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:

Bloomberg Law quoted UW law Professor Sam Kalen for an article on how the U.S. Department of the Interior plans to consider drilling’s effect on the climate when making oil and gas leasing decisions. This may allow officials to scuttle fossil fuel projects while still complying with court orders.

Recent UW graduate Megan Andersen published an article in the peer-reviewed journal Ecology and Evolution. Wyoming Public Radio interviewed Andersen about her research that sheds light on the value of badger burrows, among other findings.

Wyoming Public Radio also interviewed UW Athletics Director Tom Burman on how his department has COVID safeguards in place for the upcoming sports seasons. Among topics Burman discussed were testing among players and budget cuts.

UW Professor Jeff Beck told a state panel that Wyoming should adopt a species-specific permit system for sage grouse hunting to better account for the fall take. WyoFile noted that Beck’s comments came during a recent Wyoming Sage Grouse Implementation Team meeting.

Newsweek published an op-ed piece from UW Assistant Professor Bradley Rettler and Andrew Bailey, of Yale-NUS College (Singapore), focusing on why world governments should invest in the Bitcoin network.

PacifiCorp, Wyoming’s largest utility provider, announced its biennial Integrated Resource Plan will include substantial investment in renewables and no new investment in coal or natural gas. UW economist Rob Godby commented on the decision in a Casper Star-Tribune (CS-T) article.

Wyo4News, Wyoming News Now and The Gillette News Record published UW’s release noting that a total of 42 students and employees so far had tested positive for COVID-19 in required testing to start the fall semester, with a test positivity rate of 1.19 percent. The CS-T carried a similar story.

UW Extension recently published the 2021 Wyoming Specialty Crop Directory, which is divided up by county and has nearly 800 listings. Wyoming Public Radio published UW’s release that quoted Cole Ehmke, UW Extension specialist in rural entrepreneurship and project coordinator.

The CS-T published an article, titled “Campbell County officials bemoan lack of state guidance amid fossil fuel decline.” The article noted that the county has collaborated with state entities, such as UW’s School of Energy Resources, on a number of large projects. Those include the Wyoming Innovation Center and the CarbonSAFE Project, both of which, if successful, will help with the transition from thermal coal.

A UW student, who asked to not be publicly identified, will receive up to $4,500 in tuition and fees after winning the first grand prize in a drawing for UW students who have reported being vaccinated for COVID-19. Sheridan Media published UW’s release on the announcement.

WyoToday Media published UW’s release noting that three UW students -- a current student and two recent graduates -- completed internships at Idaho National Laboratory this summer as part of the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships program. Another recent UW graduate just started an internship at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo.

The fourth annual Wyoming Blockchain Stampede, featuring the Wyohackathon, is Sept. 21-26 at UW. Wyoming News Now published UW’s release noting that the event also will be livestreamed for audiences around the world.

Oil City News published UW’s release noting that the university’s Western Thunder Marching Band will perform at halftime of the Oil Bowl -- the Natrona County-Kelly Walsh high school football game -- Sept. 17 at Natrona County High School.

UW law Professor Michael Duff discussed how 48 percent more people across the nation will travel this Labor Day weekend and the impact that will have on small businesses. Duff also offered insights on WalletHub’s three-day holiday weekend survey.

SweetwaterNOW published UW’s release announcing a stethoscope ceremony for the latest class of WWAMI medical students. WWAMI is a five-state consortium (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) that provides medical training to students.

David Kruger, UW agricultural research librarian, had his article on business leader Mil Batten, the former chairman and CEO of the J.C. Penney Co., published in the latest issue of Partners. The magazine is for retirees and former associates of the J.C. Penney Co.