University of Washington scientists assess the possibilities for electricity generated by tidal currents in Puget Sound, including environmental impacts.

The Dream Project is a mentoring program started by a handful of undergraduates in 2005. Since then, it has grown rapidly, and last year reached 1,300 seniors in 16 high-poverty Seattle-area high schools, many of whom would be the first in their families to go to college.

Forty years ago, the UW School of Medicine started a unique medical education program called WWAMI. Students in Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho earn medical degrees from the UW through a mixture of classes in Seattle and in their home states.

A strong component of the program encourages internships in rural or underserved areas, which encourages students to practice in those areas once they become doctors.

A powerful combination of data from NASA satellites and traditional sampling has led to the discovery of a new pathway of freshwater in the Arctic Ocean. Jamie Morison, Applied Physics Laboratory, is lead author of paper in this week’s Nature.

Challenge and opportunity. The Huskies' 2012 football schedule is full of both - in unprecedented doses. It has Washington playing four of the nation's current top six teams next season.

It will feature a huge test at current No. 1 LSU in Week Two, a Thursday night home conference opener against Pac-12 North rival Stanford, plus two Friday TV games: at California then a unique Apple Cup the day after Thanksgiving at Washington State.