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:

UW geophysicist Thomas Minckley’s research tracking shifting vegetation was included in an overall Smithsonian Magazine article about the Natural Trap Cave in the Big Horn Mountains. UW’s collaborative work was featured with Julie Meachen, of Des Moines University, and Jenny McGuire, from Georgia Tech. UW’s Mark Clementz, UW Department of Geology and Geophysics chair, helped perform carbon isotope analysis on Minckley’s Natural Trap Cave work. Laura Vietti, an assistant research scientist in the department, and Clementz also both continue to conduct research at the cave, where researchers have attempted to uncover the secrets of what the Earth was like during the Pleistocene.

The Saturday Evening Post interviewed Holly Ernest, a UW professor emeritus of wildlife genomics and disease ecology, for an article that focused on hummingbirds and scientists who study them. Ernest is among a small number of researchers studying how hummingbirds cope with the extreme demands of their lifestyles.

Even though it is declining, coal is still a major industry in Wyoming and is not close to extinction, Holly Krutka, executive director of UW’s School of Energy Resources, said in an interview with Cowboy State Daily. The article focused on the Powder River Basin’s two largest coal-producing companies that still dominate production in the state but have been in decline the past decade.

The U.S. Geological Survey listed a number of recently completed or ongoing research projects -- including several involving UW scientists -- in a roundup of chronic wasting disease projects affiliated with the Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center. The center’s scientists work throughout the U.S. and the world on a diverse set of issues to support the safeguarding, understanding and management of public lands.

UW and Colorado State University are collaborating on a water quality and availability project titled “Scalable, data-driven water quality forecasting for municipal water supply.” The National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Advanced Sensing and Computation for Environmental Decision-making (ASCEND) Engine program in Colorado and Wyoming funds the project. NSF ASCEND has allocated $2 million for the latest seven projects in Wyoming and Colorado, according to Innosphere Ventures.

The Laramie Boomerang reported that UW leaders presented a consolidated budget overview for fiscal year 2026 during two days of budget hearings before the Board of Trustees last week. UW administrators also emphasized ongoing financial challenges driven by funding uncertainty, enrollment trends and shifting revenue streams.

Wyoming Public Radio interviewed Tara Righetti, co-director of UW’s Nuclear Energy Research Center, about the university offering a nuclear energy certificate for undergraduate and graduate students this fall.

In an MSN piece titled “Could coal plant landfills be the answer to the rare earths supply problem?,” an industry expert says it is essential that coal companies continue to collaborate with universities to research how to utilize coal ash to extract critical minerals. UW was mentioned among universities already conducting such research. The Washington Examiner originally published the article.

Western Livestock Journal published an article that focused on how ranchers are exploring options in carbon markets. The article quoted Ph.D. student Nicki Nimlos, who is lead author of a UW study focused on ranchers and carbon markets.

UW Extension published a new series of fact sheets offering practical advice on how to successfully establish and care for lawns and trees in Wyoming. According to a UW release published by The Wyoming Tribune Eagle, the guides are resources for longtime gardeners looking to update their landscapes and new homeowners who are just getting started.

Enterprise Grain Company and Tri-State Livestock News published UW’s release noting that the College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources appointed Doug Stark interim director of its Ranch Management and Agricultural Leadership Program. The program, which was launched in 2022, is designed to address contemporary workforce needs articulated by Wyoming agribusinesses.

Butler National’s Avcon Industries received an FAA supplemental type certificate for a variety of special-mission modifications to a National Science Foundation-UW Beechcraft King Air aircraft. Aviation International News reported that King Air is for environmental research.