Designed to bring together the state's preeminent researchers, innovative leaders, and elected officials who want to stay on top of important advancements being made in our state, each Discovery Series program includes lunch, networking time, a Q&A session, and an opportunity to meet the speaker.

From the biology of aging to organ preservation to cancers in clams, this season is sure to captivate all! Join us for lunch on the second Friday of almost every month (Sept-June, except December) to get educated, inspired, and connected.

Interested in sponsoring? Email events@technology-alliance.com.

March 14, 2025 @ EPAM Bellevue

Dr. Shanu Sushmita, Assistant Teaching Professor and Researcher, Northeastern University

Join Dr. Shanu Sushmita as she explores the transformative role of artificial intelligence and natural language processing (NLP) in music. With over a decade of experience in machine learning and data science across various sectors, Dr. Sushmita will highlight how NLP is revolutionizing industries, with a specific focus on content moderation in music. Her groundbreaking work aims to improve the detection of explicit content in song lyrics, using AI to create systems that can more accurately identify harmful material while respecting context. Dr. Sushmita’s innovations are designed to make digital platforms safer, offering new methods to automatically analyze and categorize content. In this session, she will introduce her research on the SAFE (Segmentation and Formatting Enhanced) framework, a novel machine learning-based approach that enhances explicit content detection in song lyrics. Discover how her work in NLP is shaping the future of AI applications, improving accuracy, and fostering responsible digital experiences.

April 11, 2025 (@ TBA)

Dr. Alice Kane, Ling/Obrzut Assistant Professor, Institute for Systems Biology

Dr. Alice Kane, the newest faculty member at ISB, invites you to explore the complex biology of aging and frailty. This session will cover her research on understanding the significant variability in health outcomes among individuals as they age, focusing on both male and female perspectives. Dr. Kane will highlight her analysis of a unique longitudinal dataset from aging mice, aimed at predicting health and function across the lifespan. Join us to learn how this research can lead to new insights and interventions to promote healthier aging for all.

May 9th, 2025 @ Russell Investment Center

Dr. Anand Jayakaran, Professor & Green Stormwater Infrastructure Specialist, Washington State University

One of the biggest challenges facing aquatic ecosystems today is the disruption of natural water cycles due to human activities, which has led to more water and pollutants flowing into streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans. In this talk, Dr. Jayakaran will discuss how he and others are working to restore urban water systems using nature-based solutions. Recent research shows these approaches can reduce the harmful effects of stormwater on fish. Ani will focus on one such solution—permeable pavements—and explain recent breakthroughs that make them a practical way to manage stormwater in cities.

June 13, 2025 @ K&L Gates

Alex Gagon & Julian Sachs of Banyu Carbon, Professors at University of Washington

Join us as we delve into Banyu Carbon’s groundbreaking work in carbon management. This session will highlight their unique solutions for capturing and utilizing carbon emissions, showcasing the importance of sustainability in combating climate change. Learn how Banyu Carbon is paving the way for a resilient and eco-friendly future.

24-25 Full Lineup

November 8, 2024 @ CoMotion, UW

Prof. James Davenport, Associate Director, DIRAC Institute, University of Washington 

Located in northern Chile, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will be the most ambitious survey telescope ever constructed, and is slated to begin operations in mid 2025. Over its 10 year Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) program, Rubin will map the entire visible sky, cataloging over 40 billion stars and galaxies. In the first months of operation, Rubin will double the number of asteroids and “minor bodies” tracked in our own Solar System. The University of Washington has been a founding partner of the Rubin Observatory project for nearly 20 years, and its DIRAC Institute hosts experts in both science and software development. This talk will cover the wide range of astrophysics we expect the Rubin/LSST to advance, and the prospect of revealing exciting but unknown mysteries that will drive the next decade of discovery.

October 11th, 2024 @ Accenture Kirkland

Ryan Calkins, Commissioner, Port of Seattle & Advisor, Offshore Wind and Maritime Infrastructure, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)

Explore the transformation of maritime ports through electrification and clean technology innovations. This presentation will dive into how electrifying port operations reduces emissions, enhances efficiency, and sets the stage for a sustainable future in global shipping. Join us to discover the challenges and opportunities in powering the ports of tomorrow.

September 13, 2024 @ Slalom Hawk Tower

Dr. Michael Metzger, Assistant Professor, Pacific Northwest Research Institute (PNRI)

Cancer cells can evolve as they divide and spread through the body, but cancers normally do not live longer than their hosts. In rare cases, (in Tasmanian devils, dogs, and many species of bivalves), cancer cells can jump from one animal to another, spreading for centuries or even millennia as infectious cells that blur the line between metastatic cancer and infectious disease. The Metzger Lab studies these contagious cancers in clams, cockles, and other bivalves to determine how they spread through the environment, how they continue to evolve, and how the clams themselves are evolving to become resistant to the cancers.

January 10, 2025 @ Northeastern University, Seattle

February 14, 2025 @ Perkins Coie

Dr. Shen Ren, Assistant Teaching Professor, Seattle University

Organ transplantation is the most effective treatment for patients suffering from acute and chronic organ failure, yet the shortage of viable organs results in long waiting lists. Current preservation methods can only keep organs viable for up to 24 hours, making timely transplants challenging. Cryopreservation, a cutting-edge technology that preserves biomaterials at low temperatures to halt biological and chemical reactions, offers a promising solution. Dr. Ren's team is at the forefront of this field, developing a novel electromagnetic-based rewarming technology that aims to extend organ viability to years, ultimately improving access to transplantation and saving lives.

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Past Discovery Series Seasons