• Mark Emmert, president, University of Washington
• William H. Gates III (Bill Gates), chairman and chief software architect, Microsoft Corporation; co-founder, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
• Hubert Locke, professor and Dean Emeritus, Evans School of Public Affairs, University of Washington
• William H. Gates II, co-chair and CEO, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; regent, University of Washington Board of Regents

This program, recorded at the "Come Together Washington" event, includes a keynote by Bill Gates and video footage of live remotes to Rome, China, and Toppenish, WA, from the UW Worldwide project.

Early Learning and the Brain
College of Arts and Sciences

• Andrew N. Meltzoff, Ph.D., Co-director, Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences Job and Gertrud Tamaki Endowed Chair, University of Washington Department of Psychology
• Patricia K. Kuhl, Ph.D., Co-director, Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences William P. and Ruth Gerberding Professorship, University of Washington Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences

The University of Washington Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences is an interdisciplinary center conducting innovative research on lifelong learning and the brain. The center’s scientific studies on children and adults have had a far-reaching impact on cognitive science, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and education.

One area of research focuses on how infant and adult brains process language, and has advanced our understanding of critical periods in learning. Another important area of research focuses on cognitive development and social understanding in infants, children, and adults. This pioneering work has demonstrated the importance of role models in human development and their profound effect on learning.

UBIT Research Program: Technology for All
Information School

• Melody Y. Ivory-Ndiaye, Assistant Professor, Information School; Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
• Andrew Martin, Undergraduate student, University of Washington Computer Science & Engineering; Research Assistant, The Information School

Universal Benefit from Information Technology (u b i t) is a University of Washington program researching innovative approaches to provide access to, and use of, information technology. The research is especially relevant on a university campus which serves the needs of a diverse student population which needs 24/7 access to desktop applications, web sites, and mobile devices. The u b i t research projects integrate information science, human-computer interaction, and computer science disciplines.

NEPTUNE Ocean Observatory: Exploring Inner Space
College of Ocean and Fishery Sciences

• John R. Delaney, Professor, School of Oceanography
• Deborah Kelley, Professor, School of Oceanography

The UW has a leadership role in NEPTUNE, a revolutionary ocean observatory being built off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. The 3,000-km network of heavily instrumented fiber-optic/power cables will enable regional-scale, real-time, interactive observations and experiments with the ocean, the seafloor, and the biological communities that thrive in these environments.

Hardwired to the Internet, the network will provide scientists, students, educators, and the public with virtual access to remarkable parts of our planet, rarely visited by humans. This exhibit includes recently collected imagery of submarine volcanoes, 700°F seafloor hot springs, and novel life forms that exist off our coast. UW oceanographers collected these images using robotic vehicles and the submersible Alvin from the Juan de Fuca Ridge, part of NEPTUNE’s study area.

Next Generation Scientists: Minority Outreach in Genome Sciences
College of Engineering and School of Medicine

• Wylie Burke, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Medical History and Ethics, Adjunct Professor of Medicine (Medical Genetics) and Epidemiology
• Mary-Claire King, Ph.D., American Cancer Society Professor of Medicine (Medical Genetics) and Genome Sciences
• Mary E. Lidstrom, Ph.D., Jungers Professor of Chemical Engineering and Professor of Microbiology, Associate Dean for New Initiatives in Engineering, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor, Director, NIH CEGS Microscale Life Sciences Center
• Deirdre R. Meldrum, Ph.D., Professor of Electrical Engineering, Adjunct Professor of Bioengineering and Mechanical Engineering, Director, NIH CEGS Microscale Life Sciences Center
• Maynard V. Olson, Ph.D., Professor of Medicine (Medical Genetics) and Genome Sciences, Adjunct Professor of Computer Science & Engineering
• Lisa Peterson, Director, UW GenOM Project

Mapping the human genome was an amazing feat, but now that critical data needs to be put to use. How does each cell use the information contained within? What can we learn about genetic mutation and treatment of disease by studying genomics? These are the types of questions now being explored through collaboration between UW Medicine and the College of Engineering.

This innovative partnership fuses biomedicine and engineering for the advancement of health care. Students play an active role in this cutting-edge research, and the Genomics Outreach for Minorities program encourages minority students to become members of the genomics research team. Enter the fascinating world of genomics as you try out the lab equipment and meet the minds behind the revolutionary new science!

Saving Our Chums: Beaches, Salmon and Survival
College of Ocean and Fishery Sciences

• Charles Simenstad, Research Associate Professor, Aquatic and Fishery Sciences
• Miles Logsdon, Research Assistant Professor, Oceanography

Many of us benefit economically, socially and culturally from Puget Sound’s nearshore beaches, marshes and swamps. The integrity of Puget Sound depends on the integrity of its shoreline. Nearshore productivity, biological diversity, water quality improvement and habitats for valued species, such as juvenile Pacific salmon, are particularly important.

To understand these functions better, we are studying basic nearshore ecosystem processes ranging from a few square meters on the beach to circulation along the entire Sound. We are particularly interested in sediment movement, plankton productivity and the distribution of important biota—such as juvenile salmon—and their habitats—such as eelgrass—along the shoreline. The better we understand how nearshore Puget Sound works, the better chance that both salmon and our culture will survive in perpetuity.

Improving Regional Smiles
School of Dentistry

• Dr. Joel Berg, Professor and Chair, Department of Pediatric Dentistry
• Dr. Douglass Jackson, Director of Educational Partnerships
• Dr. Peter Milgrom, Director, Northwest Alaska Center to Reduce Oral Health Disparities

It is estimated that eighty percent of dental disease in the State if Washington is found in twenty percent of the population. This population is largely rural, poor, and young. A variety of community outreach experiences comprise the School of Dentistry’s 4-year curriculum, providing students with opportunities to serve patient populations that experience significant barriers to receiving dental care.

The School’s community-based outreach programs also reinforce the importance of cultural sensitivity when providing health care. Through long-standing relationships with several of these communities, significant research programs have been developed with the aim of understanding the biological and behavioral components that contribute to oral health disparities in this region. This combination of service and research is a necessary investment to improve the region’s oral health.