Published March 06, 2025
By Christine Reed
The University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources (SER) will host the inaugural Critical Minerals Leadership Academy (CMLA) Aug. 3-10 in Laramie.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the CMLA will assemble future leaders with diverse backgrounds to build a strong domestic critical minerals network and contribute to the buildout of critical minerals industries.
“We are so excited to be launching the CMLA and hosting it in Wyoming,” says Erin Phillips, SER director of Cross-Cutting Programs. “Critical minerals and rare earth elements have taken center stage in discussions of national security, energy independence and technology innovation, and Wyoming is central to those discussions. We hope that the CMLA will attract some of the brightest, up-and-coming talent and help to establish a cohort of critical mineral experts across the country.”
With an interdisciplinary faculty, the CMLA 2025 program will consist of lectures, workshops and field excursions in Wyoming, highlighting conventional and unconventional critical mineral research and development.
Other partners supporting the program include the National Energy Technology Laboratory; KeyLogic; Entech Strategies LLC; and Wyoming industry partners.
“We are grateful for the engagement and support of industry to really enhance the opportunities and curriculum of this program,” Phillips says. “Participants will get to see, firsthand, the progress being made in critical minerals; interact with experts in the field; and discuss challenges and opportunities with their peers. We hope that we are able to generate more interest and grow the program into the future.”
Applications will be accepted from graduate students and early-career professionals invested in critical minerals research and development across the supply chain, including those working in geology, engineering, data analytics, business, community engagement, social science, law, policy and other disciplines. Applicants must have U.S. citizenship to be accepted into the program.
Submissions will be evaluated based on demonstrated interest and experience in critical minerals-related topics. The application window is open through Thursday, May 15, and successful applicants will be notified of their selection by email at the end of May.
Applications are now being accepted and can be found along with additional information about the program at www.uwyo.edu/ser/research/critical-mineral-leadership-academy/index.html.
