In this issue:

• Dean's Message
• Research - Clean Energy Institute; Ultrasound & Kidney stones; Trees & Snowmelt
• Campus News - Big Data Grant; Department and Center Leadership Update; Raven II in the Movies
• Events - Lectures on UWTV; WiSE Conference; Data Science at UW
• In the Media - Mapping Sandy's Impact; Smart Contact Lens; App for Algebra
   

Dean's Message Dean Michael Bragg highlights recent breakthroughs in research, the launch of the new Clean Energy Institute, a major grant for big data research, and several leadership transitions within the college. Read message »

Research

	New state-funded Clean Energy Institute will focus on solar, battery technologies UW's Clean Energy Institute launched on Dec. 12, 2013 with an event attended by UW President Michael K. Young, Gov. Jay Inslee, and researchers, industry experts and policy leaders in renewable energy. The Seattle Times | Xconomy | KIRO TV
	Trial to test using ultrasound to move kidney stones A new device developed at the UW would let doctors use ultrasound to move kidney stones inside the body and help them pass by natural means. KING 5 | MyNorthwest.com
	Snow melts faster under trees than in open areas in mild climates When the Cascade snowpack is gone, our water supply depends on often meager summer rainfall to get us through until fall. Civil and environmental engineers are mapping winter temperatures throughout the region as they track snow accumulation and melt. KING 5 | KPLU

Campus News

	Grant will support interdisciplinary, data-intensive research at UW A five-year, $37.8 million grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation will support data-intensive science and discovery at UW, UC Berkeley and NYU. One component at UW will be a dedicated "data science studio" in which researchers work directly with data scientists for a period of time, then take back what they learn to their home departments. The New York Times | Xconomy | The Seattle Times
	Computer scientist Rajesh Rao to lead national neural engineering center at UW UW associate professor Rajesh Rao has been named director of the National Science Foundation's Engineering Research Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering based at the UW.
	François Baneyx named chair of Chemical Engineering François Baneyx, a UW professor of chemical engineering, has become the department's new chair. Baneyx recently served as director of the UW's Center for Nanotechnology and in 2013 was elected as a fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Daniel Schwartz, outgoing chair, is the director of the UW's new Clean Energy Institute.
	UW surgical robot featured in 2013 movie 'Ender's Game' If you watch "Ender's Game," you'll see the Raven II surgical robot from the UW BioRobotics Laboratory in its Hollywood debut. Two UW graduate students operated the robot on the set during filming in New Orleans. NBC News | KOMO News | Seattle P-I

Events

	Watch the 2013 lecture series The 2013 Engineering Lecture Series examined our national and regional infrastructure up close. From road and rail networks to water and sewer conduits to national power and natural gas grids, life is dependent upon systems. The series is now available to view online.
	2014 Women in Science & Engineering Conference Saturday, March 1    8:15 a.m.–4 p.m. Husky Union Building (HUB) on the UW Seattle campus High school, college, graduate school scholars, faculty, administrators and professional women can register for the event that focuses on educational and professional development in engineering and science fields. Register by Feb. 18.
Data Science at the UW—A Campus Conversation Friday, Feb. 7    2–5 p.m. Mary Gates Hall on the UW Seattle campus UW leaders will share details about recent campus-wide, interdisciplinary awards to grow programs in data-intensive research and discovery. These include a $37.8 million data science award shared with two other universities and a $2.6 million NSF IGERT award to establish an interdisciplinary graduate program in data science. A faculty and student networking poster session will follow the speakers.

In the Media

	On the road to resiliency: Researchers map Hurricane Sandy impact National Science Foundation | Dec. 9, 2013 UW civil and environmental engineer Dorothy Reed and her team are creating detailed maps to construct a comprehensive street-by-street view of Sandy's devastation in New York City. The research will help planners and engineers identify the city's vulnerabilities to prepare for the future.
	Google's new 'smart contact lens' project began at UW, with help from Microsoft GeekWire | Jan. 14, 2014 The research originated at the UW, where Google project co-founders Babak Parviz and Brian Otis worked together in electrical engineering.
	Kids like to learn algebra, if it comes in the right app Wired | Nov. 23, 2013 For UW computer scientist Zoran Popović, it’s how you teach math to kids. His new method is the basis for an entire sixth-grade math curriculum in trial in Seattle this year and next year in Brooklyn and Brazil.