Chemistry student in dark lab with colorful vials lit up by UV light

Research

The College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) at the University of Washington seeks an Associate Dean for Research to provide leadership for the College’s research program.

Creating new knowledge

As part of a leading research university, faculty in the College of Arts & Sciences pursue research in areas from population health to social justice to digital humanities to the arts. They hold leadership roles in their field, serving as advisors for government agencies and working toward change on issues from criminal justice reform to labor rights to immigration. They play key roles on ambitious international projects such as the Large Hadron Collider, which explores unresolved questions in particle physics, and they push the boundaries of artistic creation through cross-disciplinary collaboration and the integration of new technologies.

Graduate students work closely with faculty researchers, advancing their research in meaningful ways. Undergraduate students also have a wide range of opportunities to be part of this exciting work, gaining skills they can apply to the real world. Our undergrads have declassified CIA documents for human rights cases, designed an adaptive Xbox controller for people who are missing a limb, helped preserve endangered languages, studied exoplanets and more.
 

Research Projects & Initiatives

Discoveries in Every Field

From malaria treatment to solar energy to human rights, Arts & Sciences researchers tackle many of our society’s most pressing issues.

 

Ashleigh Therberge and research team members looking at equipment in her UW chemistry lab.

How a Chemistry Lab is Transforming Clinical Research

Ashleigh Theberge's UW lab creates bioanalytical chemistry tools. Some are transforming how clinical studies can be conducted. 

Ghanaians waiting in line to vote.

Voting in Emerging Democracies, Despite the Challenges

Political Science professor James Long studies why many voters choose to participate in elections in emerging democracies despite the considerable personal cost.

Starry sky with trees below.

Big Data in the Night Sky

Astronomers at the DiRAC Institute have been preparing for a flood of data from the new Rubin Observatory. Now undergrads have joined the effort.

$119M

in research grants

Public and Private Research Grants

Arts & Sciences faculty generated about $119 million in research funds through public and private grants during the most recent fiscal year, making possible ambitious research projects, often with funding for student researchers.  

Students on an anthropological dig excavating fossils.

Find yourself in research

Whether you want to excavate a T-Rex in Montana, search for signs of life in the universe, or identify new gene mutations in fruit flies, you can take your learning to a whole new level by participating in research. Plus, over 600 Arts & Sciences students present at the UW Undergraduate Research Symposium each year.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

What will you discover?

Be a part of a community that provides a tremendous range of research opportunities for students. Alongside your peers and faculty, you can advance research and serve as a resource to the state, the region and the world.