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News & events

[em]Washington Engineer[/em] - April 2013

In this issue:

  • Dean's Message
  • Research - Fusion Rocket; Cancer Cells; Glucose & Ferroelectricity
  • Campus News - Dean Selection; Vest Scholarships; Agilent RF Lab
  • Events - Diamond Awards; Discovery Days; Lytle Lecture
  • In the Media - Sally Jewell; Kate Starbird; Wonder Bike

 


 

Dean's Message

Interim Dean Judy Ramey highlights a few new developments in the college and welcomes incoming dean Michael Bragg. Watch video »

still from Judy Ramey video

Research

fusion-driven rocket (concept image) Rocket powered by nuclear fusion could send humans to Mars
Astronauts could be a step closer to a fast journey to Mars using a unique manipulation of nuclear fusion devised by UW engineers and those at a Redmond company.
NBC | Huffington Post | PC Magazine | KOMO News

 
images of stained cells
 
Tenfold boost in ability to pinpoint proteins in cancer cells
New UW research offers a more comprehensive way to analyze a cell’s unique behavior, revealing patterns that could indicate why a cell will or won’t become cancerous.
Science Daily | R&D
 
research image showing where glucose has halted ferroelectric switching in an elastin protein High glucose levels could impair ferroelectricity in body’s connective tissues
New research suggests that more sugar in the body could damage the elastic proteins that help us breathe and pump blood. The findings could have health implications for diabetics, who have high blood-glucose levels.

Campus News

incoming dean Michael Bragg
 
Michael B. Bragg selected as dean of UW College of Engineering
Michael B. Bragg, professor and interim engineering dean at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has been selected as dean of the UW College of Engineering.
The Seattle Times | GeekWire | The (UW) Daily
 
NAE Grand Challenges logo excerpt - puzzle pieces Vest Scholarships program announced; UW one of eight participating U.S. universities
Eight universities, including the University of Washington, announced the establishment of Vest Scholarships at their institutions. The new scholarship program will foster international collaborations among graduate students whose studies are focused on tackling some of the world’s biggest challenges.

 
Agilent illustration excerpt (radio towers)
 
UW EE and Agilent Technologies collaborate on new high-tech RF and microwave teaching laboratory
The new Agilent Technologies RF Laboratory will provide students access to the latest bench-top and hand-held instruments for radio frequency and microwave measurements.
The (UW) Daily

Events

Diamond Awards logo Diamond Awards
Friday, May 31, 6–9 p.m.
Husky Union Building North Ballroom

This year's honorees include Jon Magnusson, former Chairman and CEO of Magnusson Klemencic Associates in Seattle; Albert Kobayashi, a world-renowned expert in the fields of fracture mechanics, experimental stress analysis and finite element analysis; and Kevin Ross, founder of Washington FIRST Robotics to inspire kids to become leaders in science and technology.

 
Discovery Days logo excerpt Engineering Discovery Days
Friday, April 26, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Saturday, April 27, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
UW Seattle campus

The annual open house is free and open to everyone. Saturday's events include engineering exhibits and information panels for high school students about departments, college admissions and financial aid.

 
photo of Alan S. Willsky Dean Lytle Electrical Engineering Endowed Lecture Series
Wednesday, May 15, 3:30–4:30 p.m.
Paul G. Allen Center, Microsoft Atrium

The lecture series is electrical engineering's largest annual event, featuring internationally renowned researchers in the field of communications and signal processing. Alan S. Willsky of Massachusetts Institute of Technology is this year's featured speaker.
 

In the Media

Sally Jewell
 
Obama chooses REI executive to lead Interior Dept.
The New York Times | Feb. 6, 2013
President Obama has nominated Sally Jewell, the chief executive of Recreational Equipment Inc., to lead the Interior Department. Jewell is a UW regent and a UW mechanical engineering alumna. She was confirmed as secretary by the U.S. Senate on April 10.
 
Kate Starbird Kate Starbird, former basketball star, chooses a different route -- as usual
The Seattle Times | March 5, 2013
Kate Starbird, a former pro basketball player and college player of the year at Stanford, is a UW assistant professor in human centered design & engineering. The Seattle Times writes an in-depth profile on her basketball career and current work at UW.

 
bike with cargo bin, lights, electric assist, tunes The bike of the future
KING 5 News | April 4, 2013
Evening Magazine's Michael King meets a UW engineering team that is developing a bike kit to change the bike game for good. The Liontails team competed in the UW Environmental Innovation Challenge on April 4.