Technology

With a double major in computer science and gender, women & sexuality studies, Simona Liao is lifting women in STEM in the U.S. and China.

A novel algorithm developed by University of Washington researchers to discover asteroids in the solar system has proved its mettle. The first candidate asteroids identified by the algorithm — known as Tracklet-less Heliocentric Orbit Recovery, or THOR — have been confirmed by the International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center, according to a May 31 announcement by the B612 Foundation.

Comparing Silicon Valley and Seattle has become something of a regional pastime in the Pacific Northwest. But the comparison might be more accurate if directed a few miles east, across the shores of Lake Washington to where Bellevue skyrises are multiplying. Because historically speaking, the rise of the Eastside closely mirrors the trajectory of Silicon Valley’s San Jose. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

While studying the impact of the digital revolution on texts, students created digital editions using print publications in UW Special Collections.

Jessica Beyer, co-leader of the Cybersecurity Initiative in the UW Jackson School of International Studies, explains how Americans may feel the effect of Russian cyberattacks.

His knowledge of ancient languages led Andrew Glass (2006) to a specialized technology job at Microsoft. 

Students in the Jackson School of International Studies delve into cybersecurity policy and its societal implications. 

Industrial design professor Jason O. Germany was part of a team that designed a low-cost ventilator on short notice during the pandemic. 

As tech companies continue to delay return to offices, some service workers hope for a full return in the coming months. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

Amazon is making another move into physical retail, this time with plans to open department store-like locations in Ohio and California that would sell items such as clothing and electronics, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

Amazon announced Thursday it intends to delay reopening its offices until Jan. 3, a move that raises fresh questions about the pace of recovery in Seattle and Bellevue where well-paid workers from Amazon and other tech firms are critical economic drivers. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

The UW and Washington State University are adding artificial intelligence research institutes thanks to $40 million in funding from the National Science Foundation. UW’s research lab, the AI Institute for Dynamic Systems, will focus on fundamental AI and machine learning theory. Steve Brunton, associate professor of mechanical engineering at the UW and associate director of the institute, is referenced. The UW's J. Nathan Kutz, professor of applied mathematics; Krithika Manohar, assistant professor of mechanical engineering; Maryam Fazel, professor of electrical and computer engineering; Daniela Witten, professor of biostatistics; and David Beck, research associate professor of chemical engineering, are mentioned.

The U.S. National Science Foundation today announced 11 new artificial-intelligence research institutes, including one led by the University of Washington. These institutes are part of a $220 million investment spanning seven research areas in AI. Each institute will receive about $20 million over five years.

Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, says that the lack of access Facebook gives researchers and others to data makes it difficult to assess how information is spreading on the social media platform. [Segment starts at 24:35]

"A GoFundMe campaign is a poor — and unfair — substitute for functional social programs. The crowdfunding business, to which hundreds of thousands of people turned for help with rent and other basic needs during the pandemic, may well be a platform for 'inspiring acts of kindness,' but every donation also dictates who is being left behind," write Nora Kenworthy, associate professor of nursing and health studies at UW Bothell, and Mark Igra, a graduate student in sociology at the UW.