Natural Sciences Division

Last December was the warmest on record for Washington, according to the Washington State Climate Office. Now many plants in our gardens are beginning to bud, even though it's only February. UW News asked Takato Imaizumi, UW professor of biology, to talk about the mechanisms behind blooming and how warmer winters might impact flowering plants.

A recent documentary about the breeding habits of antelopes in India includes the story of how engaging with artists and local communities can help researchers share the importance of their work. UW News asked Vivek Hari Sridhar, a UW assistant professor of biology and one of the leaders of the project, for details about the project and the documentary.

Five University of Washington faculty members have been awarded early-career fellowships from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

For Valentines Day, relationship experts share a few ways to show our partners that we care. Nicole McNichols, associate teaching professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

Happy almost-Valentines day to all who celebrate.Its a time for love, of course. For fancy dinners. Cute notes. And hopefully, for some, a time for intimacy. We review some of the research, and get some advice, on our burning questions about sex, love and relationships. Nicole McNichols, associate teaching professor of psychology at the UW, is interviewed.

You cant escape Valentines Day, a social and retail ritual involving exchanges of cards, flowers, chocolates, candy, and an exhaustive, sometimes expensive list of other gifts, many in eye-searing blasts of red and pink. Pepper Schwartz, professor emerita of sociology at the UW, is quoted.

UW News spoke with Lauren Buckley, University of Washington professor of biology, to learn about "functional resurvey" experiments and what they can tell us about how organisms change over time.

From the thousands of undergraduate students at the University of Washington, three are selected each year for the prestigious President’s Medalist Award.

Kaytlin Rose Vanderhorst (Psychology; Education Studies: Wellness and Social Emotional Learning), Carilyn Brandt (English: Creative Writing) and Luna Crone-Barón Drama: Performance; English) are the medalists for 2024–25, selected by a committee for their high GPAs, rigor of classes and number of Honors courses. All three Honors students are pursuing the Interdisciplinary Honors track, a unique academic opportunity that challenges students to explore connections across disciplines and prepares them to address complex societal challenges.

The University of Washington was awarded $2.5 million from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to fund 16 postdoctoral fellows in a number of fields across the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Engineering and the College of the Environment.

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.”

Three College of Arts & Sciences professors discuss the impact of AI on their teaching and on student learning. The consensus? It’s complicated.

New research supported by Yingjie Cheng, a University of Washington postdoctoral researcher in astronomy, uncovered a contender for one of the earliest observed spiral galaxies containing a stellar bar a notable visual feature that can play an important role in the evolution of a galaxy.

Astronomers at the UW recently reported a record-breaking asteroid using early images from the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile. There's no chance of it hitting Earth, astronomers say; the huge asteroid is about 200 million miles away. Sarah Greenstreet, affiliate assistant professor of astronomy, is interviewed.

Astronomers recently announced a new solar system record: the fastest spinning large asteroid ever discovered. Sarah Greenstreet, affiliate assistant professor of astronomy at the UW, is interviewed.