Published July 12, 2022
By Christine Reed
The School of Energy Resources (SER) recently welcomed Francis “Frankie” Vogt to the financial team.
At the heart of all research and operations, the financial team represents the ‘unsung heroes’ of SER, and is depended upon heavily for support, reporting, accurate financial data, and project management. Vogt, will join their ranks to keep pace with the expanding projects in SER.
A native of Powell, Wyo., Vogt brings with him three years of experience working within the UW financial system, having previously served as both an accountant and the business manager for the Office of Global Engagement.
Prior to his role in the Office of Global Engagement, Vogt fulfilled an internship with SER while completing his master’s degree in accounting from UW in 2019. Before transferring to UW to complete his bachelor’s degree in 2018, he attended Northwest Community College.
“Frankie is a stellar performer -- his knowhow and capabilities have helped him quickly climb the ranks at UW and we are so pleased to have him join the financial team at SER,” says Rachel Ferrell, SER Director of Business Operations. “I am thrilled to welcome Frankie back in this new role. SER is doing some exciting work and I am confident that Frankie will take the team to new levels.”
In order to keep up with the mounting research efforts, the business team has grown to manage all of the budgets and expenses that come with the influx of state and federal grants for important energy innovation.
In his new position, Vogt will predominantly be working on state-funded projects as well as special appropriations. He will manage multiple accounts for the research Centers of Excellence, and in particular, will work directly with the newly launched Hydrogen Energy Research Center (H2ERC).
“I am excited to be working from start to finish on the Hydrogen Energy Research Center,” says Vogt. “I’ll get first-hand experience in seeing how things develop, the outcomes we achieve in the Center, and where it will go in the future. “It is interesting to work with the different fund streams and see how everything works together to advance a new technology and achieve a collective goal.”
Vogt will also support the rest of the financial team and help train and mentor student workers.
“I really enjoyed my time here during my six-month internship – especially the atmosphere and the people,” adds Vogt. “Working in accounting is very behind the scenes, but when you manage expenses you get to see the stages of the research and be a part of it. Coming from Wyoming, energy is such a huge part of our identity and I am proud that I will play a role in bringing some of these technologies to life for the benefit of the state.”