UW campus with Drumheller Fountain and buildings

Perspectives Newsletter

August 2026 Newsletter

Perspectives is a monthly newsletter that highlights the accomplishments and latest news from the College of Arts & Sciences community. Learn about unusual courses, student projects, faculty research, alumni careers, and more.

Featured Stories This Month

In the play "Everybody," an actor wearing a skeleton suit shouts while other characters cover their ears with their hands.

Death, Humor, and a Bingo Wheel

Actors swapped roles nightly in a recent School of Drama play about the transition from life to death, making each performance a new experience.

Piper Sorensen laying in the grass, reading an old paperback missing its cover.

Humanity was Here

UW senior Piper Sorensen shares why the humanities matter, and how majoring in English has helped shape her world view. 

A soccer player kicking a ball.

Need More Soccer? Watch These Films

For those experiencing World Cup withdrawal, the Department of Cinema & Media Studies suggests soccer films to satisfy your craving. 

Opportunities to Explore

  • Handwoven shawl or jacket with a Native American design at collar edge.

    Closing Soon! Woven in Wool

    Through August 30
    Burke Museum
    “Woven in Wool” showcases historical and contemporary Coast Salish weaving. Journey through the seasonal cycle of weaving -- gathering materials, spinning and dyeing wool, and weaving intricate designs -- and gain insight into the deep cultural and scientific knowledge embedded in every strand.

  • Two women looking at plants in the greenhouse

    Visit the Biology Greenhouse

    UW Life Sciences Building (3747 W Stevens Way NE)
    The UW Biology Greenhouse, home to more than 4,000 plants from diverse habitats, is open to the public for walk-in browsing on non-holiday Wednesdays (noon – 4 pm) and on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month (10 am – 2 pm). Docent-led tours for 8+ people are also available but must be booked ahead online.

  • Henry Art Gallery exterior of entrance

    Henry Art Gallery Summer Celebration

    August 27, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
    Henry Art Gallery
    Celebrate three new Henry exhibitions featuring newly acquired prints by Helen Frankenthaler, collection objects that explore the politics of the everyday, a solo exhibition by Joiri Minaya, and the unveiling of a new mural project. Plus music and drinks at the no-host bar!

  • Close up of Meany Hall facade

    Meany Center: 2026-27 Season

    Tickets on sale now
    Meany Center
    Meany Center for the Performing Arts presents world-renowned performers in concerts during the academic year through four series: Dance, Chamber Music, Piano, and Crossroads. Tickets for the 2026–27 season are on sale. Subscribe for a series, create your own series (by picking four or more events from the upcoming season), or purchase tickets for a single event.

Looking for more events? Visit ArtsUW and the UW Alumni Association website. 

In The News

  • How to Stop Arguments from Spiraling

    John Gottman, UW professor emeritus of psychology, found that the couples who stayed together weren't the ones who avoided conflict. They were the ones who knew how to interrupt it before it became destructive.

    Psychology Today

  • Study warns rising temperatures could push rice beyond historical heat limits

    Rice is a staple food item for more than half of the global population, with about 90% cultivated and consumed in Asia. But that essential crop is in danger because of rising temperatures driven by climate change, according to a study led by Jade d’Alpoim Guedes, UW associate professor of anthropology.

    UW News

  • Initial Thoughts on Penelope in Nolan’s Odyssey

    Christopher Nolan's latest film, The Odyssey, has everyone talking, including classicists. UW Classics professor Olga Levaniouk, who has long studied Homer and the Odyssey, shares her thoughts about the movie and in particular the figure of Penelope, played by Anne Hathaway.

    Classics Continuum

  • Astronomers just began the largest cosmic time-lapse in history

    The Vera C. Rubin Observatory opened its eye to the sky about a year ago but officially began its 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) on June 30, 2026. The telescope will scan the entire southern sky every few nights for the next 10 years to assemble what will become the most detailed time-lapse of the cosmos that humanity has ever envisioned.  Željko Ivezić, UW professor of astronomy and head of the LSST, is quoted

    Scientific American

Editor

Nancy Joseph
nancyj@uw.edu

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