An Overview

The Science Initiative Task Force was created in August, 2014 from a charge letter issued by Wyoming Governor Matt Mead. Successful University of Wyoming alumni and employers in pertinent science fields were appointed to the Task Force. After several meetings with the UW Campus Science Initiative Leadership Team, The Task Force submitted a Report to the Governor on January 6th, 2015 outlining a detailed plan to raise the science programs at UW to top-quartile status.

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The task force identified two phases for the development of the Science Initiative. Development of both phases is essential to move the core sciences at UW to top quartile status. The transformational impacts of Phase I are not dependent upon full implementation of Phase II. However, Phase II greatly magnifies the value, depth and  breadth of Phase I impacts.

 

Phase I

Transformative active learning classrooms will be built in the new Science Initiative facility and in other buildings on campus. These classrooms will enable all UW science majors - including future science teachers and 72% of students university-wide - to participate in highly interactive laboratory and classroom environments. These transformative classrooms will be fully leveraged with instructors trained for their use through the Learning Actively Mentoring Program (LAMP). The program will also train Wyoming community college instructors, UW students, and future K-16 teachers on the most effective use of active learning technques in science.

More top-quality faculty and students are ultimately required to elevate UW's science programs to top-quartile status. New innovative programs to recruit, train, and retain top tier students and faculty will be needed. The Wyoming Research Scholars Program (WRSP) matriculates top high school graduates from Wyoming and gives undergraduates early research involvement. The PhD Fellowship Program draws the best doctoral students from the US and worldwide, augmenting their training with strong research, teaching, and outreach components. The Faculty Innovation Grant Program will enable UW to attract and retain the nation's best faculty in emergent areas of science important to Wyoming while stimulating federal research funding.

The Legislature approved construction of a Science Initiative facility, which was opened in the Spring of 2022. Highlights of the facility include a large-scale active learning classroom with capacity for 200 students, state-of-the-art facilities to support innovation and research in advanced scientific imaging and integrative biology, and roof-top greenhouse facilities.

 

 

Phase II

Phase two includes plans for renovating vacated spaces in the Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Aven Nelson buildings along with the east wing of the Animal Sciences-Molecular Biology building. It also includes development of a new 4.3-meter telescope center on Jelm Mountain.

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Interested in giving to the SI? 

Learn more here: https://www.uwyo.edu/science-initiative/si-giving-page.html 

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