About the UW AI Initiative

The University of Wyoming’s AI Initiative is a bold, people-centered effort to shape the future of our state and beyond, empowering citizens and communities to thrive in an AI driven world. By addressing key industries like agriculture, engineering, energy, tourism, wildlife conservation, and rural healthcare, UW is ensuring that AI enriches lives and drives sustainable growth. As Wyoming’s only four-year university, UW is uniquely positioned to lead the way in inspiring and educating both AI innovators and users, building a resilient workforce rooted in our values and traditions. The aim of this initiative is to protect people, uplift businesses, attract investment and equip every student and community to lead in the global AI transformation, securing a prosperous future for all of Wyoming.

As we launch this Wyoming-centered AI initiative, we are excited by the opportunities it presents to partner with visionary leaders and innovators like you. Your engagement could shape the future of AI in Wyoming and beyond, from funding groundbreaking research projects to creating hands-on learning experiences for students or supporting industry-driven innovation efforts. Together, we can drive the growth of a resilient, AI-capable workforce, foster advancements across sectors, and position Wyoming as a leader in people-centered AI.

Featured Components

The School of Computing

Founded in 2022, The University of Wyoming School of Computing aims to provide University of Wyoming students, faculty and staff, as well as Wyoming businesses and citizens with the computational tools, skills and approaches to drive transformation and innovation in the state. The School of Computing champions broader efforts to make the University of Wyoming more digital, inclusive, interdisciplinary, and entrepreneurial through computing partnerships across Wyoming. Led by Director Gabrielle Allen, the vision of this new school is to create a unique and inspirational School of Computing with national impact and global reach, providing Wyoming and the world with agile and ethical computing professionals, empowered to address societal challenges that are inherently interdisciplinary.

The Masters in AI Program

A collaboration of the School of Computing and the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, this program aims to advance study and research in the field of AI including Explainable AI. It is designed to equip students with the necessary knowledge, skills, and expertise to understand, develop, and apply AI technologies in various disciplines. The program begins with foundational courses covering essential AI topics, such as machine learning, computer vision, and data mining. Students can choose from various elective courses based on their interests and career goals. These courses may include specialized topics like deep learning, natural language processing, reinforcement learning, neural networks, robotics, AI ethics, AI in healthcare, AI for business, and intelligent agents. There are two plans which offer different tracks for students. Electives allow students to deepen their knowledge in specific areas of AI that align with their research or professional interests. Throughout the second track (Plan B), students are involved in research projects supervised by faculty members or industry experts. These projects provide hands-on experience designing and implementing AI systems, conducting experiments, analyzing data, and addressing real-world AI challenges.

Masters of Science (MS) in Quantum Information Sciences and Engineering (QISE)

The MS in QISE is a critical component of the EECS department’s goal of developing a research program that is nationally and internationally competitive and relevant to Wyoming by focusing on a few specific areas that have
significant anticipated funding growth and economically disruptive technologies. Those areas are (a) modern power
grid data analysis and modeling, (b) Quantum machine learning, (c) Quantum security and Internet, and (d) Quantum
financing.

NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center (NWSC)

Opening its doors in 2012, the NWSC represents a collaboration between the National Center for Atmospheric Research
(NCAR) and the University of Wyoming. Through the Wyoming-NCAR Alliance (WNA), 320 million core hours of the Derecho System are available for Wyoming-led projects in the atmospheric, earth system, geological, any NSF support sciences and science areas of interest to Wyoming. The NWSC is the result of a partnership between the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, the State of Wyoming, the University of Wyoming, Cheyenne LEADS, the
Wyoming Business Council and Black Hills Energy. It is operated by NCAR under the sponsorship of the National Science Foundation. Located in Cheyenne, WY – just 45 miles east of the University of Wyoming, NWSC has had more than 4,000 users from more than 575 universities and other institutions across the national and overseas using its advanced computing and data storage resources.

NSF’s Major Research Infrastructure Track 2 Program

In August of 2024, the University of Wyoming announced being the recipient of a nearly $4 million grant to acquire state-of-the-art computing infrastructure from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The award for proposal titled Acquisition of Advanced Infrastructure to Accelerate Impact of AI Through Applications and Innovation for Wyoming (AI4WY) will provide significant resources to enhance computing infrastructure at UW. This support will improve UW’s ability to use artificial intelligence (AI) and high performance computing to solve problems in areas including the environment, energy, agriculture and public health. UW will have access to 75 percent of the new computing system’s capacity, with external partners Colorado State University (CSU) receiving a 15 percent allocation and the Rocky Mountain Advanced Computing Consortium -- composed of 33 institutions in the West, including UW -- receiving 10
percent.

Advanced Research Computing Center (ARCC)

The primary research computing facility for the University of Wyoming, ARCC provides centralized scientific computing resources, including HPC and research storage, and is a gateway to other research institutions within Wyoming and across the nation.

NSF Engines: Colorado-Wyoming Engine

The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced that the Colorado-Wyoming Engine was one of the inaugural NSF Regional Innovation Engines. Initially receiving up to $15 million for the next two years, this program aims to advance the region’s research and commercialization efforts focused on sensing, monitoring and predictive analytic technologies spanning methane emissions, soil carbon capture, earth sensing, water scarcity, wildfires and extreme weather. Key technology areas include disaster prevention and mitigation, advanced materials, advanced energy and industrial efficiency technologies, artificial intelligence, data and cybersecurity, robotics and advanced manufacturing.

Programs

Subsurface Energy and Digital Innovation (SEDI) is dedicated to innovative research and finding solutions to energy development challenges in Wyoming. A Center of Excellence at the School of Energy Resources, areas of focus for this new center include blockchain big data analytics for energy; machine learning; novel fluids for energy applications using artificial intelligence for laboratory-generated data; and virtual and augmented reality and digital twins.

The Center for Blockchain and Digital Innovation (CBDI) is an interdisciplinary center focused on emerging technologies to foster innovation, economic development, and education. Engaging multiple colleges in this work, the CBDI is formally partnered with the College of Business, the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences and the College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources.

The College of Law created an Entrepreneurship and Business Law Practicum with the assistance of private support. The mission of this practicum is to prepare Wyoming’s future lawyers in all areas relevant to strengthening Wyoming’s economy while providing pro bono legal serves to Wyoming’s entrepreneurs and small businesses. Major focuses of this practicum include building capacity for the state’s blockchain laws, keeping Wyoming’s blockchain and cryptocurrency laws on the cutting edge and ensuring that business and corporate laws that interface with these areas are the most modern and enabling in the work. Recognizing the evolution and growing importance of artificial intelligence, and its ever-increasing synergies with enabling blockchain technologies, the Practicum and its director are expanding their involvement in this area. The Practicum intends to expand this effort by devoting a unit of the Practicum’s semester to artificial intelligence, which will be taught by an already-identified international expert in the area.

The Center for Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) was established in February 2023. This new center aims to create technological innovations, develop transdisciplinary education and streamline the commercialization process in CEA. Engaged in this center are the College of Engineering and Physical Science, School of Computing, College of Agriculture, Life Science and Natural Resources, and College of Business.