Shelves of books in the Odegaard Library stacks

Building Community

Transformation in the academy takes time, thought, and collaboration. Building strong relationships across the College is a critical foundation for organizational change. We hope events like our annual Big Read will give faculty and staff the opportunity to get to know each other better, share ideas, and think about how we can improve the academy together.

Book cover for Unmasking AI by Joy Buolamwini

The Big Read

Join us in reading Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What is Human in a World of Machines (2023) by Dr. Joy Buolamwini of MIT’s Media Lab during winter quarter. Buolamwini, a scholar at the forefront of AI research, has exposed widespread racial and gender bias in AI services from tech companies. In her book, Buolamwini explains how she uncovered what she calls “the coded gaze”—evidence of encoded discrimination and exclusion in tech products—and how she founded the Algorithmic Justice League, an organization dedicated to preventing the harms of AI. 

Dr. Buolamwini will visited UW on February 20. A recording will be available soon.

Learn More

Cherry tress on the UW quad.

Recap on Cathy Davidson's Visit at the UW

Cathy Davidson, author of The New Education, visited the University of Washington campus this fall. During her keynote conversation with Dianne Harris, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, she discussed how to transform the future of higher education to prepare students to meet grand challenges.

Read the Recap Article

UW Seattle Campus Quad during spring

Staff Gatherings with the Dean

This summer, we hosted staff from each division on the lawn of the Communications building for a light breakfast and good company. Stay tuned for more outdoor staff gatherings when the weather gets warmer!