Natural Sciences Division

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.

"Burrowing shrimp are a well-documented native pest species in Willapa Bay that have been a nuisance to bottom-culture shellfish farmers for over a century. Methods for controlling shrimp populations have varied over the years, including mechanical and chemical controls," writes Emma Guerrini Romano, UW doctoral student in biology. Andrea Durant, UW assistant professor of biology, and Jennifer Ruesink, UW professor of biology, are mentioned.

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.

A team led by University of Washington astronomers has discovered the fastest-ever spinning asteroid with a diameter over half a kilometer.

While February might be just 28 days, the UW College of Arts & Sciences offers an exciting lineup of more than 40 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.

A newly discovered asteroid spins about as fast as a Ferris wheel. With a rotation period of just 112 seconds, its the new record holder for fastest-spinning asteroid wider than 500 meters. Scientists think it must be made of solid rock to avoid breaking apart. Sarah Greenstreet, affiliate assistant professor of astronomy, is quoted.