UW’s Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station Honors Exceptional Staff, Researchers

The Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station (WAES) commended faculty, staff and students at its recent annual awards banquet. WAES is the research arm of the University of Wyoming College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources.

Those who received awards are:

-- Mike Albrecht, the farm manager of the Sheridan Research and Extension Center (ShREC), is one of two recipients of the 2026 Kathleen Bertoncelj WAES Outstanding Staff Award. This award is given to an exceptional WAES staff member in honor of a former WAES administrative assistant.

Albrecht consistently identifies needs on the farm and then finds effective ways to meet those needs, nominators report. He also serves as a mentor for new employees and has deep ties with the local agricultural community.

“Mike’s efforts, awareness and dedication to ShREC and our team are a significant part of what allows us to be successful in our efforts to serve Wyoming and its producers,” says Tyler Jones, interim assistant director of ShREC.

-- Kalli Koepke, sheep unit manager for the Laramie Research and Extension Center (LREC), also received the 2026 Kathleen Bertoncelj WAES Outstanding Staff Award. She was recognized for her leadership, work ethic and institutional knowledge.

Koepke has a talent for building relationships with others, including sheep producers; UW Department of Animal Science faculty members; and students of all ages, from 4-H’ers to doctoral candidates. 

As the sheep unit manager, Koepke facilitates research, teaching and outreach projects in addition to caring for LREC’s sheep flock. She consistently lends a hand with tasks outside of her job responsibilities.

“Kalli always emphasizes and advocates for things that will benefit not only the sheep unit, but LREC as a whole,” says Ben Hollinger, manager of the LREC beef unit.

-- Donna Harris, an assistant professor of plant breeding and genetics, was awarded the Early Career Research Award, given to a scientist with less than six years of experience directing independent research.

Harris, who joined UW in 2020, is based at ShREC. As a plant breeder, Harris has focused on crop qualities that are critical for local Wyoming producers, such as drought tolerance. She also conducts nationally and internationally relevant research.

“Her research is substantially broader in scope and more diverse than that of her peers at most other land-grant institutions,” says Andrew Kniss, head of the Department of Plant Sciences.

In addition to her broad research interests, Harris teaches courses, mentors students and serves as an active member of various professional research organizations.

-- Jerod Merkle, a UW associate professor of zoology and physiology, received the WAES Outstanding Research Award, given to an established scientist in the UW College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources. Merkle’s research focuses on wildlife biology, particularly ungulate migration and diseases.

“His work has transformed how scientists and managers understand the ecological function of large migratory wildlife, particularly big-game species that are central to Wyoming’s landscapes, economy and cultural identity,” says Amy Navratil, head of the Department of Zoology and Physiology.

Merkle is a prolific researcher, consistently leading unique studies with broad public relevance. His research helps land managers and policymakers strategically balance wildlife conservation with agricultural use and energy development.

Merkle helps students develop practical skills and gain an understanding of the “big picture.”

-- Zhaojie Zhang, a senior research scientist in the Department of Zoology and Physiology and director of the Integrated Microscopy Core (IMC) facility, received the WAES Outstanding Research Support Award for fostering high-impact, competitive research at UW.

The IMC facilitates interdisciplinary research focused on disease mechanisms and sensory biology. As director of the IMC, Zhang helps teach students and staff members advanced technical skills.

“His mentorship expands access to sophisticated research tools and helps cultivate the next generation of scientists serving Wyoming and the broader region,” Navratil says.

Zhang is reliable, personable and takes a genuine interest in student research, often remaining involved even after his part in a project has concluded. He also conducts his own independent research.

Two graduate students were recognized for impactful research featured in the 2026 edition of Reflections magazine, the annual research report of WAES.

Master’s student Marguerite Trost and doctoral student Kiet Tran are this year’s winners of the Lynn Feltner student researcher award. This award was created by former faculty member Cub Feltner to honor his late wife.

Trost is a botany student. She has conducted one of the first comprehensive surveys of plant life in the Kootenai National Forest, located in northwest Montana.

Tran, a molecular biology student, is investigating a way to fight cancer using modified listeria bacteria.

“Our Reflections graduate student awardees exhibited not only a keen ability to pursue meaningful, insightful research questions, but also to relay the story of that research in a clear, compelling way,” says Brian Mealor, WAES interim director. “It is a great pleasure to recognize their efforts.”

About the Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station

The Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station is the research unit of the University of Wyoming College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources. WAES conducts fundamental and applied research related to agricultural production, natural resource stewardship, economic development and community well-being. Founded in 1891, WAES remains committed to addressing the current and future needs of the state, region, nation and world through rigorous scientific investigation. In addition to supporting research on campus, WAES operates research and extension centers in Laramie, Lingle, Powell and Sheridan. To learn more, visit www.uwyo.edu/uwexpstn or call (307) 766-3667.