College of Arts and Sciences

"In today’s American criminal legal system, courts impose fines and fees as a means to punish people and hold them accountable for legal violations," co-writes Alexes Harris, professor of sociology at the UW.

Turnout for this year’s November election was the lowest on record since Washington started keeping track in 1936. Statewide, 36.41% of registered voters returned their ballot in 2023. That beats the previous low of 37.1%, held in another odd-year election — 2017, and the one before that, 38.52% in 2015. Mark Smith, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

After internal chaos earlier this month, OpenAI replaced the women on its board with men. As it plans to add more seats, Timnit Gebru, Sasha Luccioni and other AI luminaries tell WIRED why they wouldn't join. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

World-renowned Spanish dance company Noche Flamenca recently stopped at the Meany Center for Preforming Arts for a performance debuting their new show and celebrating World Falmenco day. Writer Dany Villarreal sat down with the minds behind the company, telling the story of their rise to success. 

The gallery dedicated to late UW Art Professor Lawrence was relocated from the basement to a space at the front of the building facing Stevens Way. With new lights, better internet connectivity, security, and climate control, contributing writer Corissa Bradley explains how the new facility will serve as a gathering place for artists and students.

In collaboration with the UW Polish Studies Endowment Committee, award-winning poet and UW assistant professor Piotr Florczyk dedicated an event to the reading and discussion of poetry in Polish and English. Contributing writer Avery Cook dives into the importance of bilingual writing and writers.

"Santos may be exceptional in how many lies he has told, but politicians seeking election have incentives to tell voters what they want to hear – and there is some empirical evidence that a willingness to lie may be helpful in the process of getting elected. Voters may not appreciate candidates who are unwilling or unable to mislead others from time to time," writes Michael Blake, professor of philosophy and of public policy and governance at the UW.

Following a dramatic departure of two key leaders from ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, Microsoft, a major investor in the startup, ended up a winner on Monday. The Redmond-based tech giant said Monday it was hiring former OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and co-founder and former OpenAI President Greg Brockman, who left after Altman’s ouster Friday, to lead an in-house AI innovation lab. Emily M. Bender, professor of linguistics at the UW, is quoted.

UW researchers discovered an “unexpected finding” while studying the effects of alcohol and caffeine on sleep. Frank Song, a doctoral student of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

"Why do you tip? And have your reasons for tipping changed lately? Is there less gratitude in the mix and more — shall we say — fear?" writes columnist Peter Coy. Anthony Gill, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

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.

Over 100 people are refusing meals at the privately-run Northwest Detention Center, which has a history of controversy and similar strikes. Angelina Godoy, professor of law, societies and justice and of international studies and director of the Center for Human Rights at the UW, is mentioned.

Pandemic-related lockdowns were hard on everyone, but a growing body of research suggests they were especially hard on young people. Now a new study scanning adolescent brain seems to be backing some of those suspicions. Patricia Kuhl, professor of speech and hearing sciences at the UW and co-director of the UW Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, is interviewed. [This interview is part of a roundup and begins at 27:05]

With the creation of a new Equity, Justice & Inclusion fund, the College is putting resources behind its values. Under the leadership of Associate Dean Maya Smith, this new fund will foster faculty mentorship, curricular innovations, and more—all toward a vision of greater access and equity.

"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.