Education

Sep 30, 2026, 4:50 PM

UW moves Global Innovation Exchange program to Microsoft’s campus in rent-free deal

The University of Washington and Microsoft celebrated the official opening of the Global Innovation Exchange’s new permanent home on the tech giant’s campus. Supported by a $42 million in-kind contribution from Microsoft, the rent-free facility embeds UW students and researchers alongside tech industry leaders. Read More

Sep 30, 2026, 2:00 PM

UW starts construction on $231.1M chemistry hub set to open in 2029

The University of Washington broke ground on a $231.1 million Chemical Sciences Building set to open in 2029, featuring 104,500 square feet of state-of-the-art labs for instruction and research in quantum science, sustainable chemistry, and human health. The new five-story facility will replace the old Chemistry Library Building and pave the way for a full renovation of historic Bagley Hall. Read More

Sep 16, 2026, 9:40 AM

How UW’s solar vehicle team harnessed the sun and hard work to shine on the national stage

Over seven days in July and 1,778 miles from Minnesota to Texas, UW outpaced nearly every competitor to finish fourth overall and cross the line as the top-ranking American team in the American Solar Challenge. Read More

Sep 4, 2026, 2:54 PM

WSU President Betsy Cantwell builds custom AI agents — but won’t ask them to predict the Apple Cup

Former national lab scientist and current Washington State University President Betsy Cantwell uses custom AI agents to de-risk research and model complex financial scenarios for college athletics. But the top Cougar believes artificial intelligence can never replace human wonder in education and rejects the algorithms to predict outcomes like this weekend’s Apple Cup. Read More

Sep 3, 2026, 12:18 PM

Tech industry’s robotics talent crunch has UW’s new grad program nearly full before day one

The University of Washington is launching a Master of Science in Robotics and a professional certificate this fall. More than 30 people signed up for an information session before applications even opened, a sign of how fast demand for engineers trained across AI, software and hardware is growing. Read More

Sep 3, 2026, 8:18 AM

UW pays $600K to settle lawsuit with computer science professor over parody land acknowledgment

Stuart Reges was disciplined by the University of Washington after including a parody land acknowledgment in a course syllabus. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit found university officials violated Reges’ academic freedom rights. Read More

Sep 2, 2026, 3:02 PM

McGraw Hill acquires Teachally, an AI startup for teachers led by Seattle tech vet Daniel Bernstein

McGraw Hill has acquired Teachally, a five-person startup whose AI tools help teachers build and customize lessons, assignments and assessments aligned to state standards. Founder Daniel Bernstein, who built and sold the game studio Sandlot Games two decades ago, ran the sale through his own M&A firm. Read More

Aug 3, 2026, 9:05 AM

UW’s Allen School names Dan Grossman interim director as Magdalena Balazinska shifts gears

After nearly seven years at the helm of the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, Magda Balazinska’s term is ending and the school’s vice director, Dan Grossman, will take charge as interim director. Read More

Jun 25, 2026, 10:15 AM

Short-form science: University of Washington researchers launch PaperTok to combat AI slop

A University of Washington team is helping scientists tell their own stories with a free tool that converts dense, jargon-heavy publications into short, accessible videos. Read More

Jun 17, 2026, 6:18 AM

Not just for coders: UW’s upcoming AI minor will reach beyond the computer science school

The University of Washington is developing an interdisciplinary AI minor, open to students across all majors and co-led by an anthropologist and a computer scientist. Set to launch in spring 2027, it’s part of a broader push to expand AI education across the university. Read More

Jun 12, 2026, 9:02 AM

As graduates push back on AI, UW’s Nobel-winning commencement speaker takes different approach

Nobel laureate Mary Brunkow will be the featured speaker at Saturday’s 151st commencement. She’s a scientist, not a tech executive — and unlike other graduation speakers this season, she’s not planning to sell students on AI. Read More

Jun 10, 2026, 4:35 PM

Two-hour learning? AI-powered Alpha School lands in Seattle region

Alpha School, an AI-powered private school chain that has students complete core academics in two hours a day, plans to open a campus in Kirkland this fall and will run summer programs on Microsoft’s Redmond campus. Read More

Jun 9, 2026, 11:53 AM

After lagging behind, Gov. Ferguson pushes for statewide school cellphone ban in Washington

After moving slowly on cellphone rules at schools, Washington’s leaders are now pushing for all-day bans on their use for K-12 students by fall 2027. Read More

Jun 2, 2026, 6:00 AM

Code.org rebrands as CodeAI, solidifying its shift to AI education

“Nobody knows the jobs of the future, but a sure bet is that every job will involve AI,” said Hadi Partovi, who co-founded the nonprofit in 2013. “We have a responsibility to prepare the next generation for the biggest change in society since the invention of public education.” Read More

May 27, 2026, 9:26 AM

Seattle teens to take on real-world ocean science challenges in underwater robotics championship

This year’s tasks include mapping cold-water coral ecosystems, deploying ocean observatory instrumentation, modeling offshore wind turbines, and operating profiling floats beneath sea ice. Read More

May 25, 2026, 2:05 PM

New tune for Code.org’s Hadi Partovi: CEO of piano education venture with unique method and big ambitions

The Code.org founder, who earlier this year handed off the CEO role at the nonprofit, announced this weekend that he is the new CEO of Payam Music, a Bothell, Wash.-based piano school that he plans to expand nationally with backing from a prominent group of investors. Read More

May 21, 2026, 10:18 AM

UW’s Ed Lazowska adds ‘Distinguished Teaching Legacy Award’ to his long list of honors

The University of Washington professor emeritus is a longtime computer science educator, researcher and fixture in Seattle’s tech community. Read More

May 4, 2026, 1:26 PM

Seattle schools’ new cellphone rules are in effect — what it means for different kids, and why now

For years, the rules around cellphones in Seattle Public Schools depended largely on which school — or even which classroom — a student walked into. That ended today. Read More

May 4, 2026, 10:29 AM

Building belonging: How GeekWire’s STEM Educator of the Year uses Legos to bridge the tech gap

GeekWire’s STEM Educator of the Year, Fidel Ferrer, is using Project LEDO and Lego robotics to provide a safety net and sense of belonging for students of color in Portland. Read More

May 1, 2026, 8:56 AM

Calculated joy: Why GeekWire’s STEM Educator of the Year built a museum to fix math trauma

From giant Etch A Sketches to living fractal trees, the Seattle Universal Math Museum is on a mission to replace math trauma with joyful exploration. Read More

Apr 14, 2026, 8:49 AM

These fifth graders vibe coded a real-world Braille tool — and wowed their Microsoft teacher

The students in a computer science class at the Global Idea School, an independent, non-profit elementary school in Redmond, Wash., learned vibe coding through GitHub Spark and built a Braille 3D Generator, a tool that turns text into printable, tactile 3D Braille models in seconds. Read More

Mar 12, 2026, 5:02 PM

Here’s the pitch: UW students get in the room with key investors to share their AI startup ideas

Seven teams comprising 67 undergraduate and graduate students from across campus disciplines laid out their startup business plans at Pioneer Square Labs in Seattle to conclude a 10-week program. Read More

Mar 2, 2026, 1:00 PM

Is my 7th grader falling behind? New Code.org leader offers insight and tips on the ‘tinkering age’ of AI

Karim Meghji, the new president and CEO of Seattle-based nonprofit Code.org, discusses how students can move from basic AI literacy to true fluency no matter what their career path looks like. Read More

Jan 21, 2026, 12:24 PM

Code.org lays off 18 employees ‘to ensure long-term sustainability’ at education nonprofit

Following the cuts, the staff now numbers 107 at the computer science education organization. Read More

Nov 25, 2025, 5:00 AM

‘Me, Myself and AI’ host Sam Ransbotham on finding the real value in AI — even when it’s wrong

What’s the real value in AI tools — and what separates those who use them well from those who don’t? Sam Ransbotham, host of MIT Sloan Management Review’s “Me, Myself and AI” podcast, joins Todd Bishop for a two-part collaboration between the shows. Read More

Oct 30, 2025, 9:42 AM

Inside the UW Allen School: Six ‘grand challenges’ shaping the future of computer science

The University of Washington’s Allen School is tackling six “grand challenges” in computer science — from AI and education to health and sustainability. At its annual research showcase, students and faculty presented innovations spanning speech technology, classroom chatbots, and tools for global health. Read More

Oct 15, 2025, 12:36 PM