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:

Forbes magazine mentioned UW’s early enrollment increases due to a generous financial program for unemployed and underemployed citizens of the state. The article focused on enrollment increases at some large universities during the ongoing pandemic.

UW paused its phased fall return plan after five students tested positive for COVID-19 last Wednesday, The Casper Star-Tribune (CS-T) reported. The pause, a period of five business days, will allow university leaders to examine the outbreak and determine next steps. Laramie Live, Wyoming Public Media and Sheridan Media also reported on the pause.

In a related story, The CS-T interviewed Chad Baldwin, UW associate vice president for communications and marketing, about what would happen during and after the five-day pause.

Nearly 50 UW students were quarantined last week after seven students tested positive as a result of off-campus gatherings, The CS-T reported. KGAB Radio, Cowboy State Daily and The Gillette News Record published similar articles.

County 17 published an E&E News article about repurposing abandoned coal mines for renewable energy projects in West Virginia and Wyoming. UW economist Rob Godby said in the article that former mining sites come with their own sets of considerations and challenges.

The Washington Post and Oil City News published an Associated Press story about a study that UW and others conducted that examined potential carbon-capture economics at four Wyoming coal-fired power plants owned by PacifiCorp.

UW law Professor Michael Duff discussed a National Labor Relations Board-related case brought on by a meatpacking worker seeking to oust his union. Duff’s comments were among interviews for an article in Law 360, titled “4 Labor Cases To Watch In The End Of 2020.”

Yahoo! Finance published a WWD article, titled “Retail Workers Face Rough Road in Corporate Bankruptcies.” Duff was quoted in the article. He said that workers “don’t have a seat at the table when discussions are being held regarding bankruptcy policy.”

UW Professor Merav Ben-David, the Democratic candidate in Wyoming’s U.S. Senate race, was featured in “A Guide to All the Women Who Could Help Flip the Senate Blue in 2020.”

Cowboy State Daily reported that UW is among agencies that helped introduce 700 endangered toads at four different sites around Laramie. Reptiles Magazine published a similar article.

A team of UW students has compiled the largest-ever catalog of quasars, Wyoming Public Media reported.

The Powell Tribune noted that local students are among the incoming WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) Medical Education Program class.

Four women truck drivers participated in a Louisa Swain memorial convoy last week to recognize Swain’s historic vote Sept. 6, 1870, Truckers News reported. The convoy’s schedule included stops at UW’s War Memorial Stadium and Wyoming Women’s History House in Laramie last weekend.

The Powell Tribune published a guest column by Erin Stoesz, the Wyoming State Science Fair director and an assistant lecturer in UW’s Science and Math Teaching Center.

UW Extension is offering a free online course designed to help people build successful community improvement efforts, Sheridan Media reported.

The Fence Post and Environmental News Network published UW’s release noting that UW researchers are working to unravel the mystery of why horn flies target some cattle over others.

UW history Professor Renee Laegreid spoke with The Coloradoan about how women in the West were voting more than 50 years before the 19th Amendment passed. Laegreid also spoke about the subject in a Coloradoan podcast.

Wind River Radio Network published UW’s release announcing the launch of the university’s second annual Wind River Startup Challenge last week.

A UW life science team has received a $6 million National Science Foundation grant that will help focus on understanding the genes in organisms and how those organisms interact with their surroundings, reported Wyoming Public Radio.

County 10 published UW’s release announcing that the Sky People Higher Education Scholarship has reached $100,000, thanks to Sky People Higher Education, the Northern Arapaho Business Council and an anonymous donor.

Reinette Tendore is the new program director of UW’s Native American Education, Research and Cultural Center. In the same UW release, published by Oil City News, Caskey Russell has been named the new director of the Native American and Indigenous Studies Program and the associate director of the School of Culture, Gender and Social Justice.

Wyoming Public Radio interviewed UW Western Thunder marching band member Kaycee Stevenson on how the cancellation of the fall football season has affected her and her bandmates.

The story of UW’s Black 14 football players was among episodes on CBS Sports that told the experiences of Black athletes on a program, titled “Portraits in Black,” reported The Shadow League.

The CS-T reported that 14 former UW football players made NFL rosters as the season opens this week.