UW and the Community

The peer review process in scientific publishing has reached a critical point where there are too many manuscript submissions and not enough peer reviewers. UW News asked Carl Bergstrom, University of Washington professor of biology, and Kevin Gross, North Carolina State University professor of statistics, to describe this self-perpetuating cycle and potential interventions.

Kristine Matthews, Professor of Visual Communication Design and principal of Studio Matthews, continues to earn national and international recognition for her work. She founded the Seattle-based design practice in 2008, building a studio of designers, teachers, and makers known for award-winning projects, elegant solutions, and a deep commitment to environmental responsibility.

The once small college campus gallery has grown into an eminent artistic center within the Pacific Northwest and a museum for contemporary art and ideas, at the fingertips of students and local residents alike. Given the growth it’s experienced, the Henry, and arts as a whole, continue to provide a unique, non-textbook way to engage and learn about the complex human experiences around us. 

Indira allegra, the Jacob Lawrence Gallery’s 2026 Legacy Resident, held a reception for their exhibition “The Book of Zero” on Feb. 4. Their time in the School of Art culminated in a multimedia meditative experience focused on cycles of death and rebirth, encouraging participants to let go of what no longer serves them before allowing an era of healing to unfold. 

About 100 people rallied on the morning of Feb. 7 exactly 140 years to the day at Hing Hay Park in Seattles Chinatown-International District, where community groups, civic leaders and residents marked the anniversary of the 1886 expulsion that forced more than 350 Chinese residents from their homes and businesses at gunpoint. Connie So, teaching professor of American ethnic studies at the UW, is quoted.

There isn’t a bad seat in the house at the Floyd and Delores Jones Playhouse. The small theater is an excellent venue for the UW School of Drama’s current production, “The Seagull,” by Anton Chekhov. The classic play is an intimate tragedy of desire, from the artistic to the sexual, and is suited to the intimate space.

Come curious. Leave inspired. The UW offers an exciting lineup of in-person and online events. From thought-provoking art and music to conversations on culture, history, and science, the UW community invites you to explore, learn, and connect across disciplines throughout the University. And you don’t have to wait until Marchtake a look at everything still happening this February. In addition,sign up to receive a monthly notice when the ArtSci Roundup has been published. ArtSci On Your Own Time Exhibition |...

PSYCH 210 has become a rite of passage for many UW students and as it is now the most popular course at UW with over 4,000 students taking it annually. But not everyone can take the class. So after five years of writing, McNichols is bringing her lessons to a wider audience with her first book “You Could Be Having Better Sex: The Definitive Guide to a Happier, Healthier, and Hotter Sex Life.”

Undergrad Francesca Espey receives a Mary Gates Scholarship for disability rights research, inspired by observations of society's attitude toward her father's disease. Meet Francesca

While February might be just 28 days, the UW College of Arts & Sciences offers an exciting lineup of more than 40 in-person and online events. From thought-provoking art and music to conversations on culture, history, and science, the UW community invites you to explore, learn, and connect across disciplines throughout the University.

Lydia Berhanu is her own mentor. That’s not to say the University of Washington senior didn’t grow up in a supportive household (she did) or wasn’t surrounded by supportive educators (she was). But when it comes to illuminating her path forward, she’s been the one holding the flashlight.

Upper Skagit elder Vi Hilbert's legacy in language and culture preservation lives on through archival records collected in the Vi Hilbert Collection, first curated and digitized by retired longtime UW Ethnomusicologist Laurel Sercombe and now housed through UW LIbraries, and through a documentary film and symphony she commissioned, Healing Heart of the First People of This Land," staged at the UW in February 2026 by the UW Symphony and soloist (and School of Music alumna) Adia S. Bowen.  

According to the Jacob Lawrence Gallery, allegra was chosen for their unique approach to conceptual practice, interdisciplinary research, and community engagement. Allegra will spend January working with student assistants as well UW academic departments and resources to further develop their artistic work.

Emma Teal Laukitis, ’18, and her sister Claire not only catch and sell Alaska’s most famous fish, they help feed hundreds of thousands Alaskans through their donations.

Hutchinson Hall was abuzz with excitement and anticipation Tuesday, Dec. 2 for one reason and one reason only. Not for any auditions being held, not for any finals, and not for any performance seated to take place that evening. The buzz was solely because UW Drama alumni Joel McHale was coming to speak with the students in the department.