARDS. As Washington state鈥檚 leading educator of engineers and as a leader in chip engineering and workforce development for the global innovation economy, it is an honor to work collaboratively with academic and industry partners to drive advancements in this crucial scientific field,鈥� Albritton said.

In addition to the UW, the UPWARDS for the Future partnership includes five U.S. institutions: Boise State, Purdue, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology and Virginia Tech; and five Japanese universities: Hiroshima University, Kyushu University, Nagoya University, Tohoku University and Tokyo Institute of Technology. The UW will share the $10 million NSF grant with the five U.S. institutions, while Micron’s and Tokyo Electron’s $20 million gifts will be shared among the 11 U.S. and Japanese institutions.

鈥淭he UPWARDS for the Future program sets a prime model of government-industry-academia partnership, propelling the development of the U.S. semiconductor technology workforce. This initiative stands out with an emphasis on international collaboration, providing students with invaluable insights and experience into the industry’s international supply chain dynamics,鈥� said , UW professor of both electrical and computer engineering and physics, as well as a faculty member of the UW Institute for Nano-Engineered Systems. Li will lead UW鈥檚 efforts supporting UPWARDS for the Future.

The UPWARDS program includes five pillar activities, including: Semiconductor Curriculum Design and Implementation; Expanding Women Workforces in Semiconductors; Experiential Learning; US-Japan International Student Faculty Exchange; and Memory-centric Research Projects. At this week’s workshop, the 11 institutions aim to establish across-the-board plans on student exchange, curriculum sharing and standardization, and research collaboration.

Semiconductor engineering is the second strategic university-corporate partnership initiative concluded between American and Japanese academic institutions and the corporate sector since May 2022, when President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made a commitment to advance U.S.-Japan science and technology cooperation. The UW also is the lead partner on the Cross Pacific AI Hub partnership announced on April 10, to lead innovation and technological breakthroughs in artificial intelligence. Both UPWARDS for the Future and the Cross Pacific AI Hub are cornerstones of the UW鈥檚 global impact, building lasting relationships with peer institutions and industry on both sides of the Pacific to support UW students, faculty and staff on work to address critical issues.

For more information, contact Li at upwards@uw.edu.

Here鈥檚 what other leaders said about UPWARDS for the Future:

鈥淓conomic security depends on the 鈥�3 M鈥檚鈥�: machines, minerals, and minds. The UPWARDS network is developing the workforce that we need to secure semiconductor supply chains and delivering on the promise made by President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida to elevate U.S.-Japan cooperation in advanced science and technology. This innovative university-corporate partnership has become the model for long-term collaboration in transformative technologies.” 鈥� U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel

“This past year we have accelerated our collaboration with our ecosystem partners. Collaboration between the UPWARDS universities will cultivate the next generation of the high-tech workforce, ushering in an exciting new era of semiconductor research and manufacturing in the United States and Japan. Micron has made it a priority to increase opportunities for all students, making sure that women, students from underrepresented populations and those from rural or economically disadvantaged communities have equitable access to engineering and science degrees. The impacts of UPWARDS will be far-reaching as we work to meet the demand for semiconductor industry talent over the next two decades.” 鈥� April Arnzen, executive vice president and chief people officer, Micron Technology

“Tokyo Electron (TEL) is proud to participate in the U.S.-Japan University Partnership for Workforce Advancement and Research & Development in Semiconductors (UPWARDS) for the Future Program. The objectives of the program are in line with TEL’s vision to leverage our expertise as an industry-leading semiconductor equipment manufacturer and pursue technological innovation in semiconductors, thereby contributing to the development of a dream-inspiring society. Through participation in this program, we aim to help develop a diverse set of skilled individuals capable of leading future innovation in semiconductor technology. The UPWARDS Program is also part of our ongoing efforts in the US to collaborate with industry partners and help grow the talent pipeline for technicians, engineers, computer scientists, and other professionals who will be in high demand as the domestic semiconductor industry, its manufacturing base, and associated R&D activities grow.” 鈥斕�Alex Oscilowski, president, TEL Technology Center of America

The 天美影视传媒 and the University of Tsukuba have entered an innovation partnership with NVIDIA and Amazon aimed at furthering research, entrepreneurship, workforce development and social implementation in the field of artificial intelligence. This U.S.-Japan academic partnership is part of a broad, $110 million effort to build upon the strong ties between the U.S. and Japan and to continue to lead innovation and technological breakthroughs in artificial intelligence.

The groundbreaking agreement involving universities and industry leaders in both countries was announced on April 9th in Washington, D.C. as part of Prime Minister Kishida Fumio鈥檚 historic state visit. U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel, and Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Moriyama Masahito announced two new research partnerships in artificial intelligence between the 天美影视传媒 and the University of Tsukuba and between Carnegie Mellon University and Keio University. These partnerships are supported by $110 million in combined private sector investment from NVIDIA, Amazon, Arm, Microsoft, and nine Japanese companies. Amazon and NVIDIA will each invest $25 million in this collaboration.

鈥淭his is an extraordinary opportunity for the UW to lead the global conversation on AI and to convene academic researchers, industry experts and governmental leaders to not only advance the workforce, but to change lives and communities by leveraging this powerful technology,鈥� said UW Provost Tricia Serio.

鈥淭his is an exciting effort that brings together the talents and expertise of cutting-edge, world-class universities,鈥� said Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. 鈥淎dvancements in AI are happening at a breakneck pace. This collaboration will help provide the research and workforce training for our regions鈥� tech sectors to keep up with the profound impacts AI is having across every sector of our economy.鈥�

At the invitation of Ambassador Emanuel, the UW has been forging ties with the University of Tsukuba over the past year, with a focus on shared expertise in artificial intelligence. Tsukuba is known in Japan for being at the center of scientific research and innovation, much like Seattle鈥檚 reputation for fostering technological breakthroughs and being home to some of the world鈥檚 biggest technology companies.

鈥淲e are honored to work with Amazon and NVIDIA as well as with the University of Tsukuba to advance artificial intelligence and global engagement,鈥� said Nancy Allbritton, dean of the College of Engineering. 鈥淭sukuba is a science city just as Seattle is, and we see a tremendous opportunity to leverage the university and the whole ecosystem to create a better future on both sides of the Pacific. We are grateful to Ambassador Emanuel for catalyzing this landmark partnership.鈥�

Faculty and staff from the College of Engineering will spearhead UW interdisciplinary efforts. This multi-year partnership will feature work in areas where AI can drive transformative change to benefit society, including healthcare, robotics, climate change and atmospheric science, among others. The funding will support research awards, post-doctoral and doctoral students, an undergraduate summer research program, and an entrepreneurship bootcamp program.

Artificial Intelligence is the third strategic university-corporate partnership initiative concluded between American and Japanese academic institutions and the corporate sector since May 2022, when President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Kishida made a commitment to advance U.S.-Japan science and technology cooperation. The UW also is the lead partner on UPWARDS, a program focused on workforce development for the semiconductor industry supported by Micron, Tokyo Electron Limited and the National Science Foundation.

Allbritton was selected “for innovation and commercialization of single-cell, analytical, and gut-on-chip technologies for drug screening and for engineering education.”

Drawing from the fields of engineering, chemistry, physics and materials science, Allbritton’s research develops technologies and platforms for biomedical research and clinical care, including the study and analysis of single cells for the treatment of a variety of diseases such as cancer, macular degeneration and HIV. She is an international expert on multiplexed single-cell assays, microfabricated platforms for high-content cytometry combined with cell sorting, and microengineered stem-cell-based systems for recapitulating human organ-level function.

Her work has resulted in over 250 full-length journal publications and patents and led to 15 commercial products. In addition, five companies have been formed based on her research discoveries: Protein Simple (acquired by Bio-Techne in 2014), Intellego, Cell Microsystems, Altis Biosystems and Piccolo Biosystems. She has been nationally recognized for her research and is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Institute for Medical & Biological Engineering, the National Academy of Inventors and the Washington State Academy of Sciences.

As the Frank & Julie Jungers Dean of the College of Engineering, Allbritton is committed to engineering excellence for the public good by fostering high-impact, interdisciplinary research and technology translation and building an inclusive community of faculty, staff and students. She has received numerous awards for her leadership, including the BMES Robert A. Pritzker Award and the Edward Kidder Graham Award for Leadership and Service.

Allbritton is among 114 new members across the U.S. who are honored for contributions to “engineering research, practice or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature” and for contributions to “the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education.”

, principal senior technical fellow at Boeing, has also been elected to the academy. Seebergh is a UW affiliate professor of chemical engineering.

Wearing purple hard hats and using gold-plated shovels, officials from the 天美影视传媒 broke ground Thursday on a new, $102 million to be constructed along Stevens Way east of the Husky Union Building. Once complete, the state-of-the-art 70,000-square-foot building will be an example of a student-focused learning facility backed by both public and private investments. The project aims to fuel economic growth and create a pipeline of future, local engineering talent.

The IEB will provide much-needed space for project-based collaborative learning as well as a student-focused 鈥渉ome鈥� for engineering undergraduates.听 The College of Engineering鈥檚 new building will provide a welcoming and inclusive space to introduce students to more engineering pathways and facilitate tomorrow鈥檚 discoveries.

鈥淥ur great public university is dedicated to creating access to excellence for the students of our state,鈥� said UW President Ana Mari Cauce. 鈥淲ith this new facility, we will be able to open doors of opportunity for even more talented, driven future engineers. These future innovators, creators and entrepreneurs will get the kind of student-centered, hands-on training that will empower them to take on the biggest challenges facing our communities.鈥�

College of Engineering Dean Nancy Allbritton thanked the community partners, companies and individuals who already have pledged their support:

• The state of Washington, which has contributed $50 million.
• Boeing, which gave $10 million to name the IEB鈥檚 second level, which will feature the AI Engineering Institute.
• Amazon, which announced a $5 million gift on Thursday for the Student Support Suite.
• T-Mobile, which announced a $5 million gift on Thursday to name the Engineering Academic Center focused on student support.
• UW alumni, individuals and other organizations who have contributed more than $18 million.

Construction of the IEB is scheduled to be completed by mid-2024.

Boeing to provide $10 million investment to support new educational space that features focus on AI

The 天美影视传媒 will break ground this fall on a new, $90 million , thanks in part to a $10 million donation from Boeing. Once complete, the state-of-the-art building will be a leading example of a student-focused learning facility backed by both public and private investments. The state of Washington has also dedicated $50 million to support the project that aims to fuel economic growth and create a pipeline of future, local engineering talent.

relationship with the UW dates back more than a century, and this latest investment will support naming rights for the Interdisciplinary Engineering Building鈥檚 entire second level, which includes the College of Engineering鈥檚 new AI Education Institute and adjacent curricular spaces.

鈥淚nvestment in engineering education is not just crucial to our region鈥檚 economy, it is essential to developing the skilled professionals and catalyzing the discovery and innovation that we need to address our world鈥檚 most pressing challenges,鈥� said UW President Ana Mari Cauce. 鈥湹潜鹁辈圆碘�檚 significant investment is a reflection of our longstanding and deep partnership, and we are proud to continue working together to advance engineering education, create opportunities for students and expand the pipeline to develop the highly-skilled diverse workforce our region and our world needs.鈥�

The College of Engineering graduates more than 50% of the state鈥檚 new engineers. Boeing is a top employer of UW engineering graduates, with nearly 1,200 engineering alumni hired in the last five years and 6,500 UW alumni currently working for the aerospace company, according to LinkedIn and other data.

鈥淭he new Interdisciplinary Engineering Building offers Boeing the opportunity to partner more closely with the university on cutting-edge technologies that enhance the safety and sustainability of our products and services,鈥� said Greg Hyslop, Boeing chief engineer and executive vice president of Engineering, Test & Technology. 鈥淭hrough continued research and talent development, we will advance our work in artificial intelligence, machine learning and other capabilities that support our digital innovation. It helps us all move toward a dynamic and exciting future in the state of Washington.鈥�

Since 叠辞别颈苍驳鈥檚 earliest days, leaders have partnered with the UW to nurture talent and foster engineering innovation. In 1917, company founder Bill Boeing gave the UW $6,000 to construct a wind tunnel, the same year that UW aeronautics courses began. UW鈥檚 aeronautics department officially was established in 1929, and in 2012 was named the William E. Boeing Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics. Today, Boeing uses a newer wind tunnel at UW to test nearly every new airplane the company鈥檚 engineers design.

Boeing contributions to UW over the years include internships, scholarships and other innovative opportunities for students, especially those who come from marginalized communities, to enter engineering fields.

With dedicated space for Industry Capstone Projects, the Interdisciplinary Engineering Building鈥檚 design further promotes close participation from students and regional industry. Boeing alone sponsors more than 10 projects annually, each involving teams of five students, a UW professor and a Boeing mentor.

鈥淚鈥檓 grateful to Boeing for their support for our new contemporary educational building, the next milestone in our century-long relationship,鈥� said Nancy Allbritton, Frank & Julie Jungers Dean of the College of Engineering. 鈥淚t sets a tone for industry engagement with our students, which translates directly into strong regional economic growth.听 As we advance a vision of engineering excellence for the public good, we look forward to expanding our partnership with Boeing and other local industry for the benefit of our students and our broader community.鈥�

The Interdisciplinary Engineering Building鈥檚 70,000-square-foot, five-level design 鈥� east of the Husky Union Building on Stevens Way 鈥� will provide much-needed interdisciplinary space for project-based collaborative learning, as well as a student-focused 鈥渉ome鈥� for engineering undergraduates. By adding the new building, the College of Engineering will provide a welcoming and inclusive space to introduce students to more engineering pathways and facilitate tomorrow鈥檚 discoveries.

Interest in engineering has exploded, and since 2009 the UW has nearly doubled the number of undergraduate and graduate engineering degrees, but classroom and activity space hasn鈥檛 kept pace. With the addition of the new contemporary engineering building to the Seattle campus, the UW can focus on cross-college multidisciplinary teamwork, improved diversity and increased engagement with industry 鈥� all to prepare students for the engineering careers of the future. In addition to being a home for students, the building will also serve as the front door to industry and a direct connection for hiring students with interdisciplinary skills.

The Interdisciplinary Engineering Building鈥檚 architect is KieranTimberlake, and contractor is Hensel Phelps. Construction is scheduled to begin this year and be completed by mid-2024.

The 天美影视传媒 and Amazon today announced the , an effort that deepens the relationship between the two organizations and will advance innovation in core robotics, artificial intelligence technologies and their applications.

Amazon鈥檚 initial investment of $1.9 million will support a broad set of programs, including fellowships for doctoral students, collaboration among researchers and support for collaborative research events. The hub鈥檚 initial focus will accelerate AI, robotics and engineering in the Seattle area while embracing neighboring academic institutions and the public through events.

鈥淲e are excited to collaborate with Amazon to advance research and learning in the College of Engineering and beyond,鈥� said UW President Ana Mari Cauce. 鈥淭he incredible potential for world-changing discovery across disciplines and sectors represents the best of what is possible when academia and industry join forces to accelerate innovation here in the Pacific Northwest, home to both our organizations.鈥�

Housed in the College of Engineering, the hub is expected to expand its focus over time and tackle additional challenges at the intersection of technology, industry and society.

鈥淪olving the hardest challenges in science and engineering requires collaboration between bright minds in industry and academia,鈥� said , senior vice president of Customer Fulfillment at Amazon. 鈥淭his hub deepens our engagement with a research powerhouse sitting in our backyard, empowering Amazon scientists and UW researchers to work together to both address those challenges and contribute to the scientific community via open research.鈥�

The hub fosters a new generation of researchers to tackle complex problems, identified by Amazon and addressed through the UW鈥檚 robotics labs.

鈥淭hese kinds of real-world challenges and problems are increasingly a scarce strategic resource for researchers in robotics and AI,鈥� said hub inaugural director , who is a professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering and is the Milton and Delia Zeutschel Professor in Entrepreneurial Excellence in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering. 鈥淭he hub will allow our students and faculty to advance the state of the art in some of the most challenging open research problems in robotics and AI. And that鈥檚 just the start of the mission.鈥�

鈥淭he research hub aligns with our strategic vision to advance engineering excellence for the public good. We鈥檙e thrilled to further deepen our relationship with Amazon and to leverage our research strengths to address these types of challenges and develop solutions that will benefit all,鈥� said , Frank & Julie Jungers Dean of Engineering.

, an Amazon Robotics AI principal scientist who will serve as the UW research liaison, said the hub will launch with an initial focus on robotics as a collaboration between Amazon Robotics AI and the College of Engineering.

鈥淎ddressing challenges in autonomy, computer vision and machine learning is important to both Amazon and the robotics community at large,鈥� Wolf said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e already built great momentum in defining flagship programs in robotic manipulation and 3D perception at UW, and we look forward to expanding our engagement with UW and building a joint community of researchers here in Seattle.鈥�

Amazon and the UW have worked closely since the 1990s, leveraging their proximity to one another. Amazon has provided learning opportunities for students through project funds and fellowships, support for faculty through professorships and research funding and new spaces for learning and collaboration through capital support. Thousands of UW alumni work at Amazon, many serving in executive-leadership positions. Dozens of Amazon professionals have served in volunteer roles at the UW over the years, as advisors on UW boards and committees.

Many UW professors also are , a program designed for academics from universities around the globe who want to apply research methods in practice and help the company solve technical challenges without leaving their academic institutions.

鈥淎s someone with deep ties to both organizations, I am delighted the hub will both seed new ideas and deepen the connections between our researchers,鈥� said , director of Robotics AI at Amazon and holder of the Boeing Endowed Professorship at the Allen School. 鈥淢y UW colleagues excel at tackling complex and interdisciplinary problems, and the scale of Amazon鈥檚 fulfillment network provides a rich set of problems in AI and robotics. This collaboration will catalyze invention and exploration by bridging our diversity of perspectives and approaches to problem solving.鈥�

For more information, contact Smith at jrs@cs.washington.edu.

Seven scientists and engineers at the 天美影视传媒 have been elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences, according to an July 15 by the academy. One-third of the 21 new members for 2020 hail from the UW.

The new members are lauded for 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� The academy鈥檚 current membership selected 17 of the new members, and four were chosen by virtue of their election to one of the .

New UW members who were elected by academy members are:

• , the Frank & Julie Jungers Dean of the College of Engineering and professor of bioengineering, 鈥渇or outstanding contributions to the design and application of microtechnologies to biomedical research, leadership in interdisciplinary research and education, and entrepreneurial excellence.鈥�
• , professor of chemistry and of materials science and engineering, 鈥渇or the development of controlled polymerization reactions for conjugated polymers, especially alkyl-thiophenes, for organic electronics applications.鈥澨齃uscombe is also a faculty member with the , the and the .
• , professor of Earth and space sciences, 鈥渇or fundamental contributions to geomorphology, for the elucidation of soils, rivers, and landscapes as underpinnings of ecological systems and human societies, and for reaching broad audiences through trade books on agriculture, microbes, creationism, and fisheries.鈥�
• Sue Moore, research scientist at the in the Department of Biology, 鈥渇or contributions to the understanding of Arctic marine ecosystems and pioneering the integration of Conventional Science and Indigenous Knowledge to yield better policy decisions.鈥�
• , professor of pharmacology, 鈥渇or exceptional contributions to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which ubiquitin ligases, as a new class of enzymes, control protein ubiquitination in human physiology and diseases, as well as plant growth and development.鈥�

UW members who were chosen by virtue of their election to one of the National Academies are:

• , professor of biostatistics and of epidemiology at the UW and a faculty member at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 鈥渇or pioneering work in the field of designing and analyzing vaccine studies, including studies of HIV vaccines and innovative use of mathematical and statistical methods to study infectious disease.鈥� Halloran was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2019.
• , professor emeritus of civil and environmental engineering, 鈥渇or contributions to geotechnical earthquake engineering, including liquefaction, seismic stability and seismic site response.鈥� Kramer was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2020.

New members are to be inducted at the annual members meeting, which is currently scheduled for September.

, Kenan Distinguished Professor, is a faculty member, researcher and chair of the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University. She will replace Dean Michael Bragg who returned to the faculty this summer.

鈥淒r. Allbritton鈥檚 unique qualifications came to our attention as the result of an international search to find a leader prepared to take the UW College of Engineering to the next level of academic excellence, interdisciplinary innovation and public service,鈥� Richards said. 鈥淲e could not be more pleased that she is joining the UW team, and we look forward, in particular, to her leadership in bridging the engineering and health sciences disciplines. This is a big win for the UW.鈥�

Allbritton has an impressive track record of taking research to market. She has co-founded four startup companies and holds 43 issued and pending patents that have led to 15 commercial products. UNC named Allbritton as Inventor of the Year in 2017.

Her research 鈥� which focuses on biomedical microdevices, pharmacoengineering, cell signaling and microfabricated systems 鈥� has been funded by more than $60 million in grants since 2000. Drawing from the fields of engineering, chemistry, physics and materials science, Allbritton鈥檚 work develops technologies and platforms for biomedical research and clinical care, including the study and analysis of single cells for the treatment of a variety of diseases such as cancer, macular degeneration and HIV.

One of her startups, Cell Microsystems, distributes its unique cell sorting platform worldwide and through an agreement with the biotech company Qiagen.

In 2009, Allbritton became chair and expanded and streamlined the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, a single unit that spans UNC and NC State and includes faculty from the School of Medicine at UNC and College of Arts and Sciences at UNC and the College of Engineering at NC State. Additionally, Allbritton has received excellence in teaching awards along with consistently outstanding student evaluations for her courses while guiding more than 60 undergraduate students, advising 42 graduate students, and training 33 postdoctoral fellows. Her trainees have gone on to successful, independent careers in academia, government and industry.

鈥淚 am extremely enthusiastic yet deeply humbled by being named as the next Frank & Julie Jungers Dean of the College of Engineering, especially in view of its history of excellence, its profile of accomplishment and its immense promise. The opportunity to work with and among some of the most talented and creative faculty and the bright and aspiring students at UW is truly an inspiration,鈥� Allbritton said.

She holds faculty appointments at UNC in the departments of Chemistry, Pharmacology, Applied Physical Sciences, and a faculty appointment in Materials Science and Engineering at NC State. Allbritton joined UNC in 2007 after 13 years on the faculty at the UC, Irvine.

After earning her doctorate in medical physics/medical engineering from MIT, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University. Allbritton holds a medical degree from Johns Hopkins University and her bachelor鈥檚 degree in physics from Louisiana State University.

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