Humanities Division

Tuli Lodge is the latest social sauna to pop up in the Seattle area in recent years, following places like Bywater Sauna and Wild Haus Floating Saunas. Together, they are taking a page from Nordic tradition and turning the sauna into a communal hub to socialize and meet new people all for the cost of a couple of drinks. Kim Kraft, assistant teaching professor of Swedish and Gabrielle Martinez, an undergraduate student at the UW, are quoted

Welcome to our second Halloween installment, where we ask movie buffs Champ Ensminger and Ungsan Kim what movies they recommend if you like a scary fix for the holiday. Kim, assistant professor of Asian cinema at the UW, is interviewed.

Come curious. Leave inspired. We invite you to connect with us this November through a rich and varied schedule of more than 30 events, exhibitions, podcasts, and more. From chamber opera premieres and public lectures to Indigenous storytelling and poetry celebrations, theres something to spark every curiosity. Expect boundary-pushing performances, thought-provoking dialogues on memory and...

Are Asian horror films scarier than their American counterparts? What makes them so chilling? And which ones should you check out this year and every year? Ungsan Kim, assistant professor of Asian cinema at the UW, is quoted.

Several Asian countries adapted the Chinese writing system—the oldest writing system still in use—for their own languages. In a new book, Professor Zev Handel shares how that happened.

Come curious. Leave inspired. We welcome you to connect with us this autumn quarter through an incredible lineup of more than 30 events, exhibitions, podcasts, and more. From thought-provoking talks on monsters to boundary-pushing performances by Grammy-nominated Mariachi ensembles, its a celebration of bold ideas and creative energy. ArtSci On Your Own Time Exhibition: Woven...

A new book by Ping Wang, University of Washington professor of Asian languages and literature, is bringing fresh attention to one of the most influential poets in Chinese literary history, Xie Lingyun.

In part two of this investigation, public records show a Bellingham staffer asking ChatGPT to write responses to emails about parking, traffic, a homeless camp and more. As generative AI tools like ChatGPT are used more and more by local governments, adoption is often outpacing potential safeguards and ethical guardrails. Emily M. Bender, professor of linguistics at the UW, is quoted.

"Perceptions of AIs relentless march toward becoming more intelligent than humans, even becoming a threat to humanity, came to a screeching halt Aug. 7. That was the day when the most widely followed AI company, OpenAI, released GPT-5, an advanced product that the firm had long promised would put competitors to shame and launch a new revolution in this purportedly revolutionary technology. As it happened, GPT-5 was a bust," writes Michael Hiltzik. Emily M. Bender, professor of linguistics at the UW, is quoted.

New faculty books from the University of Washington include those from Asian languages and literature, applied mathematics and the Jackson School of International Studies.

Derek Sheffield, ’90, ’99, a poet and English teacher, was appointed Washington State’s Poet Laureate in April by Governor Bob Ferguson. A passionate naturalist known for co-editing the best-selling “Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry” with Elizabeth Bradfield, ’94, and CMarie Fuhrman, Sheffield is “always packing” binoculars and hand lens and birds by ear—often in the woods near his home in Leavenworth. He has butterflied alongside Robert Michael Pyle, ’69, ’73, the lepidopterist, and once exchanged letters with Pulitzer-winning biologist E.O. Wilson.

Meet the four graduating students selected by the College of Arts & Sciences as 2025 Graduate Medalists for their accomplishments. 

"What might the virtual assistant in your phone sound like if the artificial intelligence that powered it emerged from the consciousness of a Black girl from Chicago?" writes Timeka Tounsel, associate professor of Black studies in communication at the UW. Golden M. Owens, assistant professor of cinema & media studies at the UW, is quoted.

Meet the four new graduates honored as College of Arts & Sciences Dean's Medalists for 2025. 

MFA alum Brian Christian explores the tricky dynamics between human behavior and artificial intelligence. After moving to Seattle—drawn by both it’s tech and literary scenes—he decided to pursue a master’s in creative writing at the UW. He studied creative nonfiction and poetry but did not lose touch with his affinity for computer science.