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:

The Casper Star-Tribune (CS-T), Cowboy State Daily, The Laramie Boomerang and Wyoming Public Radio reported that the UW Board of Trustees voted to require masks indoors for students, staff and faculty through at least Sept. 20 because of the surge in the Delta variant of the coronavirus. The Gillette News Record, K2 Radio, Wyoming News Now, KGAB Radio and Hits 106 carried similar stories.

Laramie Live reported on UW’s fall semester plan that includes required COVID-19 testing for all returning students, faculty and staff before the start of classes next week. The National Governors Association included UW’s vaccination efforts for a roundup in rural state COVID-19 strategies.

UW economist Rob Godby was interviewed for an episode of “Resources Radio,” a weekly podcast from Resources for the Future. He discussed some of the issues Wyoming faces because of shifting energy priorities, including struggles with economic diversification, underfunded education services and concerns that an energy transition will bring hardship for local communities.

The Gillette News Record, Sheridan Media and KGAB Radio published UW’s latest release on mule deer research. Professor Holly Ernest was part of a research group that examined a single genetic mutation tied to slowing the progression of chronic wasting disease in mule deer.

UW Associate Professor Shane Murphy was among scientists who produced a study that found tiny particles in wildfire smoke affect the way droplets form in clouds, potentially resulting in less rain and exacerbating dry conditions that fuel fires. AGU noted findings from the study in a news release.

Study International profiled UW doctoral student Anas Alrejjal, from Jordan, who studies traffic safety, traffic engineering, transportation planning, traffic analysis, geometric design and transportation analytics. He aims to use research to reduce the number of vehicle crashes.

Laura Vietti, museum and collections manager for the UW Geological Museum, recently led a student group to four Kemmerer fossil fish quarries. Wyoming News Now published UW’s release on the educational field trip that focused on past Eocene lake environments.

Wyoming News Now and The Wyoming Tribune Eagle published UW’s release announcing that Kevin Monteith, a UW associate professor and Wyoming Excellence Chair in the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, recently received the Pope & Young Club’s Lee Gladfelter Memorial Award for wildlife research.

Jeremiah Vardiman, a UW Extension educator in Park County, discussed with The Cody Enterprise drought conditions in the Big Horn Basin.

County 10 covered UW’s “The World Needs More Cowboys” community event last week in Riverton. The Sundance Times published a related article noting that a similar community event will be held in Hulett this week.

UW Professor Tim Considine’s study that estimated the economic loss from President Joe Biden’s pause on oil and gas permits was cited in a WyoFile story. The article noted the number of rotary rigs drilling in Wyoming has tripled since the president’s leasing pause.

SweetwaterNOW published UW’s release announcing that some university medical students are interviewing at-risk and underrepresented residents to help increase health care access across the state. The project is one of five projects selected as part of the Grand Challenges Initiative created by UW.

UW’s School of Energy Resources will offer a new minor in energy resource management this fall, according to a university media release published by Wyoming News Now. The new minor will allow more undergraduate students to gain access to specialized energy instruction to supplement and enhance their education.

The Boomerang reported that 21 high school students from across the country lived on the UW campus for three weeks last month to participate in the fifth annual STARTALK Arabic language program. The event is an immersive language and culture program.

Lack of food, habitat and toxic gases released by wildfires led to the high numbers of bird deaths across Western states and may lead to more this fall, according to UW-led research. The research was published in the journal GeoHealth, and the article appeared in The CS-T.