College of Arts and Sciences

"Often, we use social media as a link — this incredible resource to connect us to the people and places we love. As disinformation, decontextualization, and propaganda increase across X, TikTok, and other sites, users need to assess what the sources are for the information they are consuming," writes Danielle Marie Holland. Liora Halperin, professor of history and international studies, is quoted.

"There are going to be many days where it doesn't seem to make sense, and that is an incredibly vulnerable space to maneuver, but just know that you belong here at this incredible university along with every great opportunity you come across in your journey.  It's okay to not have the answers or feel entirely comfortable in new spaces you'll find yourself in. Use curiosity to your advantage and ask questions, read for fun beyond the classroom, listen to new music that makes you want to bop around, or take a walk, and look for chances to join student organizations. Curiosity is a great tool in the classroom, and it will also serve you well beyond the University of Washington. Give it your all because you'll get back what you put in." - Juan Rodriguez, Marketing Production Specialist, College of Arts & Sciences

The first week of November brings the end of Daylight Saving Time and return of Standard Time. Reporter Corey Olson sat down with UW Biology professor Horacio de la Iglesia to discuss the health benefits of staying in Standard Time permanently.

Over the course of some 44,000 years, humans occupying the island of Timor-Leste, just north of Australia, changed their methods of making stone tools in lockstep with climate change, according to a recent study in Quaternary Science Reviews. Ben Marwick, professor of anthropology at the UW, is quoted.

An interview with Dr. Loma Pendergraft on crow vocalization. Pendergraft — a current psychology lecturer in animal behavior-related classes — found interest in the noises the crows on the south side of the UW campus made as he fed them. This curiosity led to the experiment that comprised his master’s degree. 

Tech welcomes big characters, and many successful founders become synonymous with their brands. The incentive structures of Silicon Valley — and the huge sums that can be gained from selling stories rather than functional products — mean that the door remains open for other people to follow in Bankman-Fried's tracks. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

This week, attend the UW Pandemic Project’s Radical Listening Session to honor each individual’s lived pandemics experiences, head to Meany Hall for Garrick Ohlsson’s piano performance, celebrate Diwali with the Burke Museum, and more. November 7, 4:30 – 6:00pm | Sharon Stein, “The University and Its Responsibility for Repair: Confronting Colonial Foundations and Enabling Different...

Police facing criminal charges for deaths caused on duty are exceedingly rare. Over the past century, just six deaths at the hands of police have resulted in criminal charges in Washington state. James Gregory, professor and associate chair of history at the UW, is quoted.

Briana Abrahms serves as the Boersma Endowed Chair of Natural History and Conservation at UW, and recently received the prestigious Packard Fellowship. Abrahms’ lab will receive $875,000 to pursue research regarding the impacts of environmental change on animal behavior. Writer Samuel Abraham sits down with the professor and distills her ongoing research.

Sam Altman thinks the technology underpinning his company’s most famous product could bring about the end of human civilization. The UW's Emily M. Bender, professor of linguistics, and Margaret O'Mara, professor of history, are quoted.

A recent study reveals the fascinating evolutionary journey of bat teeth and jaws. With over 200 species mostly found in the American tropics, noctilionoid bats possess a wide variety of jaw structures that have adapted to different diets. Sharlene Santana, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.

Some are stubborn optimists. Others struggle with despair. Their faces show the weight they carry as they witness the impact of climate change. Kristin Laidre, associate professor of aquatic and fishery sciences at the UW and principal scientist at the Applied Physics Laboratory, and P. Dee Boersma, professor of biology at the UW, are featured.

The diverse dental features found among bats might help fill gaps in our understanding of how mammal teeth evolved. Scientists from the UW, publishing in Nature Communications, analysed and compared the jaws and teeth of more than 100 noctilionoid bats, revealing the developmental rules that explain the diverse range of dental features. Pictures from Sharlene Santana, professor of biology at the UW, are featured.

Dean Dianne Harris reflects on the importance of being together in person on campus after spending so much time interacting virtually during the pandemic. 

This week, check out Grammy-winning vocal group Roomful of Teeth’s performance, an ingenious dark comedy written by Jen Silverman, attend the Labor Studies Annual Awards Celebration Banquet, and more. November 2, 7:30pm | Roomful of Teeth with Gabriel Kahane, Meany Hall  The Grammy-winning vocal group Roomful of Teeth continue to expand the capabilities of the...