University Of Washington Bothell School of STEM

UW Bothell researchers helped discover the fastest ultraviolet quasar outflow ever detected!

Dr. Paola Rodríguez Hidalgo, associate professor in the Department of Physical Sciences, and Liliana Flores (Physics ’25), a former undergraduate researcher, made this discovery as part of a research team led by York University in Toronto.

While studying the distant quasar known as J2318, they found that the quasar hosts a black hole approximately 1.7 billion times the mass of the Sun and generates a powerful wind at nearly 30% of the speed of light.

Read more about the implications of their findings in the full UW Bothell story: https://www.uwb.edu/news/2026/06/05/discovery-gives-insight-into-black-holes

Wildfire season is approaching, and the time to prepare for smoke is now!

Dr. Dan Jaffe, professor in the Department of Physical Sciences, has taught and studied environmental chemistry and air pollution for nearly 30 years.

“I wish the climate wasn’t changing as fast as it is, but there are greater forces at play here,” Jaffe said. “It’s a global issue, and we can expect it to get worse so it really behooves everyone to think about wildfire preparedness.”

Check out Jaffe’s guide on how to protect yourself and your home from wildfire smoke in the full UW Bothell story: https://www.uwb.edu/news/2026/06/03/preparing-for-wildfire-season-and-the-smoke-that-comes-with-it

Join us tomorrow for a talk on smoke season and Washington wildfires with Dr. Dan Jaffe!

Haynes' Hall - Smoke Season and Washington Wildfires - McMenamins Pubs, Breweries and Historic Hotels

Registration for BioImpact: From Ideas to Industry (June 22–26 session) closes in ONE WEEK — don't miss your chance!

Ready to Explore Biotech This Summer?

We’re excited to offer THREE immersive BioImpact Summer Camps designed for rising 10th-12th graders curious about science, medicine, and innovation.

Hosted by the Center for Biotechnology Innovation & Training (CBIT), these 5-day hands-on camps give you real experience with labs, career paths, and cutting-edge technology.

Choose your path:

BioImpact: From Ideas to Industry

Explore anatomy and how biomedical devices diagnose and treat disease.

• June 22–26 (session 1)

• July 6-10 (session 2)

BioImpact: ImmuneRx

Learn how the immune system fights disease and how scientists engineer treatments like cancer therapies and vaccines.

• July 13–17

BioImpact: BioPreneurs

Discover how biotech companies bring ideas to life - from new medicines to AI-driven healthcare solutions.

• July 27–31

Perfect for students interested in healthcare, research, engineering, or biotech careers!

Spots are limited - register now:

https://www.uwb.edu/stem/research/cbit/bioimpact-summer-camps

UW Bothell is committed to providing equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To make arrangements for disability accommodations, please contact Guy Hamilton at [email protected] 10 days prior to the event.

The spring 2026 edition of our School of STEM newsletter, The Quarterly Crossroads, is out now! 🌸

Our STEM community kept busy this quarter! From conference experiences to research projects to competition highlights, there are so many accomplishments to highlight from our students, faculty and community.

See the full message from Dean Jennifer McLoud-Mann and take a closer look at our community stories from spring quarter.

Stay up to date with us by emailing [email protected] to ensure you receive each newsletter as it’s published each quarter!

Read the full spring 2026 newsletter: https://www.uwb.edu/stem/news/2026/06/04/spring-2026-quarterly-crossroads

Nearly 300 students shared innovative and meaningful projects at last month’s Hackathon! Congrats to the winning teams, four of which were made up of STEM students: RoRadar, Sprout, Aadhar and Gridlock! 🎉

Celebrating its 10th year anniversary, this year’s Hackathon had the theme of “Hacks: The Future,” inviting students to create projects that will make the future a reality.

Read more in the UW Bothell story: https://www.uwb.edu/news/2026/05/21/hacking-the-future

Congratulations to Dr. D**g Si, associate professor in the Department of Computing & Software Systems, who has been named as the founding editor-in-chief of the Journal of Biomedicine and Big Data!

“As AI and large-scale biomedical data continue to transform healthcare and life sciences, there is a growing need for venues that promote rigorous, innovative, and translational research connecting computational methods with real-world biomedical and health applications,” Si said. “I see this role as an opportunity to help foster a collaborative research community spanning computer science, data science, biology, medicine, and public health.”

Read more about Si’s role on our blog: https://www.uwb.edu/stem/news/2026/05/26/dong-si-founding-editor-in-chief-of-the-journal-of-biomedicine-and-big-data

Congrats again, Dr. Si!

Congratulations, Dawn, on this well-deserved recognition! Your dedication to supporting faculty and shared governance truly strengthens and elevates our campus community. Thank you for all you do!

An historian and cross-campus connector. Elections manager and diplomat. A budget manager, website wrangler and administrator nonpareil.

As the program coordinator for the University of Washington Bothell’s General Faculty Organization, Dawn Moncalieri is all these things and more, rolled into a department of one.

She has also now received the Distinguished Partner Award for 2025-26 for her outstanding service to the GFO and the larger UW community.

https://www.uwb.edu/news/2026/05/15/a-department-of-one-a-supporter-of-many

Share your school pride and be part of our STEM Swarm at this year’s UW Bothell Block Party! Join the STEM Swarm at the UW Bothell Block Party on Saturday, May 30 at 4 p.m.!

We’ll be gathering at the intersection of NE 183rd St and 101st Ave NE — look for the Eco Car, purple Ferrari, and gold El Dorado during the Husky Spirit Mini Car Show.

We invite STEM alumni, students, faculty, staff and our community to swarm to this location where you’ll find Dean Jennifer McLoud-Mann handing our STEM sticker to rep your school pride!

Did you know? We have 7,500+ STEM alumni strengthening Washington’s workforce and fueling global innovation! ✨

We look forward to sharing the STEM Husky spirit with you to kick off the start of summer!

Full event details: Saturday, May 30 | 2:30-8:30 p.m.

Get your tickets if you haven’t already (prices increase $5 on event day!): https://www.uwb.edu/alumni/events/bothell-block-party

The kokanee fish have traveled a long way through Lake Sammamish!

After the lake flooded from atmospheric rivers late last year, student researchers alongside Dr. Jeff Jensen, teaching professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, went to the source to examine the population of kokanee, a type of sockeye salmon.

Learn more below.

UW Bothell students' immersive 'schooling' searches for struggling kokanee salmon With future success two and a half years from now, the kokanee salmon may return to spawn.