Spring 2023

Sweetening the Pot

If you want to catch a crook, sometimes you have to think like one—just ask Western’s cybersecurity students.

illustration of a honeypot with a keyhole on the front, surrounded by stylized computer circuits and honeycomb shapes

A New Life for Ocean Plastics

WWU students and faculty are showing how plastic beach trash can be put to good use somewhere else.
a photo illustration of drawings of plastic ocean trash, like water bottles, buoys, buckets, etc., listed with their country of origin, on top of a photo of people cleaning up beach trash in Alaska

Global Hitchhiker

How far could a guy get in 1960 with two feet, one thumb and 18 bucks?
a worn, torn backpack with INDIA N. DELHI U.S.A. SEATTLE printed on the front.

Digging for Answers

This gorgeous peak in southern Alaska could be one of the nation’s most dangerous volcanoes. WWU geologists are looking for clues before disaster strikes.
puffy clouds skirt the top of a mountain peak on a blue sky day

Teeth Tell the Story

WWU’s Tesla Monson may have found the key to one of evolution’s great mysteries right under our noses.
Tesla Monson stands in a library with shelves filled with bone fragments, examining a long jawbone.

New climate change minor open to all students

Facing climate change will be the job of people in many fields.
A bench in Boulevard Park, normally on the shore, is surrounded by water.

Ask the Clams

500-year-old quahog clams can tell us a few things about our changing oceans.
A woman sits on the deck of a ship, holding out an open clam.

‘Teaching Exclusion’ lecture explores antisemitism and racism in education

Western hosts the U.S. Holocaust Museum's Joseph and Rebecca Meyerhoff Annual Lecture
Adam Knowles, Margaret Jacobs and Hollie Mackie sit on stage smiling at and listening to an unseen member of the audience.

Young people are essential to our climate future

WWU IN THE NEWS: Teena Gabrielson
Teena Gabrielson sits on the concrete steps of Bruce Nauman's Stadium Piece

President's Message: The Power of Research for Students and the Planet

Undergrads working on research alongside world-class faculty mentors is one of Western’s top selling points.
Sabah stands in front of Old Main with hands in pockets, wearing a suit and a reserved smile

Team Building on the Skagit

Tag along with AS Outdoor Center trip leaders for a late-winter paddle on the Skagit River.
four students wearing helmets, personal flotation devices and waterproof gear paddle an inflatable raft through rapids on the Skagit River

WWU research going to market with a sustainable cosmetics company

Wax from marine algae may replace petroleum and animal products in cosmetics
Greg O'Neil stands behind Chris Reddy, who's sitting at a lab bench

Journalism’s Brian J. Bowe heading to the West Bank on a Fulbright

Bowe will work with partners at Palestinian universities on journalism curriculum design, academic research and writing.
Brian Bowe smiles for the camera

WWU scientist, mentor Marco Hatch awarded Pew Fellowship

Hatch's work combines mainstream science and ancestral knowledge
Marco Hatch stands on the rocky tidepools on the shoreline

Border Policy Research Institute begins new cross-border research projects

The partnerships mean more opportunities for undergrads
The Peace Arch on a sunny day

Alumni Conversations: Stronger Together

Introducing the Foundation for Western Washington University and Alumni
light filters through pink cherry blossoms next to the Comm Lawn

Class Notes

Jeffrey Meriwether - 1995

Class Note

Jeffrey Meriwether, ’95, B.A., and ’97, M.A., history, was recently selected as the dean of the Feinstein School of Humanities, Arts and Education at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island. Jeffrey is a well-regarded professor of European, African and military history at RWU and has served in several administrative roles—most recently as the school’s associate dean.

Emma Williams - 2019

Class Note

Emma Williams, B.A., English - creative writing, just completed her MFA in creative writing at Eastern Washington University, continuing to work on her novel, and started as an adjunct instructor at North Idaho College. 

Marvin V. Seelye - 1962

Obituary

Marvin V. Seelye, 85, retired teacher, coach, assistant principal and administrator in the Oak Harbor School District and a life-long golfer who became known as the “Michelangelo of the Golf Course” as a part-time groundskeeper and landscaper at Whidbey Golf Course, on Feb. 10, 2023.

See all class notes