College of Arts and Sciences

The Futurists, a group of Arts & Science faculty and leadership, are exploring the possibilities for higher education and the liberal arts many decades from now. 

Admitted students and families can engage with the College of Arts and Sciences through several department and program specific events over the next few weeks.

Travelers frequently bemoan the ultra-budget airline’s tiny seats, frequent delays, baggage fees, and lack of complementary snack and drinks. People love meme-ing the carrier, at the bare-minimum treatment on Spirit’s distinctive yellow planes. Jonathan Bricker, affiliate professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

DEI policies have been in the crosshairs since President Donald Trump arrived back in the White House. Many corporations have been proactively choosing to downsize their DEI programs or eliminate them completely. But one company is facing a unique level of backlash: Target. Timeka Tounsel, associate professor of Black studies in communication at the UW, is interviewed.

After President Donald Trump canceled a report on the state of nature in the United States, the scientists working on it — many from the Seattle area — say they’ll continue their work and build on it. Phil Levin, professor of practice in environmental and forest sciences at the UW; Dr. Howard Frumkin, professor emeritus of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW; Devon Pena, professor of anthropology at the UW and Josh Lawler, professor of environmental and forest sciences at the UW, are quoted.

People are increasingly falling for their favorite chatbots, spending hours each day building relationships with their artificial lovers. Chatbot site Janitor AI told Semafor that users have started 2.1 million conversations with its Valentine’s Day bots since they went live on Tuesday, representing about a quarter of all interactions on the site and breaking the company’s all-time daily user record. Pepper Schwartz, professor of sociology at the UW, is quoted.

Three University of Washington faculty members have been awarded early-career fellowships from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The new Sloan Fellows, announced Feb. 18, are Amy L. Orsborn, the Clare Boothe Luce assistant professor of electrical & computer engineering and bioengineering, Dianne J. Xiao, an assistant professor of chemistry in the College of Arts & Sciences, and Amy X. Zhang, an assistant professor of computer science in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. 

For Valentine's Day, UW News asked 12 University of Washington researchers to share their love stories: What made them decide to pursue their career paths?

Dozens of universities and scientific institutions across Washington state are facing hundreds of millions of dollars in immediate cuts to NIH-funded programs supporting cancer research, pediatric medicine and drug development. The move could disrupt clinical trials and trigger layoffs and sparked a 22-state federal lawsuit involving Washington. Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW; Marion Pepper, professor of immunology at the UW School of Medicine; and UW spokesperson Victor Balta are quoted. The UW's Washington National Primate Research Center is referenced.

"In my research on marketing campaigns aimed at Black women, I’ve examined how the struggle for consumer citizenship complicated the dynamic between Black entrepreneurs and consumers. On the one hand, businesses have long leveraged Black ownership as a unique selling proposition in and of itself, urging shoppers to view Black brand loyalty as a path to collective racial progress," writes Timeka Tounsel, assistant professor of Black studies in communication at the UW.

The Journal of the Academy of Public Health claims to open up scientific communication. But its unusual editorial policies have some scientists concerned. Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

Massachusetts’ attorney general is championing a bill this legislative session that would ban students from using their cellphones and other personal electronic devices during the school day. That makes Massachusetts one of more than two dozen states where lawmakers are considering legislation this spring that would restrict students’ cellphone use, according to a tally by Education Week. Lucía Magis-Weinberg, assistant professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

Through the College Edge program, first-year UW students can settle into college life and academics before the start of fall quarter. 

"At first glance, reducing model-training expenses in this way might seem to undermine the trillion-dollar 'AI arms race' involving data centers, semiconductors and cloud infrastructure. But as history shows, cheaper technology often fuels greater usage," writes Victor Menaldo, professor of political science at the UW.

"When the high and mighty of Silicon Valley assumed their privileged perch at the swearing-in of President Trump, it was an ostentatious show of wealth and power unlike any before," writes columnist Mark Barabak. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.