UW in the News

State, national and international media frequently feature the University of Wyoming and members of its community in stories. Here is a summary of some of the recent coverage:

UW political science Professor Jim King was interviewed by The New York Times for an article on how Wyoming residents are reacting to Rep. Liz Cheney being removed last week from her No. 3 chair position by U.S. House Republicans for her continued vocal criticism of former President Donald Trump. Yahoo! News reprinted the article. The Casper Star-Tribune (CS-T) also interviewed King on how Cheney can win back Wyoming voters.

The CS-T reported that the UW Board of Trustees approved the university’s plan to not require ACT or SAT scores from applicants for at least another academic year.

UW economist Rob Godby, in a K2 Radio interview, said that COVID-19 is driving up gas prices across the nation. He says more people are now on the road after the pandemic slowed production. Demand is outpacing production, which is driving up oil prices.

Godby also was interviewed by The Guardian for an article that focused on Wyoming lawmakers’ novel and controversial plan to protect the state’s mining industry -- to sue other states that refuse to take its coal.

FR24 News, a French government-owned international news and current affairs television channel in Paris, reported that UW Professor Tara Righetti will conduct research in that country this summer through the Fulbright Scholar Program. Righetti will study how the European state has transitioned its economy and culture away from the production of fossil fuels. Wyoming Public Radio published a similar article on its website.

UW President Ed Seidel presented more details on his “four pillars” in transitioning the university for the future during last week’s Board of Trustees meeting, reported The CS-T. The pillars are making UW more digital, more entrepreneurial, more interdisciplinary and more inclusive.

The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reported that, beginning this week, UW will further ease some COVID-19 requirements this summer as it transitions to a traditional fall 2021 semester. SweetwaterNOW published UW’s notification.

The mother-daughter duo Maria Montaño and Ada Montaño Mushati, from Sheridan, graduated together last weekend at UW. The two were featured in a UW release published in The Sheridan Press.

Buckrail and The Gillette News Record published UW’s feature on UW doctoral degree candidate Madison Ashworth, from Star Valley, who was part of a faculty-led team that earned national and international attention through its cutting-edge COVID-19 research.

UW Professor Michael Duff, a labor law expert, was interviewed in a Bloomberg Law article about the potential legal battle over whether federal law preempts state initiatives to aid unionizing in the cannabis industry, which could invalidate state measures.

The Wyoming Tribune Eagle published UW’s release noting that Stephen Newbold, an assistant professor of economics at UW, contributed to a study that demonstrates why keeping local lakes and other water bodies clean can deliver valuable social benefits both locally and globally.

UW economist Jason Shogren spoke with Wyoming Public Media about Wyoming halting expanded unemployment benefits. He said ending the assistance will encourage some residents to return to work, but it will make things more difficult for others.

The Jackson Hole News & Guide interviewed Matt Kauffman, director of the Wyoming Migration Initiative at UW, about the creation of the first-ever global atlas of ungulate (hooved mammal) migrations. An international team of 92 scientists and conservationists is working in partnership with the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, a United Nations treaty. U.S. News & World Report republished the article.

Last week, the UW Board of Trustees approved design plans for two new student residence halls, a dining facility and a parking garage. The Laramie Boomerang reported that the projects would total $250 million, which will be issued through bonds.

Wyoming Public Radio interviewed Jonathan Naughton, director of the Wind Energy Research Center at UW, for a segment on how Wyoming communities are handling conflicts over wind development.

The Sheridan Press mentioned UW’s Sheridan Research and Extension Center among entities that connect students and the community for an article, titled “Living in a College Town.”

UW researchers discovered that mule deer in the state represent three different genetic groups. The Wyoming Tribune Eagle and WyoToday.com published UW’s release on the study led by Professor Holly Ernest and doctoral student Melanie LaCava.

The Rocket Miner published an article noting that UW’s School of Energy Resources is among entities securing U.S. Department of Energy grants to study technology that removes carbon from industrial exhaust and uses it for other purposes, such as manufacturing.

UW Associate Professor Ellen Currano spoke with Wyoming Public Media about her difficulties searching for plant fossils in the midst of the pandemic last summer.

Oil City News published UW’s release announcing that Wyoming Public Media was awarded three Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards by the Radio Television Digital News Association.

A team from Central Wyoming College recently won the inaugural Wyoming Collegiate Business Ethics Case Competition hosted virtually by UW’s College of Business’ Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program. County 10 and WyoToday.com published UW’s release.

Hits 106 published UW’s release noting that UW’s Center for Professional Selling and the UW Ethics Club recently collaborated to raise money for four local nonprofit organizations. Laramie Live published a similar UW release.

UW-Casper will offer a new concentration in health services administration in its Bachelor of Applied Science program this fall. Oil City News and Wyoming News Now published UW’s release.

Laramie Live published UW’s release noting the hours researchers can access documents in person at the American Heritage Center beginning this week and early next month.

UW researchers are studying genetic disruptions that lead to infertility and diseases. Sheridan Media published UW’s release on the subject.

Wyoming News Now and Buckrail published UW’s release on the announcement that a new “COVID-19 in Wyoming” website has been created with residents’ photos and commentary about the pandemic.

UW agricultural economist John Ritten was co-author of a paper that shows climate variability will intensify in the Great Plains. The Eagle, in Bryan, Texas, published the article.

SweetwaterNOW reported that Green River students are among nearly 270 junior high and senior high school female students from across the state who will connect virtually for the UW-sponsored Women in STEM Conference this week.