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:

The Casper Star-Tribune reported that UW continues to struggle with falling enrollment and retention rates. UW Provost Kevin Carman -- in a campuswide email -- noted the ongoing enrollment concerns, and an effort to solve what he described as UW’s “enrollment challenges” will be the focus for the university in the coming year.

The Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Appropriations Committee approved the Wyoming Gas Injection Initiative as a way to help diversify the state’s economy, according to Wyoming News Now. The UW-led initiative works to enhance petroleum extraction from underperforming sites.

Yahoo News, in an article focusing on expansion of the U.S. Supreme Court after the latest decisions made by the current justices, quoted UW College of Law Professor Stephen Feldman. He said the majority of the current court is conservative, which likely will spark discussions of court packing every June when the court typically releases its most important decisions of the term.

UW will receive nearly $1 million as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s $23 million in funding for projects on technology transfer and knowledge sharing to advance the deployment of carbon capture and storage solutions. UW’s funds will be for projects related to geological research, according to Rig Zone.

ABC News featured UW student Casey Spencer, from Sonoma, Calif., who recently visited Australia to take part in the Intercollegiate Meat Judging Competition, where contestants assessed the meat quality and yield of carcasses. Spencer said he wanted to learn more about the Australian livestock industry as part of the competition.

UW’s new School of Computing was featured in WyoFile. The article noted that the school is part of a statewide initiative to spur digital infrastructure and workforce development and retention, offering residents more chances to pursue digital degrees in the state.

Decrypt quoted Bradley Rettler, a UW philosophy and religious studies associate professor, for an article titled “New York City Spa Gets Heat for Heating with Bitcoin Mining.” Rettler, who spoke in favor of the business’s bitcoin practice, is part of the bitcoin research collective known as “Resistance Money” that features colleagues from different academic institutions.

Jo Albers, a UW College of Business Excellence Chair professor, was quoted in a Mongabay article about Dogger Bank, a sandbank in the North Sea that was designated as a marine protected area (MPA) more than a decade ago to conserve its sensitive seabed habitat. Albers researches MPA economics, mostly in low-income countries. Mongabay is a conservation news website that reports on environmental science, energy and green design.

WyoFile quoted UW Extension sheep specialist Whit Stewart for an article that focused on how last year’s harsh winter affected Western Wyoming sheep producers. Producers and experts met in Kemmerer last week to discuss issues facing the industry during the inaugural Wyoming Wool and Sheep Festival.

UW’s Foundation is among entities receiving Rocky Mountain Power Foundation grants -- given to nonprofits and community organizations -- that support education and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning opportunities. The UW Foundation grants will be for initiatives that have an impact on Wyoming residents, according to The Cheyenne Post.

County 17 published UW’s release announcing that the university and Wyoming partners will create a geologic database that will benefit carbon storage developers and regulatory agencies in the state. The collaborative project -- at a cost of nearly $2 million -- will be partially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Management.

UW Global Engagement Fellow Dilnoza Khasilova received recognition for her international outreach efforts to connect with alumni worldwide, Wyoming Public Radio reported. Khasilova was named to Almabase 50 Under 50 list, powered by Blackbaud Corp., which recognizes individuals nationwide for their work in alumni relations and advancement.

The Cheyenne Post published UW’s release noting new changes in the College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources. Kelly Crane, former director of UW Extension, is the new senior associate dean; Eric Webster, associate dean and director of the Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station, will serve as interim director of UW Extension; and Warrie Means will retire from his current position as the associate dean of academic and student programs. Christine Wade, associate professor of family and consumer sciences, will succeed him in this role.

A field tour intended to teach participants how to recognize and treat a fast-growing, invasive plant species -- Ventenata -- is scheduled to take place in Rozet this week. County 17 reported that UW is among the sponsors.

The Gillette News Record published UW’s release noting that nominations for the Wyoming Business Hall of Fame Award are now being accepted through Tuesday, Aug. 15. The winner will be recognized at the Governor’s Business Forum Nov. 13-15.

The Powell Research and Extension Center will host a field day this week where UW Extension personnel will share new agricultural research on drought-tolerant crops and alternative management strategies. The Powell Tribune published UW’s media release on the field day.

The Wyoming Tribune Eagle published UW’s release noting that the Wyoming Small Business Development Center Network will host a discussion that will help local residents evaluate holiday marketing strategies during a workshop this week.

UW personnel from the Geological Museum, and the Williams Conservatory were on hand for Dino Days at the Wyoming State Museum last week, according to The Cheyenne Post.

The UW Cowgirl tennis team received the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Team Academic Award, according to KGAB Radio. As a team, the squad must have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or above during the academic year. The Cowgirls -- who also had six Scholar Athletes named -- had a collective 3.57 GPA this past season.

K2 Radio reported that, for the 15th consecutive season, UW’s volleyball team was honored by the American Volleyball Coaches Association with the Team Academic Award for the 2022-23 season. The award is given to teams that post a cumulative team GPA of 3.30 or better for the academic year. UW boasted a team GPA of 3.55 and had five student-athletes with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

The College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America recognized eight UW swimmers and divers as second-team Scholar All-Americans, according to 7220 Sports. Second-team honorees need to possess an accumulated GPA of 3.5 or higher and achieve a “B” time standard for the NCAA Championships or competed in a Diving Zone Championship.