Alec Cowan
Producer, Soundside
About
Alec Cowan is a producer for Soundside. His interests have brought many eclectic stories to the program, and his segments gravitate toward history, technology, arts and culture, and the environment. Proud to be KUOW's unofficial "boat guy."
Prior to joining Soundside, Alec wore many hats at KUOW. He was a producer for The Record with Bill Radke and Primed seasons two and three . He also reported an episode of SoundQs detailing how prohibition forever changed Seattle policing and assisted with reporting a breakthrough cold case solved with the use of genetic genealogy.
Before joining KUOW Alec worked in NPR's Story Lab, where he helped pilot the Louder Than a Riot podcast, about hip-hop and mass incarceration, and assisted in producing a story on volunteerism in Iraq for Rough Translation. Originally from Grand Junction, Colorado, his roots in the Northwest begin in Eugene, where he studied English and philosophy at the University of Oregon and worked as a news reporter for NPR member station KLCC. He is likely neglecting his saxophone, growing book collection, and expanding personal project list in favor of boosting his online Xbox ranking.
Location: Seattle
Languages Spoken: English
Pronouns: he/him/his
Podcasts
Stories
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Government
Onboarding progresses slowly for new Office of Independent Investigations
In Washington state's legislature, the killing of Manuel Ellis in March 2020 by Tacoma Police helped propel a police reform package of more than a dozen bills. One of those bills created The Office of Independent Investigations, or OII, which was signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee in 2021. This is the first office of its kind in the nation, with plans to train civilian investigators to watchdog the use of deadly force by police throughout the state.
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Health
As avian influenza outbreak worsens, local farms remain cautious
Washington lies along a major flyway for birds. Each winter, millions of migrating birds stop in in the state on their way somewhere else. That's a cause for concern as the United States experiences the worst avian influenza outbreak in its history, with more than 50 million birds dying from the virus.
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Environment
Where the wild things grow – a visit to the new UW greenhouse
If you’re riding your bike down the Burke Gilman trail through the University of Washington campus, you’ll cruise by a long row of glass buildings. Over the last three years, the University of Washington has been moving its extensive plant collection from its Botany Greenhouse in Redmond to this new 20,000-foot greenhouse on campus. This week, the University of Washington opens the upgraded greenhouse to the public.
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Arts & Life
Hear it again: Seattle's hip-hop scene and Puget Sound pirates
As we get ready to gather round the table with our families and friends, Soundside is bringing you a couple of our favorite stories about community.
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Arts & Life
Hear it again: A picture is worth a thousand words
This Thanksgiving week we’re revisiting some of our best stories of the year so far. Today, we’re looking back on our favorite segments about images and the stories they tell about us.
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Environment
Hear it again: How technology is mapping the unheard conversations of the natural world
When you step into a forest, or walk along a beach, there's a lot to take in – the sound of waves crashing against the sand, birds chirping to each other in the trees. But there's a lot we don't hear, and thanks to new technology, researchers are closer than ever to translating our natural world.
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Technology
As tech companies announce layoffs, the clock is ticking for immigrant workers
As the global economy begins to slow, companies are dialing down the risk factor, which means more layoffs. And many of those workers in the Puget Sound area are in the U.S. thanks to one document: an H-1B visa.
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Government
New Seattle council district maps will reunify some neighborhoods, split others
Every ten years, political district maps are reshaped based on the latest census data. Since 2013, that includes new district maps for Seattle City Council members. Growth throughout the city wasn't even, and in the case of Magnolia, some district lines won't fall evenly over traditional neighborhood lines.
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Government
As Washington transitions off of fossil fuels, where will new power come from?
Our energy infrastructure is increasingly stressed by growing demand, extreme weather and aging parts. In the Puget Sound area utilities are also ramping up to comply with a state law that will require all electricity to come from clean sources. Those demands are setting up a massive transition in where our energy comes from, and where it will go in the future.
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Spokane declares an emergency over its largest homeless encampment
At one point this summer, Camp Hope swelled to more than 600 people. Today, it's shrunk to around 450 people living in tents, RVs and makeshift shelter on a dirt lot by I-90. Local and state officials agree the camp should be cleared eventually. But just how soon, and where residents will go, is at the center of a months long battle.