Latest news with #UniversityOfWashington
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Seattle police investigating masked armed robbery in University District
SEATTLE - Police were called to the University District late Saturday night for reports of a masked armed robber. Timeline The incident happened around 11:30 p.m. on May 31 in the area of NE 45th Street and Brooklyn Avenue NE. Officers are looking for a man in his late 20s, 6 feet tall, with a medium build. Police say he was wearing a gold chain, ski mask, and green and gold-colored jacket with black and green pants at the time of the incident. Investigators are looking for the man who was said to be armed with a handgun. The Source Information for this story came from the University of Washington Alert Blog. Homicide investigation underway after 5-year-old dies in Federal Way, WA Major 5-day SR 18 closure at I-90 in Snoqualmie, WA Alaska man pinned by 700-pound boulder for 3 hours walks away unharmed Why hasn't anyone been charged in Seattle clash arrests? What we know Mandatory driver's education to expand under new Washington law To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
Geek Wire
7 days ago
- Business
- Geek Wire
AI after work: UW's Allen School to offer new graduate certificate in modern AI methods
The Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington. (Allen School Photo) The need to quickly adapt to advances in artificial intelligence and its impact on the way we work and learn has reached the University of Washington's Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, where a new program will cater toward working professionals and others seeking more AI experience. Starting this fall, the Allen School will offer a stackable Graduate Certificate in Modern AI Methods, a part-time evening program aimed at a growing number of professionals across a wide range of industries who need to understand, leverage and integrate AI and machine learning as part of their work. The program, announced this week in an Allen School blog post, is comprised of four courses taught by Allen School instructors with deep expertise in the field of AI, addressing topics such as deep learning, computer vision and natural language processing and their applications. The series culminates in a final, project-based course that invites students to put what they've learned into practice. University of Washington instructor Taylor Kessler Faulkner. (UW Photo) Instructor Taylor Kessler Faulkner told GeekWire that given the prevalence of AI tools available today, many people could benefit in their careers from knowing how modern AI methods work and how to use them correctly and fairly. 'Gaining the background knowledge needed to demystify AI can be a real differentiating factor at a time when most people are only consumers of AI tools,' Kessler Faulkner said. Unlike many other programs of this type, the Allen School says this graduate certificate will be delivered in person on the UW's main Seattle campus, to provide students with multiple benefits beyond the course content. 'The Allen School has many world experts in AI, from natural language processing to computer vision, robotics, and more,' Kessler Faulkner said. 'We consider this an opportunity to share our expertise and ensure that these skills are accessible to people without a computing degree. We are trying to reach people who have enough programming, statistics, and math background to get straight to modern AI without having an undergraduate degree in computing.' For those with ambitions of earning a master's degree, the stackable certificate in Modern AI Methods can be applied toward either of two stacked master's degree programs currently offered at the UW: the Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Engineering, and the Master's of Engineering in Multidisciplinary Engineering. More stackable degree options may be added in future. Kessler Faulkner said students will learn how modern AI functions, how to work with large amounts of data, and when different kinds of AI are appropriate to use. 'There are AI skills, and then there is an understanding of the way that AI models work,' she said. 'In this certificate, we go a step beyond teaching students how to use modern AI tools, teaching them about the algorithms behind the tools and their limitations. The foundational nature of such knowledge can help students be productive today, but also more easily learn about new technologies as they evolve going forward.' The deadline to apply to be part of the inaugural fall cohort is Aug. 1. Courses are designed to be taken sequentially over 12 months, starting in September. Course content will be available only to students enrolled in the program.
Forbes
24-05-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Making Mammograms Automatic – Unintended Consequences Of A Behavioral Economic Intervention
SEVILLE ANDALUSIA, SPAIN - OCTOBER 19: A lady with the help of a nurse gets a mammogram. (Photo By ... More Eduardo Briones/Europa Press via Getty Images) The experiment was simple. A group of behaviorally-minded researchers tested whether patients are more likely to receive mammograms when those tests are automatically scheduled (meaning they can opt out if they want) versus when they have to opt in for the tests. The researchers predicted that people who have to opt out of the test will be much more likely to receive it. Lots of research shows that when you turn a behavior into a default, things are more likely to happen. Automatically max people's retirement contributions and people are more likely to…maximize their retirement contributions (even though they could opt out of this option). Make the James Bond theme song the default ring tone, and lots of people will hear that theme song when their phone rings, the default option becoming their 'choice.' Inertia is a powerful force. Add to that the importance of mammography, and automatically scheduling mammograms should significantly increase use of that test, a great outcome with no apparent downside. Except that's not what happened. Here's why. In the study, which was led by Leah Marcotte a physician at the University of Washington, the research team randomized over 800 women mammography into one of two groups: To my surprise, the opt out intervention did not work as predicted. It did not increase the number of women receiving mammograms, with 15% of women receiving mammograms regardless of whether they were in the opt out or the opt in group. You might think 'no harm, no foul.,' that the opt out intervention did not increase screening but did not reduce it either. But the intervention backfired in one meaningful way – it created lots of work for healthcare providers handling mammography appointments. In the opt in group, 5% of women scheduled mammograms and then canceled their appointments; in the opt out group, the cancellation rate was 24%. This well conducted study is hardly a death knell for opt out interventions, which have proven to work in many healthcare and nonhealthcare settings. Instead, it is a reminder that a host of other factors – populations, organizations, finances – potentially alter the impact of behavioral interventions. We should not assume we know how behavioral interventions will influence the people we are trying to help. Instead, we should expose those interventions to rigorous tests. Kudos to to Marcotte and her team for doing so, and for reminding us to expose behavioral interventions to the rigors of science.
RNZ News
23-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Northern Mariana Islands: Endangered Mariana Crow population rebounds on Rota
Mariana Crow, known as 'Aga' in Chamorro. Photo: Marianas Press The endangered Mariana Crow, known as "Aga" in Chamorro, is showing strong signs of recovery, with 70 breeding pairs now thriving in the wild on Rota. That figure represents approximately 300 individual birds, a significant milestone toward the species' downlisting and eventual removal from the endangered species list. Rota Avian Behavioral Ecology Program's primary investigator Sarah Faegre told Marianas Press that the conservation effort is in a critical and optimistic phase. "This is a very exciting time to be here on Rota," Faegre said. "We are seeing high rates of reproduction among the captive-reared birds that have been released into the wild." Since 2017, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and the University of Washington have collaborated to rear and release 90 captive-raised Mariana Crows. Back in 2013, there were only 46 known breeding pairs. Photo: Supplied These birds now make up 20 percent of the breeding population, and this year alone, they have already produced four fledglings. "It's significant because it means the birds we rear and release are not only surviving, but they're also displaying normal social behavior-they're pairing and reproducing in the wild, which is exactly what we need them to do," Faegre said. The Mariana Crow is a long-lived species, and Faegre noted that some of the birds released in 2017 are only now beginning to breed. "We saw a long delay. For a while, we were concerned about lower rates of reproduction, but even if it takes five or six years, they are breeding now," she said. "We're expecting to see the population increase faster going forward." Back in 2013, there were only 46 known breeding pairs. The recent rise to 70 brings the Rota population within reach of the US Fish and Wildlife Service's criteria for downlisting: 75 stable or increasing breeding pairs on Rota. "We could reach that 75-pair mark in just a few more years," Faegre said. However, full delisting requires not only maintaining 75 pairs on Rota, but also establishing a second viable population on another island. That means future conservation efforts may include translocating birds to other locations within the Marianas. While the progress is promising, challenges remain. "The biggest threat to the Aga is a poorly understood inflammatory syndrome that's killing young birds," Faegre said. Pathologists have been researching the syndrome since 2011 but have yet to determine its cause. One possibility is an autoimmune response triggered by mosquito-borne pathogens or high mosquito density. Other risks include potential future land-use conflicts with local populations, and the looming danger of the brown tree snake being introduced to Rota-an invasive species that has devastated native bird populations in Guam. Despite these concerns, Faegre said the focus remains on growth and recovery. "We are on the cusp of something really important," she said. "This species has a chance-not just to survive, but to thrive again." The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance operates a rear-and-release facility on Rota in partnership with the University of Washington. Their joint program continues to play a critical role in the recovery of one of the Marianas' most iconic and culturally significant birds.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man injured, suspect arrested in stabbing near UW campus
The Brief An 18-year-old was stabbed near the University of Washington campus, and a suspect is now in custody. The victim was taken to the hospital and is in stable condition. The motive behind the stabbing is currently unknown. SEATTLE - A suspect is in custody after an 18-year-old was stabbed near the University of Washington campus on Wednesday. Seattle police were initially called out to the University District just before 5 p.m., responding to a stabbing near 15th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 52nd Street. Officers located and took the 18-year-old victim to the hospital, who is reportedly in stable condition. The suspect took off and police began a search. SPD eventually tracked down the suspect a few blocks south of the stabbing, and took him into custody without incident. It's currently unknown what led up to the stabbing. This incident is under investigation. The Source Information in this story came from UW Alert and Seattle Police. Tacoma cold case investigation yields no new evidence in Teekah Lewis case Zillow to block some WA listings starting June 30. Here's why Filipino father with green card detained at Sea-Tac Airport, ICE facility bound Mom of teen killed in Pioneer Square shooting urges shooter to come forward Seattle residents need to earn nearly six figures to afford rent To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
