Population Health

  • Frank Herbert’s ‘Dune’ is a climate and environment story — are you paying attention?

    Frank Herbert designed his beloved story, “Dune,” as a critique of our own world and a cautionary tale for the future. Herbert's time as a UW student is mentioned, and Jesse Oak Taylor, associate professor of English at the UW, is quoted.
    02/28/2024 | The Seattle Times
  • A fading weapon in the HIV fight: Condoms

    Some H.I.V. experts worry that the public health focus on prevention medication has accelerated a decline in condom use. Steven Goodreau, professor of anthropology at the UW, is quoted.
    02/28/2024 | The New York Times
  • A Closer Look at Teens & Digital Technology

    The impact of digital technology on teens' mental health is the focus of a new course developed by Lucia Magis-Weinberg in the UW Department of Psychology.

    February 2024 Perspectives
  • How a Chemistry Lab is Transforming Clinical Research

    Ashleigh Theberge's UW lab creates bioanalytical chemistry tools. Some are transforming how clinical studies can be conducted. 

    February 2024 Perspectives
  • Should social media pay for addicting kids? Seattle schools lawsuit gains steam

    A year into Seattle Public Schools' lawsuit against social media companies, the case is gaining traction. More than 50 school districts in Washington state — and dozens more across the country — have joined Seattle’s lawsuit. Lucía Magis-Weinberg, assistant professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.
    KUOW
  • Could studying how dogs age help us understand the ways humans do?

    Dogs share so much of their lives with humans and can develop the same health conditions we do, like dementia or diabetes. Those similarities drove researchers to wonder if our medical science can help dogs live longer — and if maybe, our furry friends could tell us something about how we age, too. Daniel Promislow, professor of biology and of laboratory medicine and pathology at the UW, is quoted.
    KUOW
  • Japan prepares for moon landing by smart lander after string of space disasters

    Japan said its probe reached the moon after a year of setbacks to the nation’s space program, but it wasn’t immediately clear if the lander was intact or functioning. Saadia Pekkanen, professor of international studies at the UW, is quoted.
    Bloomberg
  • Raising the (Sustainable) Roof

    Alexa Bednarz (BA, Communication, 2012) turned an idea for environmentally friendly roofing material into Eco-Shelter Inc. Its first manufacturing facility will open in India in 2024. 

    January 2024 Perspectives
  • Opinion: America is averting its eyes from something very, very wrong

    "For some people, social media is inconsequential — a cat photo here, a banana slip TikTok there. For others, it’s all-consuming — a helpless catapult into a slurry of anxiety, self-harm and depression...But social media use also differs by race and ethnicity — and there’s far less discussion of that," writes columnist Pamela Paul. Lucía Magis-Weinberg, assistant professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.
    The New York Times
  • Happiness boosters: Smiles, gratitude, a wandering walk

    While the seasons and our genetic dispositions play a role in our ability to feel happiness, our daily actions and choices also have a significant effect, experts say. Milla Titova, assistant teaching professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.
    Axios Seattle
  • Holiday blahs? Why social connection, even talking to strangers, can help

    Milla Titova, assistant teaching professor of psychology and director of the Happiness and Well-Being Lab at the UW, offers strategies for joy this holiday season.
    UW News
  • Navigating the dual pandemics through 'radical listening'

    The dual pandemics of COVID-19 and the racial reckoning after the murder of George Floyd in 2020 changed us. While we may be ready to move on, bearing witness for one another can teach us about ourselves, our resilience and our communities. Timeka Tounsel, assistant professor of Black studies in communication at the UW, is quoted.
    The Seattle Medium
  • The pandemic disrupted adolescent brain development

    Early research presented at the leading brain conference suggests that the pandemic changed the brains of teenagers. Patricia Kuhl, professor of speech and hearing sciences at the UW and co-director of the UW Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, is quoted.
    Scientific American
  • Opinion: ‘Translating’ a Times article to reach new audiences

    "College freshmen read a New York Times Magazine piece about issues in education, then communicate what they learned by experimenting with audience and format," writes Megan Butler, a doctoral student of English at the UW.
    The New York Times
  • 'It makes me wonder if I'm doing something wrong.' How tweens are navigating social media's beauty standards

    Tweens growing up with social media are inundated with rapidly changing beauty standards and the social pressure to conform to them. Lucía Magis-Weinberg, assistant professor of psychology at the UW, is interviewed.
    KUOW