Published January 30, 2024
Dear Friends of the College of Arts & Sciences,
Please enjoy the first 2024 edition of the College of Arts & Sciences Monthly Newsletter.
We have an exceptionally robust list of accomplishments this month. In this issue of our newsletter, you will learn about research happening in A&S that is making international headlines, student and faculty accomplishments at this year's Wyoming Press Association Conference, and upcoming events in the college.
I hope your New Year is off to a terrific start. As always, thank you for your support of the College of Arts & Sciences.
Most Sincerely,
J. Scott Turpen
Anthropology Professor's Research Makes International Headlines
The oft-used description of early humans as “hunter-gatherers” should be changed to
“gatherer-hunters,” at least in the Andes of South America, according to groundbreaking
research led by a University of Wyoming archaeologist.
Archaeologists long thought that early human diets were meat-based. However, Assistant Professor Randy Haas’ analysis of the remains of 24 individuals from the Wilamaya Patjxa and Soro Mik'aya Patjxa burial sites in Peru shows that early human diets in the Andes Mountains were composed of 80 percent plant matter and 20 percent meat. To read more on this research that's making international headlines, click here.
AHC Interns Win Awards at Wyoming Press Association
American Heritage Center interns Hazel Homer-Wambeam (Theater and Dance), Rhiannon
McLean (SPAIS), and Liam Leslie (Education) won two awards at the Wyoming Press Association
for their Stan Lee exhibit. The exhibit is based on the AHC’s extensive collection
of materials donated by Stan Lee during the course of 30 years of his career. The
exhibit will open May 1, 2024. Read more about this exhibit here.
Assistant Professor Selected to Speak at Annual Wyoming Press Association
Bobby Model Photojournalism Professor Shane Epping was invited to speak at the 125th
Wyoming Press Association Annual Convention in Casper Jan. 19. His presentation was
entitled: “Photojournalism: Visual Story Telling.” Three of his photos were also recently
selected for an exhibit at the Northwest College Professional Photo Contest and Exhibition
in Powell, WY. The exhibition will be on display from Feb. 6 to March 22, 2024, in
the SinClair Gallery inside the Orendorff building on the NWC campus.
Criminal Justice and Sociology Research Featured in AARP Bulletin
Associate Professor Jamie Snyder and Assistant Professor Katelyn Golladay’s (Criminal
Justice and Sociology) article, “It Happened Again: Differences Between Single and
Repeat/Poly-Victimization Among Financial Fraud Victims” was featured in the December
23rd AARP bulletin on fraud.
History Professor Serves on the Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion
Associate Professor and History Department Head Jeffrey Means recently spent time
in Washington, D.C.; he is one of 19 veterans who were chosen to serve on the Defense
Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion by the White House. The committee just
met to finalize their yearly report to congress and the president.
Professor of Visual Arts Work Exhibited in Multiple Galleries
Professor Ricki Klages, of the Visual Arts Department, is part of an exhibition, "Fantastische
Figurationer," at Galerie Knud Grothe, Charlottenlund, Copenhagen, Denmark in February.
Klages also has 19 paintings on exhibit at William Havu Gallery in Denver, CO, which will hang Jan. 26 through March 6.
Communications and Journalism Student Gives Keynote Speech at Wyoming Press Association
Student Ashton J. Hacke, the recipient of the 2023 Larsh Bristol Photojournalism Fellowship,
was the keynote speaker at the Annual Wyoming Press Association Conference in Casper.
Hacke spent summer and fall 2023 documenting what modern community journalism looks
like. Traveling from newsroom to newsroom across the state of Wyoming, Hacke spent
his time capturing stories of the ups and downs of modern print media, and the people
keeping community journalism alive today. When he finished presenting, he received
a standing ovation. Hacke will share his presentation at 5 p.m., Feb. 16, in the Coe
Library, Room 506. His pictures will be on display for a month after that on the third
floor of the Coe installation space.
School of Politics, Public Affairs, and International Studies Begins Fulbright Research
Associate Professor Tom Seitz (School of Politics, Public Affairs, and International
Studies) is now on his research Fulbright to the Association of South East Asian Nations
(ASEAN). He is spending the first three months in Bangkok as a visiting fellow at
Chulalongkorn University and then three months at Brawijaya University in Malang,
Indonesia. He is researching comparative democratic transitions.
School of Politics, Public Affairs, and International Creates Lasting Partnerships
Stephanie Anderson is using her Seibold to find ways to create lasting partnerships
with foreign universities and to recruit students to UW. Here they are in Vientiane,
Laos with their former student Jina Duangdaophet, who studied political science and
international studies last spring on a special State Department scholarship. She had
a wonderful time in Laramie where she saw snow for the first time and skied!
UW Singing Statesmen Perform in Casper and Spokane, WA
The University of Wyoming Singing Statesmen offered an invited performance for All-State
Band, Choir, and Orchestra students at the Wyoming Music Educators Association conference
in Casper, WY, on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024. Additionally, they performed at the Northwest
American Choral Directors Association Convention in Spokane, WA, on Wednesday, Jan.
24. Their performance was at the Myrtle Woodson Performing Arts Center on the campus
of Gonzaga University. The receptive audience was filled with choral directors (public
school, college, church, and community) and collegiate choristers. Their performance
represents UW at this regional conference and includes Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon,
Washington, and Wyoming.
Choral Conducting Graduate Student Selected to Take Part in Masterclass
Emily Peterson, a graduate student in choral conducting at the University of Wyoming,
participated in the Northwestern American Choral Directors Association's conducting
masterclass with the renowned Dr. André J. Thomas. The event took place in the historic
Fox Theatre in Spokane, WA. Peterson was one of only two graduate students from the
region (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming) selected to conduct
in this prestigious event.
UW Psychology Faculty Earn Accolades
Assistant Professor of Psychology Kasey Stanton has been awarded the Walter G. Klopfer
Award from the Society for Personality Assessment (SPA) for distinguished contributions
to the literature in personality assessment. Specifically, he was recognized for the
best empirical paper of the year in the Journal of Personality Assessment. The title
of his paper was “Focusing Narrowly on Model Fit in Factor Analysis Can Mask Construct
Heterogeneity and Model Misspecification: Applied Demonstrations across Sample and
Assessment Types." The paper gets chosen/voted on by the editor and editorial board
of JPA. Additionally, Psychology Professor Cynthia Hartung has a new role as associate
editor of the Journal of Attention Disorders.
“Who are We…When the World Goes Wrong?” - Feb 22 at 12:15 p.m.
Do you wonder how to make your way in today’s world? The Center for Global Studies is hosting a mini-conference focused on resilience for students, faculty, and our wide community. Join the Center for Global Studies on Feb. 22, from 12:15, in Coe 506 for this event that will feature panels and resilience training.
Crouching Tiger Concert - Feb. 29 at 7:30 p.m.
A Grammy and Oscar winning concerto. A symphony by the dean of African-American composers.
An overture by one of the greatest Italian opera composers. Have such varied and fascinating
scores ever been combined into one concert? Come hear them yourself, as the UW Symphony
plays their Crouching Tiger concert on February 29, at 7:30 in the Buchanan Center
Concert Hall. Learn more and purchase tickets here.
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If you need to update your information, please click here. Additionally, you can contact the foundation directly by calling toll free (888) 831-7795 or (307) 766-6300 or emailing the foundation at foundation@uwyo.edu.
