Department of Anthropology – 91̽��News

ArtSci Roundup: November

Lauren Zondag — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:21:33 +0000

Come curious. Leave inspired.

We invite you to connect with us this November through a rich and varied schedule of more than 30 events, exhibitions, podcasts, and more. From chamber opera premieres and public lectures to Indigenous storytelling and poetry celebrations, there’s something to spark every curiosity. Expect boundary-pushing performances, thought-provoking dialogues on memory and identity, and cross-disciplinary collaborations—November is a celebration of bold ideas and creative energy.

As you plan for the end of the year, take a look at what’s coming up in the December ArtSci Roundup.

In addition, .

ArtSci On Your Own Time

Closing November 8 | (Art + Art History + Design)
This Fall MFA exhibition at the Jacob Lawrence Gallery showcases emerging artists’ work. Free.

Closing January 11 | (Henry Art Gallery)
A thematic exploration of the work of thirty-four Asian American and Asian diasporic artists, Spirit House asks the question, what does it mean to speak to ghosts, inhabit haunted spaces, be reincarnated, or enter different dimensions?

Book Club:��“The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah��( 91̽��Alumni)
Readers’ Choice! Author (and 91̽��alum – BA, Communication, ’83 ) Kristin Hannah highlights the struggles of the working poor during the Great Depression in this novel. Elsa is an awkward wallflower who is raising her two children on the family farm. As the Dust Bowl hits, she must choose between weathering the climate catastrophe in Texas or moving her family west to follow rumors of jobs in California.��Free.

Books, podcasts, etc: (91̽�� Magazine)
This spring, 18,883 degrees were conferred upon graduates of all three 91̽��campuses. We estimate there are just under 600,000 living alumni of the UW. And the 91̽��supports or sustains 100,520 jobs, making it the fifth-largest employer in the state. No wonder we’re always hearing about new books, music, podcasts, and film projects from the 91̽��community. Read on for a few recent accomplishments from Huskies in the media.

Week of November 3

November 1 | (Meany Center for the Performing Arts)
A West Coast premiere of a chamber opera by composer Matthew Aucoin and director Peter Sellars, based on poems by Jorie Graham. The performance explores embodiment and identity in an age of transformation.

Ed Yong

Online Option – November 4 | Becoming a Birder (Graduate School Public Lectures)
This talk considers birding not only as a scientific and recreational practice but as a way of seeing and being—attuned to classification, memory, imagination, and care. Free.

November 4 | (Simpson Center for the Humanities)
A public lecture on the use—and misuse—of historical analogy in politics, focusing on Holocaust memory and the complexities of comparison in historical discourse. Free.

November 5 |(DXARTS)
Hum Under the Riverstone explores different forms of connection and dialogue that can unfold among various kinds of intelligences: human, natural, and machinic. The title of this project draws inspiration from Édouard Glissant and his concept of archipelagic thinking. Free.

November 5 | (Music)
A free lunchtime performance featuring 91̽��School of Music students in the North Allen Library lobby. Presented in partnership with 91̽��Libraries. Free.

Online Option – November 5 | (Jackson School)
What does it mean to commemorate a genocide? This is the overarching question governing this academic panel as its presenters ruminate over the mass killings that transpired in Indonesia between 1965 and 1966 which saw an estimated deaths of at least 500,000 alleged communists and their sympathizers, among others. Free.

November 6 – 16 | (Drama)
A new devised performance piece created under the direction of Adrienne Mackey with 91̽��students, set in a dystopian workplace where employees inhabit modular rooms and confront disconnection, routine, and possibility.

November 6 | (Political Science)
Bart Wilson is the Kennedy Endowed Chair in Economics & Law and the director of the Smith Institute for Political Economy & Philosophy at Chapman University, and author of Humanomics (with Vernon Smith), The Property Species, and Meaningful Economics. Free.

November 6 | (American Indian Studies)
A series to prepare for the Film Screening & 91̽��Symphony Performance: Healing Heart of the First People of This Land on February 6, 2026 ().��Free.

November 6 | (Henry Art Gallery)
Part artist talk, part lecture-performance, this presentation by artist Chloë Bass will use the lens of public art today to explore feelings as a type of knowledge. RSVP encouraged. Free.

November 6 | (Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture)
Part of Burke’s Free First Thursday series, the museum opens its collections spaces from 4:30 to 7:30 PM. Visitors can explore behind‑the-scenes labs and storage, and speak with researchers, staff, and volunteers about their work. Free.

November 6 | (Meany Center for the Performing Arts)
Renowned pianist Jon Kimura Parker returns to Meany with a dynamic solo program featuring Mozart, Beethoven’s Appassionata, Ravel’s Jeux d’Eau, and an Americana‑inflected selection including works by Chick Corea, John Adams, and Oscar Peterson.

November 7 | (American Ethnic Studies)
Celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Department of American Ethnic Studies (AES) and honor the 449 Japanese American 91̽��students of 1941-42 whose education was interrupted and who were unjustly incarcerated during WWII. Pictures and memories will be shared from the families of The Long Journey Home honorees, followed by remarks from AES Chair Alexes Harris and faculty member Vince Schleitwiler. Free.

November 7 | (Political Science)
Megan Mullin, Faculty Director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, discusses how scientific expertise shapes public decisions in the aftermath of disaster, drawing on lessons from the 2025 Los Angeles fires. Hosted by the Center for Environmental Politics. Free.

November 7 | (Anthropology)
Anthropologist Tracie Canada draws from long-term ethnographic research to explore how Black college football players navigate and resist the structural harms of college athletics. Canada is the Andrew W. Mellon Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Duke University and director of the HEARTS Lab. Free.

November 8 | (Henry Art Gallery)
As part of the Spirit House exhibition, this reading explores grief, memory, and the porous boundary between life and death through storytelling across cultures. Free.

November 8 | (Meany Center for the Performing Arts)
This special tribute celebrates Amadou’s musical legacy with Mariam’s iconic vocals, longtime band members, and new music from their forthcoming album L’Amour à la Folie. A legendary duo blending Malian blues with Afropop, disco, and rock influences.

Week of November 10

November 12 | ��(Drama)
In conjunction with the School’s upcoming production of OMMIA Break Room, this panel discussion centers on collaborative creation across multiple fields of study with notable faculty speakers from across the Seattle campus.

November 12 | ��(Honors)
As it becomes increasingly woven into our daily lives, public trust in science— or the lack thereof — matters more than ever. Join a dynamic conversation among 91̽��Interdisciplinary Honors faculty whose scholarship and teaching engage natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities, as they explore what happens when scientific research and scholarship are misunderstood, mistrusted or misused. Free.

November 12 | (Jackson School of International Studies)
A panel discussion on the new edited volume Spaces of Creative Resistance: Social Change Projects in 21st-Century East Asia, exploring how scholars, artists, and activists respond to inequality, environmental degradation, and social disconnection across Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Featuring Andrea Arai, Jeff Hou, and James Lin. Free.

November 13 | (American Indian Studies)
Composer Bruce Ruddell, Musicians Adia tsi sʔuyuʔaɫ Bowen (Upper Skagit) and
Ben Workman Smith (Tolowa), Conductors Ryan Dudenbostel and David Rahbee, with John-Carlos Perea (Mescalero Apache/German/Irish/Chicano) as discussant. A series to prepare for the Film Screening & 91̽��Symphony Performance: Healing Heart of the First People of This Land on February 6, 2026 ().��Free.

November 13 | (Simpson Center for the Humanities)
Philosopher Marshall Abrams challenges standard population-level views of evolution by emphasizing the unique role of individual organisms and their environments. Drawing from his book Evolution and the Machinery of Chance, Abrams explores how evolution unfolds within dynamic “population-environment systems.” Free.

November 13 – 14 | and (Music)
91̽��Jazz Studies students perform in small combos over two consecutive nights of original tunes, homage to the greats of jazz, and experiments in composing and arranging. Free.

November 14 | ��(Political Science)
PhD Student Ryan Reynolds presents, “Structurally Induced Anxiety and Anti‑War Voting: Military Social Networks and Presidential Elections.” Free.

November 14 | (Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures)
A multilingual poetry gathering celebrating the ghazal, a poetic form rooted in Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, and more. Participants will recite ghazals in their original languages with English translations, reflecting on sound, translation, and the form’s enduring vitality. Free.

November 16 | (Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture)
Explore ancient technologies, identify animal bones, sort shells, and enjoy a flintknapping (stone tool‑making) demonstration. Burke archaeologists and community partners present hands‑on activities and share stories about artifacts and historical practices. Free with museum admission; free for Burke members.

Online Option – November 16 | (Jackson School of International Studies)
The Stroum Center for Jewish Studies brings together scholars and community members to discuss the meaning and impact of Spanish and Portuguese citizenship offers to descendants of Sephardic Jews. Featuring Rina Benmayor, Dalia Kandiyoti, and Professor Devin E. Naar. In-person registration required. Free.

Week of November 17

November 18 | ��(Chemistry)
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry recognizes the architects of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi. Professors Dianne Xiao and Doug Reed from the Department of Chemistry will introduce MOFs and discuss their importance.
November 18 | (Art + Art History + Design)
Join a Narcan training workshop followed by a pizza party and conversation focused on community care, harm reduction, and accessibility. Part of the year-long Liberation Book Club series exploring liberation through shared texts, art, film, music, and workshops. Free.

November 18 | (Music)
91̽��voice students of Thomas Harper and Carrie Shaw perform art songs and arias from the vocal repertoire. ��Free.

November 18 | (Jackson School)
Forty years after the US pulled out of South Vietnam, a Vietnamese martial arts master returns to the waters that claimed his wife and children during their escape in hopes of finding their grave. The screening will be followed by a virtual discussion with members of the GETSEA consortium. Free.

November 20 | (Henry Art Gallery)
Co-presented with the 91̽��School of Art + Art History + Design, this conversation will address the role of historical research in DeVille’s object-based and performance practice, as well as her alchemical way of transforming found materials into psychically charged paintings, sculptures, and installations. Free.

November 20 | ��(American Indian Studies)
A series to prepare for the Film Screening & 91̽��Symphony Performance: Healing Heart of the First People of This Land on February 6, 2026 ().��Free.

Online – November 20 | (Geography)
Alums share how their geography degrees have shaped careers in climate risk, procurement, and user experience design. Featuring Sadie Frank (CEO, N4EA), Nina Mesihovic (Enterprise Contracts Specialist, WA State), and Anirudh Ramanathan (Senior UX Researcher). Moderated by Professor Sarah Elwood. Free.

November 20 | (Jackson School of International Studies)
Historian Edward Wright-Ríos explores the enduring and evolving practice of pilgrimage among Mexican Catholics, challenging common misconceptions and revealing why this tradition remains vital in modern life. Free.

November 20 | (Music)
The Campus Band (conducted by Solomon Encina) and Concert Band (conducted by Yuman Wu) present their Fall Quarter concert at Meany Hall—Katharyn Alvord Gerlich Theater. The program features works by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Steven Bryant, Clifton Williams, Richard Saucedo, Frank Ticheli, and others.

November 21 | (American Indian Studies)
As the days grow shorter, we gather in for a gathering with friends, family, and community to appreciate some long-form storytelling. Free.

November 21 | (Music)
The UW’s graduate-student-led choral ensembles—the University Singers, 91̽��Glee, and Treble Choir—present an eclectic end-of-quarter concert.

November 21 | (Simpson Center for the Humanities)
This symposium brings together global wetland scholars to propose four analytical interventions in wetland studies, namely: rethinking the undisciplined wetland; post-colonial/settler politics of the wetland; shifting spatial geographies and temporalities of the wetland; and finally (counter) mapping the wetland. Free.

November 23 | (Music)

91̽��music students perform music from the Baroque era under the direction of Tekla Cunningham. Free.

November 24 | (Music)
The 91̽��Studio Jazz Ensemble and Modern Band present a shared program featuring a mix of repertory selections, original compositions, and inspired arrangements. This performance offers a dynamic evening of jazz that highlights the talents of UW’s student musicians.

ArtSci Roundup goes monthly!

The ArtSci Roundup is your guide to connecting with the UW—whether in person, on campus, or on your couch.

Previously shared on a quarterly basis, those who sign up for the Roundup email will receive them monthly, delivering timely updates and engaging content wherever you are. Check the roundup regularly, as events are added throughout the month. Make sure to check out the ArtSci On Your Own Time section for everything from podcasts to videos to exhibitions that can be enjoyed when it works for you!

In addition, if you like the ArtSci Roundup, sign up to receive a monthly notice when it’s been published.

Do you have an event that you would like to see featured in the ArtSci Roundup? Connect with Lauren Zondag (zondagld@uw.edu).

Story pole celebrating Coast Salish peoples installed on 91̽��campus

Lauren Kirschman — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 14:38:41 +0000

Five years before a 25-foot story pole was installed outside Denny Hall on the 91̽�� campus, (Sugpiaq/Alutiiq) had a vision.

A Native Alaskan, Haakanson understands the importance of recognizing a land’s native peoples. So, when he looked around the UW’s Seattle campus, he found himself wondering: Where is the Coast Salish community? The Burke Museum houses Coast Salish pieces, he said, and there are small works in other buildings. But representation was noticeably missing from the actual grounds.

Al Charles (Lower Elwha Klallam), Tyson Simmons (Muckleshoot) and Keith Stevenson (Muckleshoot) carved the story pole that’s now on the 91̽��campus. Credit: Sven Haakanson

Haakanson, a 91̽��professor of anthropology, wanted to change that. He first started by talking to Al Charles, a carver from the Lower Elwha Klallam��Tribe, and then to Tyson Simmons and Keith Stevenson, of the Muckleshoot Tribe, to get their thoughts on bringing a story pole to the UW. They were all on board, but Haakanson didn’t approach the university until about a year later.

A celebration of the story pole will be held by the carvers on Sept. 18. The Coast Salish ceremony consists of one speaker and invited witnesses who will observe the dedication of the story pole to the space. The carvers will then offer gifts to those who worked behind the scenes to bring the pole to campus. “We should be educating ourselves about where we are,” Haakanson said. “Having the story pole there for all of us to learn from, celebrate and enjoy is another wonderful way of learning about the tribes that are here.”

��is also available for use.

He had just been offered the position to chair the Department of Anthropology. While discussing ways to retain him at the UW, Haakanson asked for a story pole to be commissioned for the 91̽��Seattle campus.

“It was kind of an odd ask for retention,” Haakkanson said. “But this is a wonderful way to promote, lift up and celebrate the Coast Salish peoples, whose land we’re on.”

Story poles, like the one installed on UW’s campus (above), were specifically created to share and teach Coast Salish legends, histories and stories. Photo: 91̽��Department of Anthropology

and indicates the cultural group of Indigenous peoples who speak or spoke these languages. Coast Salish peoples have lived in present-day western Washington and southwestern British Columbia for more than 10,000 years. The 91̽��is located on land that touches the shared waters of the Suquamish, Tulalip and Muckleshoot nations.

The Coast Salish people carve story poles, while totem poles are a broader category of carved wooden monuments from the Pacific Northwest. Story poles were specifically created to share and teach Coast Salish legends, histories and stories.

“Story poles are meant to tell stories,” Haakanson said. “With totem poles, they are talking about their clans and their histories. Story poles are about histories, as well, but the Coast Salish have used story poles to tell a story about an event, a legend or where we are now.

“ We see a lot of totem poles here, but totem poles are from up north. I love what totem poles represent, and I love the symbolism, but we should also be supporting local communities in their form, in their way. This is one way for students and visitors to learn about who the Coast Salish peoples are.”

Charles, Simmons and Stevenson submitted a proposal for the pole, which Haakanson then relayed to the university. The project was approved, and work on the log started a year and a half ago.

“The carvers turned this from a vision into the story pole itself,” Haakanson said. “They put in not just a lot of time and work, but also so much care and thought. To me, it’s not just a phenomenal piece of art but a celebration of the Coast Salish peoples.”

The title of the story pole is skʷatač dxʷʔal x̌ʷəlč, which translates to “From the Mountain to the Coast Salish Sea.” From the top down, images on the pole are Mount Rainier, women’s weavings, the holding two orcas, four salmon that represent four rivers, Coast Salish peoples and��the Coast Salish Sea.

Carving of the story pole that’s now installed on the 91̽��campus began a year and a half ago. Credit: Sven Haakanson

The aluminum back features the North Star at the top and water and mountains in in the middle. Underneath are three canoe prows from the Northwest Coast, the Salish Coast and the West Coast.

“What I really loved about the story pole is it celebrates and recognizes the original peoples and symbolizes our responsibility, as the community now, to care for our environment from the mountains to the sea.” Haakanson said. “They have this symbolism embedded in the story pole.”

For more information, please contact Haakanson at svenh@uw.edu.

ArtSci Roundup: June 2025

Arts & Sciences — Fri, 23 May 2025 21:35:36 +0000

From campus to wherever you call home, we welcome you to learn from and connect with the College of Arts & Sciences community through public events spanning the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. We hope to see you this June.

ArtSci on the Go

Looking for more ways to get more out of Arts & Sciences? Check out these resources to take ArtSci wherever you go!

Zev J. Handel, “Chinese Characters Across Asia: How the Chinese Script Came to Write Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese”��()

Black Composers Project engages the School of Music faculty and students ()

Ladino Day Interview with Leigh Bardugo & MELC Professor Canan Bolel ()

Back to School Podcast ��with Liz Copland ()

Featured Podcast: “Ways of Knowing” (College of Arts & Sciences)

This podcast highlights how studies of the humanities can reflect everyday life. Through a partnership between and the 91̽��, each episode features a faculty member from the 91̽��College of Arts & Sciences, who discusses the work that inspires them and suggests resources to learn more about the topic.

Episode 1: Digital Humanities with assistant professor of English and data science, Anna Preus.

Episode 2: Paratext with associate professor of French, Richard Watts.

Episode 3: Ge’ez with��associate professor of Middle Eastern languages and cultures, Hamza Zafer.

Closing Exhibits

: Christine Sun Kim: Ghost(ed) Notes at the Henry Art Gallery

Week of June 2

Prof. Daniel Bessner

Monday, June 2, 5:00 – 6:20 pm | ONLINE ONLY: (Jackson School)

Join the Jackson School for Trump in the World 2.0, a series of talks and discussions on the international impact of the second Trump presidency.

This week: Daniel Bessner; Anne H.H. and Kenneth B. Pyle Associate Professor in American Foreign Policy at the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies.

Monday, June 2, 5:00 – 7:00 pm | (Jackson School)

Mediha Sorma, Ph.D

This talk discusses the unconventional forms of care that emerge out of Kurdish resistance in Turkey, where mothering becomes a powerful response against necropolitical state violence. By centering the stories of two Kurdish mothers who had to care for their dead children and mother beyond life under the violent state of emergency regime declared in 2015; the talk examines how Kurdish mothers “rescue the dead” (Antoon, 2021) from the necropolitical state and create their necropolitical power through a radical embrace of death and decoupling of mothering from the corporeal link between the mother and the child.

Monday, June 2, 3:30 – 5:00 pm | (The Ellison Center for Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies)

Prof. Masaaki Higashijima

Why do some protests in autocracies attract popular participation while others do not? Masaaki Higashijima’s, University of Tokyo, paper argues that when opposition elites and the masses have divergent motivations for protesting, anti-regime mobilization struggles to gain momentum. Moreover, this weak elite-mass linkage is further exacerbated when autocrats selectively repress protests led by opposition elites while making concessions to those organized by ordinary citizens.

Tuesday, June 3, 5:00 – 6:30 pm | (Communications)

A conversation with local public media leaders about current challenges–including federal funding cuts–and pathways forward for sustaining public service journalism.

Speakers include:

Rob Dunlop, President and CEO, Cascade PBS
David Fischer, President and General Manager, KNKX
Tina Pamintuan, incoming President and CEO, KUOW
Matthew Powers, Professor and Co-Director, Center for Journalism, Media and Democracy

Wednesday, June 4, 3:30 – 4:30 pm | (Psychology)

Prof. Hadas Okon-Singer

Cognitive biases — such as attentional biases toward aversive cues, distorted expectations of negative events, and biased interpretations of ambiguity — are central features of many forms of psychopathology. Gaining a deeper understanding of the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying these biases is crucial for advancing theoretical models and clinical interventions.

In this talk, Prof. Hadas Okon-Singer will present a series of studies exploring emotional biases in both healthy individuals and participants diagnosed with social anxiety, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder.

Wednesday, June 4, 12:30 – 1:30 pm | (Center for Statistics & Social Sciences)

Prof. Tyler McCormick

Many statistical analyses, in both observational data and randomized control trials, ask: how does the outcome of interest vary with combinations of observable covariates? How do various drug combinations affect health outcomes, or how does technology adoption depend on incentives and demographics? Tyler McCormick’s, Professor, Statistics & Sociology, 91̽��, goal is to partition this factorial space into “pools” of covariate combinations where the outcome differs across the pools (but not within a pool).

Friday, June 6, 7:30 pm | (School of Music)

David Alexander Rahbee leads the 91̽��Symphony in a program of concerto excerpts by York Bowen, Keiko Abe, and Camille Saint-Saëns, performed with winners of the 2024-25 School of Music Concerto Competitions: Flora Cummings, viola; Kaisho Barnhill, marimba; and Sandy Huang, piano. Also on the program, works by Mikhail Glinka, Richard Wagner, and Giuseppe Verdi.

Saturday, June 7 & Sunday, June 8, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm | (Burke Museum)

Artist Stewart Wong

Stewart Wong will share knowledge and personal experiences about working with Broussonetia Papyrifera. He will talk about the history, uses, and cultivation of the paper mulberry plant. In addition, Stewart plans on dyeing, drawing on, and printing kapa. Stewart will have printed information and material samples to supplement the talk.

Saturday, June 7, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm | On Our Terms with Wakulima USA (Burke Museum)

Join the Burke Museum for a short screening from “,” plus a conversation with co-producer Aaron McCanna and Wakulima USA’s David Bulindah and Maura Kizito about food sovereignty and community building.

Additional Events

June 2 | (Music)

June 2 | (Asian Languages & Literature)

June 2 – June 6 | (Astronomy)

June 3 | (Music)

June 4 | (Music)

June 4 | (Psychology)

June 5 | (Music)

June 5 | (Speech & Hearing)

June 5 | (Labor Studies)

June 5 | (Art + Art History + Design)

June 6 | (Dance)

June 6 | (Geography)

June 7 | (Music)

Week of June 9

Wednesday, June 11 to Friday, June 27 | (Jacob Lawrence Gallery)

At the end of the spring quarter, the academic year culminates in comprehensive exhibitions of design work created by graduating students. The 91̽��Design Show 2025, showcasing the capstone projects of graduating BDes students, will be held from June 11 to June 27 in the Jacob Lawrence Gallery.

Additional Events

June 11 | (Henry Art Gallery)

June 11 | (Art + Art History + Design)

June 12 & June 13 | (DXARTS)

June 13 | (Art + Art History + Design)

Events for the week of June 23

June 24 | (Information Sessions)

June 25 | (Information Sessions)

June 26 | (Information Sessions)

June 27 | (Information Sessions)

Commencement

June marks the end of many College of Arts & Sciences students’ undergraduate experience. Interested in attending a graduation ceremony? Click here to find information on ceremonies across campus.

Have an event that you would like to see featured in the ArtSci Roundup? Connect with Kathrine Braseth (kbraseth@uw.edu).

Discovery of Quina technology challenges view of ancient human development in East Asia

Lauren Kirschman — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 20:58:34 +0000

Quina technology was found in Europe decades ago but has never before been found in East Asia. Photo: Ben Marwick

While the period is viewed as a dynamic time in European and African history, it is commonly considered a static period in East Asia. New research from the 91̽�� challenges that perception.

Researchers discovered a complete — a method for making a set of tools — in the Longtan site in southwest China, which has been dated to about 50,000 to 60,000 years ago. Quina technology was found in Europe decades ago but has never before been found in East Asia.

The team published its findings March 31 in .

“This is a big upset to the way we think about that part of the world in that period of time,” said , co-author and 91̽��professor of archaeology. “It really raises the question of, what else were people doing during this period that we haven’t found yet? How is this going to change how we think about people and human evolution in this area?”

The Middle Paleolithic, or Middle Stone Age, occurred about 300,000 to 40,000 years ago and is considered a crucial time in human evolution. The period is associated with the origin and evolution of modern humans in Africa. In Eurasia, it’s linked to the development of several archaic human groups such as Neanderthals and Denisovans. However, there is a widely held belief that development in China was sluggish during most of the Paleolithic.

The Quina system identified in China has been dated to 55,000 years ago, which is in the same period as European finds. This disputes the idea that the Middle Paleolithic was stagnant in the region and deepens the understanding of , and possibly other hominins.

The most distinctive part of the Quina system is the scraper — a stone tool that is typically thick and asymmetrical with a broad and sharp working edge that has clear signs of use and resharpening. Researchers found several of these, as well as the byproducts of their manufacture. Tiny scratches and chips on the tools indicate they were used for scraping and scratching bones, antlers or wood.

Marwick said the question now becomes: how did this toolkit arrive in East Asia? Researchers will work to determine whether there is a direct connection — people moving gradually from west to east — or if the technology was invented independently with no direct contact between groups.

It will help if researchers can find an archaeological site with a deep set of layers, Marwick said, so they can see what tools developed before the appearance of Quina technology.

“We can try to see if they were doing something similar beforehand that Quina seemed to evolve out of,” Marwick said. “Then we might say that development seems to be more local — they were experimenting with different forms in previous generations, and they finally perfected it. Alternatively, if Quina appears without any sign of experimentation, that suggests this was transmitted from another group.”

There are likely several reasons why Quina technology has just now been found in East Asia. One factor, Marwick said, is that archaeologists working in China are learning more about archaeology in other parts of the world and how to recognize their findings. He said the pace of research is also increasing, which means archaeologists are more likely to find rarer artifacts.

“The idea that nothing has changed for such a long time in East Asia also has a tight grip on people,” Marwick said. “They haven’t been considering the possibility of finding things that challenge that. Now maybe there are some scholars who are interested in questioning those ideas.”

Much of archaeological discovery relies on luck, Marwick said, but one goal for the future is to uncover human remains in the area.

“That could answer the question of whether these tools are the product of a modern human like you and me,” Marwick said. “There have never been any Neanderthals found in East Asia, but could we find a Neanderthal? Or, more likely, could we find a Denisovan, which is another kind of human ancestor? If we can find the human remains associated with this period, we might find something surprising — maybe even a new human ancestor that we don’t know about yet.”

Other co-authors were Qi-Jun Ruan, Hao L, Pei-Yuan Xiao, Ke-Liang Zhao, Zhen-Xiu Jia and Fa-Hu Chen of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Bo Li of the University of Wollongong in Australia, Hélène Monod of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Spain; Alexander Sumner of DePaul University; Jian-Hui Liu of the Yunnan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology; Chun-Xin Wang and An-Chuan Fan of the University of Science and Technology of China; Marie-Hélène Moncel of the National Museum of Natural History in Paris; Marco Peresani and Davide Delpiano of the University of Ferrara in Italy; and You-Ping Wang of Peking University in Beijing.

The research was funded by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China, the Open Research Fund of TPESER, the Australian Research Council, the Research Academy of Songshan Civilization in Zhengzhou and the University of Ferrara.

For more information, contact Marwick at bmarwick@uw.edu.

ArtSci Roundup: December 2024

Arts & Sciences — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 19:17:16 +0000

Open Exhibits

Henry Art Gallery

Through March 2025 |

This focused presentation features a selection of photographs from the Henry’s collections that explore the uses of light to obscure, obliterate, and alter the photographic subject.

Through March 2025 |

This presentation offers a selection of extraordinary artworks recently acquired for the Henry’s permanent collection. The pieces in this rotation include paintings, sculptures, and works on paper that address themes of the body.

Jacob Lawrence Gallery

Through December 21 |

Shared Tools��brings together artists and organizations attempting to imagine otherwise for museums and galleries, offering up several prompts and tools for our community to consider and take on.

Burke Museum

December 5 |

Margery Cercado (Filipinx) plans to create a mixed-media sculpture of a giant rafflesia flower with a scent element using found materials and textiles.

Through January 12, 2025 |

Journey through the Museum’s floors to experience life in winter past. Engage in interactive activities and take-home crafts set up by museum staff.

Week of December 2

December 3, 6:30 pm | (Simpson Center)

How did the West Coast become the “Left Coast” and what does that mean for American politics? The term “Left Coast” has further underlined the significance of progressive and radical movements in these states’ political systems and reputations. In this talk, Gregory explores the history of West Coast radicalism and factors that have made it influential beyond what is common in other regions, including those with blue-state traditions.

Free

December 5, 10:00 am – 8:00 pm | (Burke Museum)

Margery Cercado (Filipinx) plans to create a mixed-media sculpture piece of a giant rafflesia flower with a scent element using found materials and textiles.

Artist Statement: With work emphasizing materiality in found objects and mediums like clay, textile, stone, wood, and metal, I examine identity, lineage, dichotomy, one’s surroundings in both the physical and intangible sense and the cultural connections we hold through relation to our land environments and the beings that coexist within it. I believe to understand ourselves we must not only acknowledge our places of origins and current surroundings, but also prioritize our bonds with nature as deep soul work.

Free –

December 8, 10:00 am – 11:30 am | (Stroum Center for Jewish Studies)

In this year’s Ladino Day celebration, acclaimed fantasy author��Leigh Bardugo��(“Shadow and Bone”) will discuss her new novel, “The Familiar,” which features a Sephardic Jewish heroine in 16th-century Spain who draws magical powers from her family’s secret language, Ladino (Judeo-Spanish).

Free –

Additional Events

Revisit | ( 91̽��Honors)

December 2 | (Department of Anthropology)

December 2 | (School of Music)

December 3 | (School of Music)

December 3 | (Meany Center)

December 4 | (School of Music)

December 5��| (School of Music)

December 6��| (School of Music)

December 8��| (School of Music)

December 11 | (Simpson Center)

December 31 | (Burke Museum)

Have an event that you would like to see featured in the ArtSci Roundup? Connect with Kathrine Braseth (kbraseth@uw.edu).

ArtSci Roundup: November 2024

Arts & Sciences — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 23:43:48 +0000

Election & Democracy Events

November 7 |

Shortly after the General Election, three Washington Secretaries of State discuss the history and evolution of voting in our state—from the various systems in place to the complex and polarized climate we now operate in. If you missed the event, check out the TVW recording .

November 12 |

After the 2024 election, hear from Jessica Beyer (Jackson School of International Studies), Victor Menaldo (Political Science), and Scott Lemieux (Political Science) for a discussion on what happened and what happens next as part of the Democracy Discussions Series.

December 3 |

In this talk, James Gregory, professor of history at the UW, will explore the history of West Coast radicalism and factors that have made it influential beyond what is common in other regions, including those with blue state traditions.

Week of October 28

October 29, 6:00 – 8:00 pm | (School of Art + Art History + Design)

The Jacob Lawrence Gallery’s Shared Tools exhibition begins to unravel Lawrence’s interest in hand tools and the work of builders, and what role the community might have in building the future of the gallery. Shared Tools is the first of a series of exhibitions that pulls inspiration from the life and legacy of Jacob Lawrence.

Free

October 29, 4:30 – 6:00 pm | ONLINE OPTION (Department of Classics)

Professor Erich Gruen (UC Berkeley) will address the age-old issue of the roots of antisemitism in antiquity and the degree it may have arisen in the Jewish experience in the Greek and Hellenistic worlds. This event is co-sponsored by the Stroum Center for Jewish Studies and the Department of Classics.

Free

October 31, 7:30 pm | (School of Music)

Dr. Stephen Price is joined by students, colleagues, and friends of the 91̽��Organ Studies program in this concert of spooky organ classics and Halloween fun.

Free

November 1, 7:30 pm | ��(School of Music)

David Alexander Rahbee leads the 91̽��Symphony in a program of works by Ludwig van Beethoven and Akira Ifukube. With Percussion Studies Chair Bonnie Whiting, marimba.

November 2 – 10 | (School of Drama)

THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE is a parable inspired by the Chinese play CHALK CIRCLE. Written at the close of World War II, the story is set in the Caucasus Mountains of Georgia, and retells the tale of an abandoned child whose custody is contested by his caretaker and his biological mother. In this production, a group of modern-day actors come together with real questions about justice, what is fair, and how to do right when it seems impossible.

Additional Events

October 29 |�� (French & Italian Studies)

Beginning November 1 | (Henry Art Gallery)

Beginning November 1 | ��(Henry Art Gallery)

November 1 | (CSDE)

November 2 | (School of Art + Art History + Design)

Week of November 4

November 4, 4:00 – 6:00 pm | ��(Scandinavian Studies)

Witness a conversation between dancer/choreographer and drag performance artist Jody Kuehner (Cherdonna Shinatra) and artist and dramaturg Maggie L. Rogers. The conversation will focus particularly on Kuehner and Rogers’ 2017 production, Cherdonna’s A Doll’s House, staged in collaboration with the Washington Ensemble Theater on Capitol Hill.

Free

November 7, 7:30 – 9:00 pm | ONLINE OPTION (College of Arts & Sciences and Evans School)

Join three Washington Secretaries of State as they discuss the history and evolution of voting in our state—from the various systems in place to the complex and polarized climate we now operate in. Current Secretary of State Steve Hobbs joins former Secretaries of State Kim Wyman and Sam Reed for a panel discussion convened by the 91̽��’s College of Arts & Sciences and the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance.

If you missed the event, check out the TVW recording .

Free

November 7 & 8, 7:30 pm | (Digital Arts and Experimental Media)

Fictions in Fugue is an interdisciplinary collaboration by new media artists/performers who come together to activate Meany Theater as a space in fugue and fragmentation. Combining interactive storytelling, Extended Reality technologies and Machine Learning experiments, a series of embodied narratives emerge throughout the evening.

Free

November 10, 4:00 pm | ��(School of Music)

The School of Music joins with the Seattle Flute Society (SFS) for its Flute Celebration Day, featuring Professor Zhao Rong Peter Chen, School of Music alumnus and faculty member at China Conservatory of Music and other highly regarded institutions throughout China. His performance is followed by additional performances from the Seattle Flute Society Flute Choir and other SFS members.

Free

Additional Events

November 6 | (Center for Statistics and the Social Sciences)

November 7 | ONLINE (Simpson Center)

November 7 |�� (Asian Languages & Literature)

Week of November 11

November 12, 5:00 – 6:30 pm | (Political Science)

Department of Political Science and the Political Economy Forum are hosting a post-election faculty roundtable moderated by Professors James Long, Jessica Beyer (Jackson School), Victor Menaldo (Political Science), and Scott Lemieux (Political Science) one week after the election on what we know so far and what to expect next.

Free

November 13, 6:00 – 8:00 pm | (Law, Societies & Justice)

Join 91̽��Honors’ annual Global Challenges—Interdisciplinary Thinking event as they bring Tony Lucero (Indigenous studies and critical university studies), Megan McCloskey (international human rights law and disability rights), and Ed Taylor (leadership, social justice and critical race theory in education) together with Interdisciplinary Honors student moderator, Jaya Field, to discuss the many purposes of public research universities like the 91̽��in our world today.

Free

November 13, 7:00 – 8:30 pm | ONLINE OPTION (Psychology)

Learn about a neurobiological perspective on anxiety, fear, and panic as adaptive and maladaptive behavior. Michael S. Fanselow,�� a professor in the Department of Psychology at UCLA, will describe how defensive behavior is organized into 3 distinct modes that fall along a continuum related to the proximity of threat, known as the predatory imminence continuum.

Free

November 14, 5:30 – 7:00 pm | ONLINE OPTION (American Indian Studies)

Join the Department of American Indian Studies for the annual literary and storytelling series Sacred Breath, this year featuring Richard Van Camp and Roger Fernandes. Indigenous writers and storytellers share their craft at the beautiful wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ Intellectual House.

Free

November 14, 7:30 pm | (School of Music)

91̽��Jazz Studies students perform in small combos over two consecutive nights of original tunes, a homage to the greats of jazz, and experiments in composing and arranging.

Free

Additional Events

November 12 | (School of Music)

November 13 | (Center for the Study of the Pacific Northwest)

November 13 | ��(Simpson Center)

November 13 | (Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures)

November 14 | (Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures)

November 14 | (Scandinavian Studies)

November 14 | (Simpson Center)

November 15 | (Jackson School)

Week of November 18

November 18, 7:30 pm | (School of Music)

Pianist Craig Sheppard is joined by Rachel Lee Priday, violin; Noah Geller, viola; and Efe Baltacigil, cello, in performing Gabriel Fauré Piano Quartet #1 in C minor, Opus 15; and Piano Quartet #2 in G minor, Opus 45.

November 20, 3:30 – 5:00 pm | (Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies)

Centering on oral histories in Fujian, Shuxuan Zhou situates firsthand accounts of labor and resistance in forestry and wood processing within the larger context of postrevolutionary socialist reforms through China’s rapid economic development after the 1990s. This book opens a conversation among the fields of gender studies, labor studies, and environmental studies.

Free

November 20, 3:30 – 4:30 pm | ONLINE OPTION (Department of Chemistry)

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry celebrates groundbreaking achievements in computational biology, awarded to David Baker from the UW. Professors Mike Gelb and Jesse Zalatan from the Department of Chemistry will introduce and set the stage for a brief presentation by Nobel Laureate David Baker. The talk will be followed by a moderated Q&A session.

Free

November 22, 3:30 – 5:00 pm | (South Asia Center and Department of Communication)

Taking stock of the centrality of streaming video and other forms of social media entertainment in Indian public culture, this lecture focuses on the enduring significance of linguistic and cultural regions. This lecture will explore the range of imaginations and understandings of regional languages, cultures, and caste politics that media companies mobilize in their quest for audiences and markets.

Free

November 23, 5:00 pm | “Bad River” Screening & Panel (UWAA)

Head to the wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House for a special screening of “Bad River,” the critically acclaimed new documentary film. “Bad River” chronicles the efforts of the Bad River Band’s ongoing fight for sovereignty. Stay after the screening for an in-depth discussion of Indigenous water rights, Indigenous health, and Native sovereignty.

Free

Additional Events

November 19 | (School of Music)

November 21 | (Geography)

November 21 | (School of Music)

November 22 | (German Studies)

November 22 | (American Ethnic Studies)

November 23 | (School of Music)

November 23��| (Burke Museum)

November 24��| (Burke Museum)

Week of November 25

November 30, 2:00 – 3:00 pm | (Henry Art Gallery)

Visit the Henry for an illuminating tour of two exhibitions, Overexposures: Photographs from the Henry Collection and Recent Acquisitions in the Henry Collection with Em Chan, curator of Overexposures and the Henry’s Curatorial Assistant. During the tour, Chan will guide visitors through a selection of photographs and artworks from the collection.

Free

December 2, 6:30 pm | (School of Music)

Phyllis Byrdwell leads the 100-voice Gospel Choir in songs of praise, jubilation, and other expressions from the Gospel tradition. Phyllis is the director of the 91̽��Gospel Choir, was inducted into the Washington Music Educators Association’s Hall of Fame in 2002, and serves on the Seattle Symphony Board of Directors.

December 3, 6:30 pm | (Simpson Center)

How did the West Coast become the “Left Coast” and what does that mean for American politics? The term “Left Coast” has further underlined the significance of progressive and radical movements in the political systems and reputations of these states. In this talk, Gregory explores the history of West Coast radicalism and factors that have made it influential beyond what is common in other regions, including those with blue state traditions.

Free

Additional Events

November 25 | (Physics)

November 25 | (School of Music)

November 26 | (School of Music)

December 2 | (School of Music)

December 2 | (Department of Anthropology)

December 3 | ��(School of Music)

December 3 | (Meany Center)

Have an event that you would like to see featured in the ArtSci Roundup? Connect with Kathrine Braseth (kbraseth@uw.edu).

Q&A: Decline in condom use indicates need for further education, awareness

Lauren Kirschman — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 18:40:30 +0000

A new 91̽�� study measures changes in sex without condoms among HIV-negative gay and bisexual men who are not taking PrEP. Photo: Pixabay

New research from the 91̽�� shows that condom use has been trending downward among younger gay and bisexual men over the last decade, even when they aren’t taking , or PrEP.

The study, , measures changes in sex without condoms among HIV-negative gay and bisexual men who are not taking PrEP. Using data from the 2014-19 cycles of the American Men’s Internet Survey — a web-based survey of cisgender men ages 15 and older who have sex with men (MSM) — researchers found that roughly half of HIV-negative men reported using condoms at least sometimes in the last year. That was higher than the 15% of respondents who reported using PrEP.

But HIV-negative MSM who are not using PrEP seem to be not using condoms increasingly often. The study found that the proportion of these men who had condomless sex increased 2.2% in the average year. Rates of people who weren’t using condoms was higher among younger and Latinos, 7.2% per year for young MSM ages 15 to 24, and 18.7% among young Latino gay and bisexual men.

Properly used condoms can prevent the spread of disease, including HIV; taking PrEP also reduces the likelihood of HIV transmission. The increase in condomless sex for men not on PrEP suggests potential new HIV transmission pathways, researchers said, and the concentration among young Latino men could expand existing health disparities.

91̽��News spoke with , lead author and 91̽��professor of anthropology, to discuss the study, health equity and the importance of continued education about the benefits of using condoms during sex.

What are the barriers to PrEP uptake? Why is it important to not only remove those barriers but to also promote condom usage?

Steven Goodreau: Different things work for people in different circumstances and times of their lives. PrEP has many benefits. It’s something that doesn’t have to happen in the moment, something an individual can decide on instead of having to negotiate with a partner. Some people really don’t like condoms and aren’t going to use them, so PrEP provides another option for them. But like most pharmaceutical interventions, it means people need to know about it and be continuously tied to the healthcare system. There are all sorts of things happening in people’s lives — from unstable housing to dealing with mental health and substance use — that make taking a pill every day not the easiest thing to do. So, PrEP has positives but also challenges. The same with condoms. They’re far cheaper and much easier to access. For some people the lack of daily regimen is a plus. They prevent a much wider range of sexually transmitted infections, not just HIV. But they also take their own form of planning and negotiation. In the end, I see both as key to lowering HIV transmission rates.

Can you talk about the connection between condom promotion and health equity?

SG: The sense I have as a gay man working in public health research is that there’s a prevailing idea that everybody already knows about condoms and understands them, so there’s not much need to do any kind of further promotion anymore. There’s also this idea that they’re so readily available to everybody, that there isn’t much of an equity issue involved. In contrast, PrEP involves interacting with the healthcare system, with associated costs and time and ability to navigate and feel comfortable doing so. All those things are unequal in our society, so are a clear area for concerns about equity.

Our results show that a growing set of young gay and bisexual men, and especially young Latino gay and bisexual men, seem to be missing out on both interventions. And that pattern raises questions of equity. Our study can’t say exactly why, but the pattern is clear.�� We must remember that every generation is starting anew with their knowledge about sexual health. If we have a generation that is coming of age when conversations about condoms that were common in the past haven’t been as present, then they aren’t starting with that broad familiarity. And if LGBTQ+ inclusive sex-ed, which covers HIV prevention for gay and bisexual men, isn’t evenly distributed in the population, then we indeed have equity concerns.

What kind of conversation do you hope this research sparks?

SG: Before PrEP came out, HIV prevention for gay and bisexual men had condoms as a central pillar — perhaps the central pillar — for about three decades. Of course, we were all tired of talking about them. So, I get why, when PrEP came out, it was seen as a miracle and the pendulum swung in that direction. But it’s a decade into PrEP delivery and I think it’s time to look at that and say, ‘Is it time for the pendulum to swing back a bit?’ I’d like people to have open, honest, sincere conversations about how much condom promotion we’ve been doing. What messages have we been putting out? What haven’t we been doing, and why? Is it because there aren’t folks who would benefit from those conversations, or are we just tired of having them? I hope for more conversations among folks at every level: federal, state and local health programs, community organizations and within communities themselves.

What strategies could potentially improve condom promotion?

SG: Some folks in public health think that gay and bisexual men just don’t want to hear about condoms anymore. That’s certainly true for some, but I don’t think it’s as broadly true as we assume. The first step is just a shift in that thinking. Beyond that, LGBTQ+ inclusive sex education is extremely important. Only about half of U.S. high schools have it, and that’s a key first place for young, gay and bisexual men to learn about the different prevention methods and what would work for them given where they are in life. This is a time when the barriers to PrEP are especially high for many people, so making sure that condoms are seen as a valuable and viable option is especially important.

Some dating apps that men use to find partners put the options for PrEP use or viral suppression upfront on the profile, and then the field indicating whether you want to use condoms either doesn’t exist or it isn’t nearly as prominent. That seems like a huge missed opportunity, both to actually share information condom use and to send the message that condoms are on par with these other sexual health tools. It also used to be easier to find condoms in every bar and club catering to gay men. They’re still there some of the time, but not as consistently, and there’s rarely any material explaining and promoting them.

In the end, it’s key to remember that things like condom use are highly subject to social norms — many people use what they see and hear from their peers and beyond as a guide for their own decisions. Even just a little bit more attention to the topic may help to get many of those conversations started again.

Co-authors of the paper were , a 91̽��doctoral student of epidemiology; , 91̽��senior research scientist and engineer in the Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology; Austin Williams, Li Yan Wang and Kevin Delany of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); , professor at Emory University; and , 91̽��senior research scientist in the Department of Global Health. The study was funded by the CDC and the National Institute of Health.

For more information, contact Goodreau at goodreau@uw.edu.

ArtSci Roundup: Katz Distinguished Lecture, Book Talks, Michelle Cann Piano Performance, and more

ArtsUW — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 21:08:36 +0000

This week, listen to the Katz Distinguished Lecture series led by Sasha Su-Ling Welland, join a book talk event with Dr. Alexander Bubb, be awed by Michelle Cann’s piano performance, and more.

January 26, 10:00 – 11:00 am | Zoom

91̽��Textual Studies will host a virtual book talk event with Dr. Alexander Bubb on his latest book, Asian Classics on the Victorian Bookshelf. There will be a featured presentation and Q&A session that follows.

Free |

January 26, 12:30 – 1:30 pm | ��Denny Hall

The Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures invites Semih Tareen, the Seattle Turkish Film Festival Director, to give a talk on viruses, biotechnology, and horror movies.��

Free |

January 29, 6:30 pm | ��Brechemin Auditorium

91̽��keyboard performance students perform concerto movements for outside judges for a chance to perform with the 91̽��Symphony.

Free |

January 29, 3:30 – 5:00 pm | ��Thomson Hall

Sponsored by the 91̽��Japan Studies Program, the China Studies Program is hosting book talk with Wenkai He, author of Public Interest and State Legitimation: Early Modern England, Japan, and China.��

Free |

January 30, 6:30 pm | Kane Hall

In this Katz Distinguished Lecture Series, Sasha Su-Ling Welland, Chair and Professor in the Department of Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies, is invited to discuss “The Art of Living in the Nuclear Anthropocene.” This is a story of kinship, grief, and place that asks an impossible question. This lecture explores telling terrible stories in a way that centers relationally and compels those to seek repair instead of closure.

Free |

January 30, 6:00 – 7:00 pm | Thomson Hall

The converging forces of climate change, migration, and shifting livelihoods have thrust Nepal’s farmers into precarious positions. Join the South Asia Center and the Nepal Studies Initiative for a case study on how Sanskriti Farms & Research Centre is responding through innovative and sustainable agricultural practices at a local scale while empowering the community.

Shree Krishna Dhital is the Executive Director of Sanskriti Farms & Research Centre and Phoolbari Homestay. He has over a decade of experience in tourism, community farming, and sustainable technological implementation.

Free |

January 30, 5:00 – 6:20 pm | ��Husky Union Building

Karam Dana, Associate Professor at 91̽��Bothell, will discuss “The Question of Palestine and the Evolution of Solidarity and Resistance in the U.S.” His research examines Palestinian political identity and the impact of Israeli occupation on Palestinian society. He also studies American Muslims, how they are racialized, and what affects their political participation in the U.S.

This event is part of War in the Middle East, a series of talks and discussions on the aftermath of October 7, the war in Gaza, and responses worldwide.

Recordings of each lecture will be made available on the . Watch or listen to the January 16, 2024, recording of .

Free |

January 30, 7:30 pm | Meany Hall

Faculty colleagues Rachel Lee Priday and Craig Sheppard present a blockbuster program, including the Fauré A Major Sonata and Bartok #1 and shorter works by Arvo Pärt and Franz Schubert.

Tickets |

January 31, 7:00 – 8:30 pm | ��Kane Hall

In this History Lecture Series, Professor Elena Campbell explores the multifaceted history of Seattle’s engagement with peoples from the Romanov Empire and the Soviet Union, including trade relations and commerce, Russian emigration, the “Red Scare,” Russian studies, and citizen diplomacy.

Free |

February 1, 7:30 pm | ��Meany Hall

Lauded as “technically fearless with…an enormous, rich sound” (La Scena Musicale), pianist Michelle Cann made her orchestral debut at age 14 and has since performed as a soloist with numerous prominent orchestras.

Cann’s Meany debut features a music program by luminaries of Chicago’s Black Renaissance, including Hazel Scott, Nora Holt, Irene Britton Smith, and others. A champion of Florence Price’s music, Cann also performs the composer’s Fantasies No. 1, 2,��and 4.

Tickets |

February 2, 3:30 – 5:00 pm | Gowen Hall

Join the Department of History and the Severyns Ravenholt Endowment at the 91̽��for a conversation with Suparna Chaudhry, Assistant Professor in the Department of International Affairs at Lewis and Clark College, and Ji Hyeon Chung, graduate student in the Political Science Department at the UW.

Free |

February 2, 7:30 pm | Meany Hall

David Alexander Rahbee conducts the 91̽�� Symphony and special guest Michelle Cann, piano, in a music program by Beethoven and Rachmaninoff. With acclaimed pianist Michelle Cann, performing Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, with the orchestra.

Buy Tickets |

February 2, 7:30 pm | ��Brechemin Auditorium

Guitar students of Michael Partington perform works for solo, duo, and group arrangements.

Michael Partington is one of the most engaging of the new generation of concert players. Praised by Classical Guitar Magazine for his “lyricism, intensity, and clear technical command,” this award-winning British guitarist has performed internationally as a soloist and with an ensemble to unanimous critical praise.

Free |

February 5, 7:00 pm | Walker-Ames Room, Kane Hall

Carole Terry, renowned organist and former longtime 91̽��professor of Organ Studies presents a lecture, “How the body works when playing piano, organ, or harpsichord.”

This series is made possible with support from the Paul B. Fritts Endowed Faculty Fellowship in Organ.

Free |

Have an event that you would like to see featured in the ArtSci Roundup? Connect with Lauren Zondag (zondagld@uw.edu)

Husky football players take their skills from the field to the classroom and beyond

91̽��News staff — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 21:32:18 +0000

What skills does it take to win a college football game? Fans in the stands or commentators would probably say things like a good game plan, athletic prowess, teamwork and a little luck. But they may not name other skills essential for victory, like empathy, analyzing complex behaviors and synthesizing data from multiple sources.

“Student players — in their training, in their practices and on the field — are developing complex and valuable skill sets,” said , a 91̽�� teaching professor of anthropology and curator of Oceanic and Asian culture at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture. “They’re developing and analyzing plays, observing human behavior, anticipating their opponents, and adapting a complex strategy based on real-time information that they’re synthesizing from their surroundings. That hasn’t been widely acknowledged, and does a disservice to players, especially in the academic opportunities they pursue and their future careers.”

Barker and three current members of the 91̽��football team — , and — are studying how the skills they develop to maximize their chances of victory on the field have applications outside the stadium. Their work, which is ongoing, is showing that the research methods and analytical abilities of student-athletes are applicable in academic and research settings, as well as jobs in a variety of fields.

Makell Esteen. Photo: 91̽��Athletics

“We’re focused on bridging the gap between school and football, student-athletes and students, to just show there’s hard work in both the classroom and on the field,” said Esteen, a sophomore safety, who noted studying opponents, their tendencies, and analyzing angles and distances on the field as some examples of football-related skills that can translate to academic work. “Many students wouldn’t know that there are probably more than 100 similarities between school and football.”

This project began in the classroom. Football players taking an introductory-level course called “Anthropology and Sports” started to recognize that the types of skills they developed as student-athletes had parallels to skills that their fellow undergraduates learned and practiced in internships, independent research projects and other research and learning settings that help students prepare for graduate school and the job market.

“In our class with athletes and non-athletes, we would have a member of the football team describe to us some of the studying and analyses they do of past games, for example, and as they walked us through the step-by-step process, fellow students would point out that they’re essentially performing advanced trigonometry, human behavioral analysis, and so on,” said Barker.

Ulumoo Ale, a senior defensive lineman, teaches his peers about the types of analyses he performs as a member of the 91̽��football team. Photo: Kerry Petit

Players at the college level often spend thousands of hours immersed in their sport. It became clear during the course that those research methods aren’t widely acknowledged in academic settings, with real-world consequences for players.

“These are skills that other students would put on their resumes for applications for internships, graduate school and jobs,” said Barker. “Once we realized that they have these research��skills they are not accounting for in their applications to graduate school or for professional jobs, then we focused on the need to articulate the research skills that they acquire.”

Since then, Barker, Ale, Esteen and Tuitele have explored the connections between research skills acquired��in football and so-called “traditional” academic skills. The students used interviews, focus groups and other analysis methods to collect data that would help them better articulate the research knowledge and skills that emerge from deep engagement with football — as well as how those skills are perceived and interpreted by players and non-players. So far, they’ve identified overlaps between research skills acquired��in football or the classroom for fields ranging from psychology and data science to applied mathematics and game theory.

Faatui Tuitele. Photo: 91̽��Athletics

“One part of the research was actually looking at the Boeing Technical Apprenticeship Program,” said Tuitele, a junior defensive lineman. “There are traits that they require, like teamwork, determination, responsibility, accountability. There’s a list of traits that they’re looking for in their program. And I was, like, ‘Oh, this is perfect.’ We were listing each one of them and I was thinking we already do all of these things in football that we can apply to other careers.”

Part of the group’s goal is to help researchers and educators in other academic fields recognize the unique skill sets and knowledge of student-athletes in their lecture halls and research laboratories.

“That’s kind of the point, just to educate and convey to people who may not see football and school as equal,” said Tuitele. “A lot of people would separate that and separate the ‘student’ and ‘athlete.’ And we’re really just trying to bridge that hyphen in between ‘student-athlete.’ Changing that hyphen to an equal sign is what we did in our research project — ‘student-athlete’ is going to be ‘student-equals-athlete,’ because the knowledge that we use in academics is the same knowledge that we use in football, and vice versa.”

The group also wants to help college football players become advocates for their skill sets as they pursue academic opportunities in college, as well as apply for jobs and graduate-level programs. College players pursue a variety of careers, but often without leveraging the knowledge base and intellectual abilities they’ve fostered through practice, study and performance on the field.

“I know, personally, a lot of football players who don’t feel like they can apply themselves into the real world after football,” said Tuitele. “They feel like they lose their identity after football, you know? Sometimes they feel like football is all that they know and football is who they are. And we just tried to really show that, for football players who feel that way, you can apply yourself to real world. Things that you learned in football, you can also apply to any career, any job that you want in the future.”

ArtSci Roundup: WinterFest, Ladino Day with Author Elizabeth Graver, Talk with Joss Whittaker, and more

ArtsUW — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 22:48:30 +0000

This week, tune in to��Kantika writer Elizabeth Graver’s discussion, Joss Whittaker’s recount on life in the Aru Islands, and the WinterFest presented by the Chamber Singers, University Chorale, University Singers, Treble Choir, Gospel Choir, and 91̽��Glee Club, and more.

Dec. 3, 10 a.m. | Zoom

Join author Elizabeth Graver in conversation with Isaac Alhadeff Professor of Sephardic Studies Devin E. Naar for a discussion of “Kantika,” a moving, multi-generational saga inspired by Graver’s grandmother. Rebecca Baruch Levy (née Cohen) was born into a Sephardic Jewish family from Istanbul in the early 20th century, and her kaleidoscopic journey takes her to Barcelona, Havana, and ultimately New York, exploring themes of displacement, endurance, and family as home.

Free |

Dec. 5, 4 – 5:30 pm |Thomson Hall

In this talk hosted by the Department of Anthropology and Center for Southeast Asia & its Diasporas, Joss Whittaker, graduate student in the Department of Anthropology will recount his time living in the Aru Islands with photographs and stories. When Joss Whittaker went to the Aru Islands for archaeological research, things did not go as planned: the research ran into obstacles that ranged from amusing to hair-raising, the camera broke, and much of the film was ruined. Nonetheless, thanks to the support of local allies, in a seven-month stay Joss found fascinating details about past and present in a community that built massive monuments, fought the Dutch East India Company at its peak power, and traded luxuries to remote places. The events around this research won’t make it into a scholarly paper, but they are worth recounting.

Free |

School of Music Concerts

December 3, 3:00pm |�� Brechemin Auditorium

December 4, 7:30pm | Meany Hall

December 4, 7:30pm | ��Meany Hall

December 5, 7:30pm |�� Brechemin Auditorium

December 6, 12:30pm | North Allen Library Lobby

December 6, 7:30pm | ��Meany Hall

December 7, 7:30pm |��, University Congregational Church

December 7, 7:30pm | Meany Hall

December 7, 7:30pm |��Brechemin Auditorium

December 8, 7:30pm | Meany Hall

October – November | “Ways of Knowing” Podcast: Episode 7

“Ways of Knowing” is an eight-episode podcast connecting humanities research with current events and issues. In this week’s episode, Chadwick Allen, professor of English and American Indian studies, at the UW, explains how the Octagon Earthworks is actually a gigantic clock designed using substantial astronomical knowledge. Allen traces the past, present, and future of mound earthworks, which he describes as feats of astronomy, engineering, and coordinated labor.

This season features faculty from the 91̽��College of Arts & Sciences as they explore race, immigration, history, the natural world—even comic books. Each episode analyzes a work, or an idea, and provides additional resources for learning more.

More info

Have an event that you would like to see featured in the ArtSci Roundup? Connect with Lauren Zondag (zondagld@uw.edu)