2021 News Releases

December 21, 2021 — The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management recently granted up to $644,000 for the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources (SER) to assess the economic impacts of fossil energy production in Wyoming and evaluate opportunities and research needs to deploy clean hydrogen technologies.

December 20, 2021 — The University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources (SER) has selected UW’s Tara Righetti and Caleb Hill as co-directors for the new Nuclear Energy Research Center (NERC) of Excellence.

December 13, 2021 — The University of Wyoming’s School of Energy Resources (SER) and 9H Research Foundation are collaborating on a $4,000 student research energy competition.

December 10, 2021 — The winter commencement ceremony is a major milestone for the School of Energy Resources (SER). This year, SER will celebrate graduates in the Energy Resource Management and Development (ERMD) degree program, acknowledge past alumni, and the day will also mark the occasion of the first graduate to complete the minor program that was launched in fall 2021.

December 8, 2021 — Research scientists Ying Yu and Garrett Gay from the UW School of Energy Resources (SER) Center for Economic Geology Research (CEGR) were selected to attend the 2021 Research Experience in Carbon Sequestration (RECS) program.

December 6, 2021 — The Center for Energy Regulation & Policy Analysis (CERPA) at the School of Energy Resources (SER) has posted two new working papers to its working paper series.

December 2, 2021 — The Great Plains Institute’s Matt Fry will speak about the Wyoming Pipeline Corridor Initiative (WPCI) during a webinar Wednesday, Jan. 19, at 1:30 p.m.

December 1, 2021 — A recent article on carbon storage written by researchers in the School of Energy Resources (SER) was presented at the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC).

November 16, 2021 — Two University of Wyoming faculty members -- one current and one former -- have made Clarivate Analytics’ list as two of the world’s most highly cited researchers in the field of chemical and petroleum engineering.

November 12, 2021 — Researchers at the UW School of Energy Resources’ (SER) Center for Economic Geology Research (CEGR) recently deployed a series of microseismic sensors as part of the ongoing baseline monitoring operations for the Wyoming CarbonSAFE Project.

November 12, 2021 — Two University of Wyoming research teams have been named Phase 1 semifinalists of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) American-Made Geothermal Lithium Extraction Prize, a $4 million competition designed to advance technologies and techniques to support direct lithium extraction from geothermal brines.

November 12, 2021 — The University of Wyoming Energy Resources Council (ERC) will meet at 7:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 19, at Laramie’s Hilton Garden Inn.

November 11, 2021 — The University of Wyoming will receive funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as a subawardee in a collaborative grant proposal with Baker Hughes Energy Transition LLC to develop innovative solutions and uses for coal waste.

November 10, 2021 — A team of students from the University of Wyoming is a winner of the Carbon Removal Student Competition funded by XPRIZE and the Musk Foundation.

November 5, 2021 — The University of Wyoming (UW) School of Energy Resources executive director Holly Krutka is one of twelve judges serving on the selection panel for the XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition incentivized and funded by Elon Musk and the Musk Foundation.

November 5, 2021 — Women in science technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields have made significant strides in recent years to increase representation and participation. The School of Energy Resources (SER) is proud to facilitate the critical role of girls and women in the scientific and technological communities through the Energy Resources Management and Development (ERMD) degree.

October 30, 2021 — School of Energy Resources Professor of Law, Tara Righetti, will represent the University of Wyoming at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference.

October 29, 2021 — The School of Energy Resources (SER) is seeking proposals from current University of Wyoming faculty members to co-direct a Nuclear Energy Research Center (NERC).

October 14, 2021 — SER Welcomes Karolina Klatka as New College Relations Representative

October 14, 2021 — Jeffrey Eppink will speak about ambient seismic imaging (ASI) during a webinar Thursday, Oct. 28, at 1:30 p.m.

October 12, 2021 — The University of Wyoming will once again be hosting UW Giving Day! Spearheaded by the UW Foundation, UW Giving Day is an annual UW tradition that raises thousands of dollars in a single day for students and programs across campus.

October 5, 2021 — The School of Energy Resources (SER) is pleased to welcome Garrett Gay to the Center for Economic Geology Research (CEGR) as the newest research scientist on the team.

October 4, 2021 — Kami Danaei is the new academic director for the School of Energy Resources (SER) academic program at the University of Wyoming.

September 28, 2021 — The School of Energy Resources (SER) was pleased to host members of the Wold family and representatives of the Wold Foundation on September 24.

September 21, 2021 — The School of Energy Resources (SER) wrapped up a successful weekend of events in celebration of energy at the University of Wyoming. The weekend was represented by a series of events including a presentation from Dr. Glen Murrell of the Wyoming Energy Authority, campus and building tours, and a networking reception in anticipation of the UW Football game on Saturday, Sept. 18.

September 20, 2021 — The University of Wyoming’s School of Energy Resources (SER) has received a generous donation from The Anschutz Corporation to help launch the school’s new Hydrogen Energy Research Center (HERC).

September 16, 2021 — The University of Wyoming’s School of Energy Resources (SER) and the UW College of Law’s Center for Law and Energy Resources in the Rockies (CLERR) will virtually host the 2021 Landscape Discussion on Energy Law and Policy in the Rockies Conference Friday, Oct. 8.

September 15, 2021 — The global disruption produced by climate change will place further stress on the world’s freshwater supplies due to higher temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and increases in human population, according to John Hoberg. This is expected to result in half of the world’s population facing freshwater shortages by 2030.

September 10, 2021 — The University of Wyoming’s School of Energy Resources (SER) is celebrating the 8th Annual Energy Day in partnership with UW Sports Properties on Saturday, Sept. 18 at War Memorial Stadium as the Cowboys take on the Ball State Cardinals.

September 9, 2021 — Representatives of the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources (SER) and The Williams Cos. Inc. recently met on campus to discuss the UW school’s initiatives and development opportunities, as well as the energy infrastructure company’s clean energy strategy in Wyoming.

September 8, 2021 — School of Energy Resources (SER) Executive Director Holly Krutka will be discussing issues related to gender norms and the problematic gender gap as relates to education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in an event presented by Build Mothers, Build the World.

September 2, 2021 — The University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources (SER) is hosting two ‘Pathways to Net Zero’ workshops for local Wyoming communities to discuss goals, needs, and concerns in achieving a net-zero energy mix for Wyoming.

September 1, 2021 — The School of Energy Resources (SER) was honored to host Occidental Petroleum Corporation (Oxy) CEO, Vicki Hollub, for a brief visit to campus on Friday.

September 1, 2021 — After nearly a decade affiliated with the School of Energy Resources (SER), Dr. Heng Wang will be departing to assume a new faculty position at the Chengdu University of Technology in China.

August 23, 2021 — The School of Energy Resources (SER) is pleased to welcome Dr. Stefan Holberg into the Center for Carbon Capture and Conversion (CCCC).

August 17, 2021 — The School of Energy Resources (SER) will be hosting an exhibitor booth at the NAPE (North American Prospect Expo) Annual Summit in Houston, Tex.

August 12, 2021 — The University of Wyoming’s School of Energy Resources (SER) will offer a new minor in energy resource management (ERM) starting this fall.

August 5, 2021 — The University of Wyoming Energy Resources Council (ERC) will meet at 7:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 20, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Laramie. The regular meeting will be offered in person and also by Zoom.

August 4, 2021 — Isaac Boettcher, an Idaho Falls, Idaho, senior in the School of Energy Resources (SER), recently conducted fieldwork to survey methane emissions as part of an internship with the Center for Air Quality (CAQ) at the University of Wyoming.

July 30, 2021 — The School of Energy Resources (SER) is pleased to welcome Dr. Minh Nguyen into the Center for Economic Geology Research (CEGR).

July 19, 2021 — hursday, July 29, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. MDT. The panel gathers leading experts in an emerging energy technology and related policy to examine the use of hydrogen as part of the worldwide decarbonization strategy – and why Wyoming could be an early leader in its deployment.

July 8, 2021 — The University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources’ (SER) Center for Economic Geology Research (CEGR) -- along with Basin Electric Power Cooperative -- will host a public outreach meeting at the Integrated Test Center at Dry Fork Station in Gillette at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3.

July 1, 2021 — School of Energy Resources Professor of Law Tara Righetti recently published an article about the carbon storage future of public lands in the Pace Environmental Law Review, a top ranking law journal for environment and natural resources.

June 29, 2021 — The School of Energy Resources' (SER) Emma-Jane Alexander and J. Fred McLaughlin are part of collaborative teams that were among the selected projects of the Grand Challenges Initiative spearheaded by UW’s Office of Research and Economic Development.

June 28, 2021 — Five collaborative projects aimed at providing multidimensional benefits to the University of Wyoming and the state are moving forward with funding from a new program in UW’s Office of Research and Economic Development.

June 21, 2021 — The University of Wyoming has recognized the exceptional scholarship and teaching of four UW professors by naming them Wyoming Excellence Chairs.

June 21, 2021 — The University of Wyoming has recognized the prodigious work and efforts of Associate Professor Dario Grana by naming him the Wyoming Excellence Chair in Geology and Geophysics.

June 10, 2021 — The Carbon Capture and Conversion Center of Excellence (CCCC) at the School of Energy Resources (SER) recently migrated the coal solvent extraction pilot plant from the Energy Innovation Center (EIC) laboratory site where it was commissioned, to a new dedicated off-campus location.

June 8, 2021 — The School of Energy Resources (SER) is pleased to announce the promotion of two senior research professionals within the organization, Mr. Scott Quillinan and Dr. Fred McLaughlin.

June 3, 2021 — SER Executive Director Holly Krutka is one of 42 Wyoming citizens selected for the Leadership Wyoming Class of 2022.

June 3, 2021 — The University of Wyoming Energy Resources Council (ERC) will meet at 7:30 a.m. Friday, June 18, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Laramie.

June 2, 2021 — Gov. Mark Gordon and the Wyoming Energy Authority Executive Director Glen Murrell will speak about the state of the state’s oil and gas industry and its future during a webinar Tuesday, June 22, at 10:45 a.m.

May 25, 2021 — The UW School of Energy Resources (SER) Center for Energy Regulation & Policy Analysis (CERPA) will host a panel on nuclear energy, along with its partners – Boise State University’s Energy Policy Institute (EPI), the University of Michigan’s Fastest Path to Zero Initiative, Idaho National Laboratories (INL) Emerging Energy Market Analysis (EMA) Initiative and the UW Haub School for Environment and Natural Resources.

May 17, 2021 — A University of Wyoming chemistry professor recently was selected to receive the Physical and Analytical Electrochemistry Division David C. Grahame Award from The Electrochemical Society (ECS).

May 14, 2021 — A student profile of one of our 2021 graduates. A nontraditional student, White Eagle–SoundingSides was already a wife and mother to two beautiful daughters when she enrolled at the University of Wyoming (UW). After taking a smattering of courses over the years at the community college level, she was finally able to commit to school full-time and realize her dream of a degree.

May 5, 2021 — Tara Righetti, a professor in the University of Wyoming’s School of Energy Resources (SER) and College of Law, has received a Fulbright Scholarship to conduct research related to energy transitions. She will conduct research at the Centre de Recherche Droits et Perspectives du Droit -- Center for Legal Research and Perspectives in Law -- at the University of Lille College of Law in France.

April 30, 2021 — Long-time School of Energy Resources (SER) employee Pam Henderson is retiring after over 20 years of service at the University of Wyoming (UW).

April 30, 2021 — The University of Wyoming will receive nearly $3 million from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for research focused on expanding and transforming the use of coal and coal-based resources to produce coal-based products, using carbon ore, rare earth elements (REE) and critical minerals (CM).

April 29, 2021 — Sophomore Molly Murnane of Annapolis, Md., is a student in the Energy, Land, and water Management concentration.

April 19, 2021 — Students in Professor Bruce Parkinson’s Solar Energy Conversion class took advantage of a sunny spring day this semester to conduct a solar energy challenge as part of their course work. The fun project is a highlight in the course where students are divided into teams, and venture out on a day with no clouds for a little friendly competition.  

April 15, 2021 — Members of the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources (SER) Energy Resource Council (ERC) will meet from 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Friday, April 16, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Laramie.

April 14, 2021 — Each year, students from in the Professional Land Management (PLM) Concentration at the School of Energy Resources (SER) take a field trip to Casper to attend the monthly hearings before the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (WOGCC) and sit in examiner hearings. Due to Covid-19, this year students were able to participate remotely.

April 12, 2021 — The School of Energy Resources is pleased to announce Dr. Kami Danaei as the new Academic Advising Manager.

April 9, 2021 — Charles Nye, a Research Scientist at the School of Energy Resources’ (SER) Center of Economic Geology Research (CEGR) spent time in the field during March to install soil gas monitoring systems in an effort to advance the $33.1 million Wyoming CarbonSAFE project. The project, which is in its third phase of development, seeks to determine the feasibility of subsurface carbon storage in the Powder River Basin.

April 9, 2021 — The School of Energy Resources (SER) Director of Research and Communications, Scott Quillinan is featured on WyomingPBS’ Wyoming Chronicle Segment that will debut tonight. The show will air tonight at 7:30 p.m. MDT, again on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. MDT, and Sunday at noon MDT on the WyomingPBS network. It is also available to watch on the WyomingPBS YouTube page and the PBS Cove Player.

April 8, 2021 — A recent collaborative study from the Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute (EORI) and the University of Wyoming Department of Atmospheric Science has shown that methane leak rates from abandoned oil and gas wells may constitute a significant portion of a state’s emissions inventory.

March 30, 2021 — Saman Aryana is the first Occidental Chair in Energy and Environmental Technologies in the University of Wyoming’s School of Energy Resources (SER).

March 23, 2021 — A University of Wyoming senior research scientist has made important field contributions in the use of the POD sampler, an instrument used to accurately sample pollution levels.

March 22, 2021 — In order to efficiently utilize the talents and expertise across UW, SER brings together faculty and graduate students from multiple disciplines by funding COE’s throughout campus. This approach allows SER to support faculty that develop important energy research programs to benefit the state. Most recently, SER has directed support to the Wind Energy Research Center (WERC).

March 4, 2021 — The Wyoming Energy Authority (WEA), the University of Wyoming’s School of Energy Resources (SER), and the Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute (EORI) studied the environmental and economic impacts of proposed policy initiatives that suspend or restrict new leasing and drilling for fossil fuels on federal lands.

February 24, 2021 — Learn about one of our top students in the Professional Land Management concentration of our academic program, Paige Trent. Paige is one of the most visible and prominent advocates for the Energy Resources Development and Management (ERDM) degree at the School of Energy Resources (SER).

February 23, 2021 — A project funded by the University of Wyoming Campus Sustainability Committee (CSC) and UW Operations has resulted in safer, more energy efficient lighting in the Guthrie House.

February 16, 2021 — The School of Energy Resources (SER) is pleased to welcome a new research scientist among its ranks in the Center for Economic Geology Research (CEGR). Dr. Ying Yu of Xi’an, China joined the department in February 2021.

February 10, 2021 — A fixture of Wyoming’s oil and gas industry for nearly a quarter of a century will continue under the leadership of the University of Wyoming’s Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute (EORI).

February 9, 2021 — The Center for Energy Regulation & Policy Analysis (CERPA) at the School of Energy Resources (SER) has posted a new working paper to its working paper series.

January 28, 2021 — The University of Wyoming School Energy Resources (SER) Center for Energy Regulation & Policy Analysis (CERPA) is hosting a webinar roundtable discussion with legal and economic experts in the state to examine the recent executive orders released from the White House suspending energy leases on federal lands.

January 22, 2021 — Commissioned by the Wyoming Energy Authority (WEA) in December of 2020, University of Wyoming energy economist Tim Considine of the School of Energy Resources (SER) conducted a study exploring potential scenarios affecting energy development with the change in federal administration.

January 21, 2021 — The School of Energy Resources highlights some of the incredible research scientists working on groundbreaking energy projects for the state of Wyoming. Read all about the incredible work of research scientists Erin Phillips and Davin Bagdonas in the Center for Economic Geology Research.

January 14, 2021 — The Shell 3D Visualization Center (Viz Center) in the Energy Innovation Center, has launched a new 2.0 format and is actively seeking project development partners, both old and new, to support dynamic and innovative teaching and research activity. The 3D Viz Center 2.0 welcomes UW faculty and staff interested in utilizing visualization, data capture, 3D asset creation, and software-development as part of research or teaching grant application to raise their interest and join in collaboration.

January 13, 2021 — SER released a request for proposals (RFP) for seed research funding to be completed in the Spring 2021 semester. The ultimate goal of this seed funding is to support small projects and therefore enable the principal investigators to have sufficient information and tools to pursue external research grants, ultimately growing the foundation of work focused on Wyoming-energy driven economic development.