How can the next generation of supercomputers unlock biomedical mysteries that will shape the future practice of medicine? Scientists behind the National Strategic Computing Initiative, a federal strategy for investing in high-performance computing, are exploring this question. Visiting lecturer Dr. Dimitri Kusnezov serves as chief scientist in the U.S. Department of Energy National Nuclear Security […]
When stormwater drains from roadways, parking lots, and rooftops, it often carries a torrent of pollutants into local rivers and streams. The runoff is toxic enough to kill adult coho salmon in just a few hours. The problem is so vast that stormwater runoff has become the biggest source of pollution in the Puget Sound.
Naturally occurring biochemicals called growth factor proteins largely dictate who we are as people. They orchestrate embryological development, guide our maturation from infant to adulthood, regulate immune function, direct the ever-changing alterations to our brains that underlie personality and learning, and enable us to repair damage to our bodies or minds. “Effectively and selectively controlling […]
Join us for a lively discussion of all things quinoa: its use as a food, growing it locally and developing a new source of income for farmers of the Pacific Northwest, and social justice for the farmers in quinoa’s native lands in the Andes. Dr. Kevin Murphy, leader of Washington State University’s Organic Breeding Program, […]
Wine is a catalyst for commerce, driving new business development, creating jobs, and opening export opportunities. Nationally, the economic impact of Washington state’s wine and grape industry is estimated at $14.9 billion per year. That impact could double or even triple by 2020—a prospect as mouthwatering as the wines that drive this engine of economic […]
How can we meet rising demand for electrical power, protect our nation’s energy infrastructure, reduce impacts of climate change, and gain energy independence? WSU researchers are leading the way in developing innovative smart-grid technologies, with new data systems approaches and computer-driven delivery systems. They are addressing associated social, economic, and policy structure needs and facilitating […]
Imagine a day when airplanes, cars, and even laptop computers are powered by fuels made from crops grown in the Pacific Northwest. Imagine a day when local sources of renewable energy enable our independence from foreign oil — while simultaneously improving our soil, air, and water quality so we can produce more food and fewer greenhouse gases. […]
America is aging quickly. By 2050, the largest age group of women in this country will be 80 years or older. Today, many of our elderly have trouble functioning in their own homes or remembering important tasks, such as paying bills or taking medication. Yet, if even 10 percent of our population lived at home […]
From innovations in military armor to the ambition of clean energy through fusion, shock-wave physics research is at the core of many scientific advances vital to our nation’s security. Yogendra Gupta and his colleagues in the Institute for Shock Physics at WSU are at the forefront of this research, compressing materials to extreme pressures in […]
Why are wild Pacific salmon disappearing? Will populations of this treasured fish ever rebound to sustainable levels? While scientists point to many possible causes for salmon decline in Northwest waters—including habitat degradation and pressure from human populations—it is clear that environmental pollutants are a major factor. From his operations base at WSU’s Puyallup Research and Extension Center, ecotoxicologist John Stark […]