News May 2020

The CS-T interviewed UW economist Rob Godby, who discussed the continuing decline of Wyoming’s coal industry. He said as long as the COVID-19-induced recession and surplus of electricity generation continue, demand for coal is going to be weak.

County 17 quoted Godby on how a combination of COVID-19 and falling coal prices led to the layoff of 300 Powder River Basin miners in one day.

UW economist Chuck Mason was quoted in a University of Pennsylvania media release on plunging oil prices and what they mean for U.S. producers.

The Harvard Crimson interviewed UW economist Jason Shogren for an article on Harvard’s goal of achieving a carbon-neutral endowment. Gathering emissions data and evaluating available carbon sequestration technologies may pose logistical and environmental challenges for the university, according to the article.

Wired cited research by a team of UW economists for an article, titled “How Much Is a Human Life Actually Worth?,” that focused on the U.S. economy reopening amid a deadly pandemic. The paper, “The Benefits and Costs of Using Social Distancing to Flatten the Curve for COVID-19,” was written by Linda Thunstrom, Stephen Newbold, David Finnoff, Jason Shogren and graduate student Madison Ashworth, from Star Valley.

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed that the U.S. was as unprepared as experts feared, given the responses to the Ebola scare in 2014, according to several economists, including UW’s Jason Shogren, David Aadland, David Finnoff and Alexandre Skiba, reported Medical Xpress and Science Daily. The economists wrote the article that first appeared in EcoHealth, an international journal that addresses health and sustainability challenges.

Forbes interviewed a number of oil and gas experts, including UW economist Charles Mason, who said they expect America’s oil and gas sector to rebound once demand by consumers begins to rise.

UW economist Rob Godby is quoted in a Financial Times story about how the coronavirus pandemic is accelerating the decline of the coal industry.

A UW economics team noted that, even if a vaccine for COVID-19 is developed and made widely available, about 20 percent of Americans will likely decline to receive it. The Wyoming Tribune Eagle and KGAB Radio published UW’s release.

Anne Alexander was named the acting UW provost and vice president for academic affairs. The Boomerang noted that Seidel selected Alexander for the position.

Anne Alexander was named the acting UW provost and vice president for academic affairs. The Boomerang noted that Seidel selected Alexander for the position.

Coal Zoom interviewed UW economist Rob Godby for an article focusing on Arch Coal’s decision to move away from thermal coal.

The Washington Post interviewed UW economist Linda Thunstrom for an article, titled “The government has spent decades studying what a life is worth. It hasn’t made a difference in the COVID-19 crisis.” Thunstrom and her UW colleagues have published extensively on the subject the last two months. Insurance Journal and London’s The Independent published similar articles.