Sarah E. McQuate

The imperiled peer review system
@carlbergstrom.com @plosbiology.org
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/... open-access

As a biochemist, I very much enjoyed reading @carlbergstrom.com's and Kevin Gross' paper on the feedback loop affecting peer review, published today in @plosbiology.org.
Here's the Q&A we worked on together: www.washington.edu/news/2026/02...
The paper: journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...

And here's a Q&A of the paper with @iampotassium.bsky.social

www.washington.edu/news/2025/12...

Why Is Ice Slippery? A New Hypothesis Slides Into the Chat. | Quanta Magazine A newly proposed explanation for the slipperiness of ice has revived a centuries-long debate.

This story is interesting for both the scientist and the figure skating parts of me: www.quantamagazine.org/why-is-ice-s...

Q&A: UW chemistry professors explain MOFs, the materials behind the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on Oct. 8 awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi

What are MOFs, the materials behind this week's Nobel Prize in Chemistry? In my most recent story for @uwnews.uw.edu, @uwchemistry.bsky.social's Dianne Xiao and Douglas Reed talk all about the significance of these structures and how researchers use them. www.washington.edu/news/2025/10...

Q&A: What to know about the UW biology degree that launched Nobel Prize laureate Mary Brunkow The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute on Monday awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly to Mary E. Brunkow — an alum of the University of Washington — along with...

So much fun doing this Q&A about @uwbiology.bsky.social degrees in honor of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine yesterday. www.washington.edu/news/2025/10...

Q&A: From TVs to the future of computing, UW professor explains what makes quantum dots shine Quantum dots, which are 10,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair, are unique materials that generate very specific colors of light. Researchers, including Brandi Cossairt, UW professor of.....

Had so much fun talking to @brandicossairt.bsky.social about what makes quantum dots shine for my recent @uwnews.uw.edu story: www.washington.edu/news/2025/09...

My latest story! It was such a pleasure to work with @drewharvell.bsky.social on this.

Sara Goering

Sara Goering, philosophy @uwartsci.bsky.social, researches Brain-computer interfaces, or BCIs. In this episode of "Ways of Knowing," she discusses discusses the ethical concerns surrounding BCIs.
More: www.washington.edu/news/2025/06...

To Identify Suspect in Idaho Killings, F.B.I. Used Restricted Consumer DNA Data

New testimony and records in the Idaho murders case show how the FBI identified Bryan Kohberger as a potential suspect after tapping into consumer DNA databases that were supposed to be off limits.

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/25/u...

How 12 UW researchers fell in love with their research bit.ly/4kcgPFt
🧵 3/3

@fishguy.bsky.social
@kendallvalentine.bsky.social

How 12 UW researchers fell in love with their research bit.ly/4kcgPFt
🧵 2/3

@zoehypatia.bsky.social

For Valentine’s Day, UW News asked 12 @uofwa.bsky.social researchers to share their love stories: What made them decide to pursue their career paths? 🧵 1/3

Their stories: bit.ly/4kcgPFt

Q&A: How 12 UW researchers fell in love with their research For Valentine's Day, UW News asked 12 University of Washington researchers to share their love stories: What made them decide to pursue their career paths?

For Valentine's Day, we asked 12 UW researchers about their love stories: How did they fall in love with their research? I am so proud of this @uwnews.bsky.social story, y'all. The researchers' stories are so great! 🥰
www.washington.edu/news/2025/02...

President Biden Honors Nearly 400 Federally Funded Early-Career Scientists | OSTP | The White House Today, President Biden awarded nearly 400 scientists and engineers the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outst...

Holy moly. So thrilled & sincerely honored to learn that I’ve received a Presidential Early Career Award in Science & Engineering (PECASE). So thankful to my mentors, students, colleagues (and my wife!) who have supported me thru THICK & thin & made this possible. www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/news-up...

Study Links High Fluoride Exposure to Lower I.Q. in Children The results of a new federal analysis were drawn from studies conducted in other countries, where drinking water contains more fluoride than in the United States.

NYT continues its irresponsible normalizing of dangerous fringe ideas by mischaracterizing an analysis of fluoridation in other countries very different from the US (more on that in a sec) to suggest that fluoride harms people's brains. www.nytimes.com/2025/01/08/h...

amid all these socal fires and our ongoing drought, one thing we don't talk enough about is stewart & lynda resnick (via @motherjones.com) www.motherjones.com/environment/...

Q&A: How a UW teaching professor adds the context behind the science in her chemical engineering courses Alex Prybutok, UW assistant teaching professor of chemical engineering, studies anti-racism, diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in engineering education.

To celebrate the first day of winter quarter, I talked with @alexprybutok.bsky.social, assistant teaching professor of ChemE, about her journey to becoming a teaching professor and her work to explain the context behind the science in her classes.
Story: www.washington.edu/news/2025/01...

By looking at individual atoms in tooth enamel, UW and PNNL researchers are learning what happens to our teeth as we age A research team at UW and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory examined the atomic composition of enamel samples from two human teeth.

My latest story: UW materials science & engineering researchers + PNNL researchers looked at the individual atoms that make up the enamel of two human teeth. 🦷
www.washington.edu/news/2024/12...

AI slop is already invading Oregon’s local journalism The Ashland Daily Tidings — established as a newspaper in 1876 — ceased operations in 2023, but if you were a local reader, you may not have known because of an elaborate scam using artificial intelli...

Last month, I fell down an absolutely bizarre rabbit hole trying to figure out who was ripping off articles from Oregon journalists.

What I found was identity theft, plagiarism and an absolutely terrifying future for local journalism led by AI scammers.

My latest:

New, flexible “fabric” converts body heat into electricity | All Science. No Fiction. YouTube video by Oregon Public Broadcasting

Such a fun video featuring the work of UW mechanical engineering professor Mo Malakooti and ME doctoral student Youngshang Han. Thanks Oregon Public Broadcasting!
Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHYw...

Oh man... There are so many good ones, but I really like Lara Naki Gutmann's Squid Game, Chaeyeon Kim's Tron, Amber Glenn's This Time and of course Smart/Dieck's Dune.

The difference in scores for the top 5 women after the short program was unreal. 🤯

a drawing of a pikachu being charged with a low battery . ALT: a drawing of a pikachu being charged with a low battery .

For my first post on this site, I'll share my recent Q&A with UW mechanical engineering professor Jie Xiao. She told me all about batteries and how academia can help support the growing domestic battery manufacturing industry. 🔋
Story: www.washington.edu/news/2024/11...