The 25th University of Washington Recognition Gala was the latest in a tradition of such events held to celebrate the impact that philanthropists, volunteers and many others make throughout the UW. It was an enjoyable evening that began in the Quad and rotated to Suzzallo for dinner, stories, and recognition. A great way to kick off the 2026 academic year. … Read More
New MEGIN Spotlight with Dr Christina Zhao
Exploring Early Brain Development Through Music, Speech and MEG | Dr. Christina Zhao Hosted by Nicole Brough – Director, Marketing and Service Commercialization, MEGIN. What does it take to successfully collect MEG data from infants?As Dr. Christina Zhao explains in our latest MEGIN Spotlight, testing babies is a little like putting on a show — with plenty of preparation and … Read More
New research: Infants process father’s scent. Paternal body odor can serve as a sensory cue that supports social interaction.
Babies can begin to learn their mother’s scent while still in utero. New research in the journal Science Advances examines how infants may also be taking to new dad smell. Yaara Endevelt-Shapira is a research scientist with the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences She studies olfaction – how humans process smell. Endevelt-Shapira previously researched body scent connections between a … Read More
Christina Zhao named inaugural holder of Paros Endowed Professorship in Brain Research
The Paros Endowed Professorship was made possible by a generous gift from inventor and philanthropist Dr. Jerome “Jerry” Paros. The University of Washington has announced the creation of the Paros Endowed Professorship in Brain Research in the College of Arts & Sciences, made possible by a generous gift from inventor and philanthropist Dr. Jerome “Jerry” Paros. This new professorship further … Read More
New research on babies’ understanding of others’ motor actions
Infants use adult’s actions, prior knowledge, and physical cues to understand the world around them. Learning to use our bodies is no small feat. Babies learn by watching adults and by trying things out themselves – often over and over! New research from I-LABS visiting scientist Dr. Áine Ní Choisdealbha, in collaboration with I-LABS co-director Dr. Andrew Meltzoff, now shows … Read More
Lincoln High School Women in STEM Club Tours I-LABS
In January, 22 students and two faculty from Lincoln High School’s Women in STEM Club visited I-LABS for an engaging tour. This club is a chapter of the student-led organization dedicated to empowering young women to explore and pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Together, the students spent an hour talking and learning about I-LABS research and the latest … Read More
I-LABS’ scientist Chantel Prat selected for inaugural Research Impact Advocates cohort
Dr. Chantel Prat is no stranger to sharing her research outside of academia. Her book, The Neuroscience of You, was published in 2022. Now Prat is furthering her commitment to public engagement as Research Impact Advocate. Traditionally, academic researchers focus on communicating their findings to their peers, which, while critical to scientific discovery, can mean less opportunities to engage with public audiences. … Read More
New research: AI can pick up cultural values by mimicking how kids learn
A new study led by Rajesh Rao, a UW professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering in collaboration with I-LABS suggests that AI can learn cultural values by observing human behavior. This is the same way that children learn. “Kids learn almost by osmosis how people act in a community or culture. The human values they learn … Read More
Dr. Christina Zhao awarded Meredith Wilson Research Grant
I-LABS’ scientist, Chistina Zhao, received the Meredith Willson Pilot Research Program grant, which supports projects that focus on music and health research. Dr. Zhao will use these funds to support her work on how infants’ music experiences shape or predict the way the brain processes speech. Learn more about her cutting edge research. The Music Man Foundation, who provided the funding partnership with … Read More
Can Machines Learn Morality? Researchers at UW are exploring this question
A UW Perspectives article has been published on the question of “Can Machines Learn Morality?”. Today, as people around the globe turn to artificial intelligence (AI) for information and guidance, the question of whether a machine can learn morality is very real. Researchers at the University of Washington are exploring this question through a collaboration between the Institute for Leaning … Read More