The Wyoming Innovation Partnership (WIP) was created at the request of Governor Gordon in 2021 to modernize and focus Wyoming’s efforts to develop a resilient workforce and economy. The effort aims to better align Wyoming’s economic development agenda by increasing collaborations between state entities and ultimately local partners. The partnership involves the University of Wyoming, the state’s community colleges, Wyoming Business Council, and Department of Workforce Services with an emphasis on developing innovative solutions that support and enhance Wyoming’s economy, workforce, and sources of revenue.
The School of Computing is a key University of Wyoming initiative that is contributing to the Wyoming Innovation Partnership, and which has received funds from WIP to accelerate the start up phase of the School and support its initiatives contributing to economic development. The School of Computing also partners with other University of Wyoming WIP projects, including the Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, and the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Tourism and Hospitality initiative.
The School of Computing is part of the Digital Infrastructure and Technology area of the Wyoming Innovation Partnership, which has four current components.
Digital Infrastructure and Technology
UW lead: Bryan Shader, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Needs and Opportunities: This area is targeted at meeting pressing needs and seizing opportunities related to computing and technology to help advance Wyoming’s economy and better equip Wyoming’s students for their 21st century careers.
Digital infrastructure and technology are critical to Wyoming’s economic development, our existing workforce, and Wyoming’s students who will be entering a job market that increasingly requires and rewards digital and technology skills. Economic development requires access to information, computing and data resources, cybersecurity and the skills and training necessary to create new and expand existing industries. Economic advancement across all sectors (Energy, Technology, Agriculture, Tourism, Education, Health Care, Advanced Manufacturing, Workforce etc.) will be reliant upon increased computing expertise and digital resources.
Overview: This component will jump-start the School of Computing (SoC) to immediately impact Wyoming students, corporate partnerships, and economic development. The School of Computing, approved by the UW Board of Trustees in January 2022, will serve as an engine to build training and education programs for college students in big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and their real-world applications. A corporate partners program will develop close research connections to Wyoming industries and work with the university’s new Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation to build a talent pipeline from K-12 to the workforce. The SoC, by design, creates the foundation and infrastructure of support for programmatic expansion across all 8 IHE’s through increased data computing and capabilities, creating opportunities for increased computational power in support of economic growth. The DIT SoC component will jump-start the SoC to immediately impact Wyoming students at UW and community colleges, corporate partnerships, and economic development.
1) School of Computing
UW lead: Gabrielle Allen, School of Computing
The School of Computing (SoC), approved by the UW Board of Trustees in January 2022, will serve as an engine to build training and education programs for college students in big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and their real-world applications. A corporate partners program will develop close research connections to Wyoming industries and work with the university’s new Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation to build a talent pipeline from K-12 to the workforce. The SoC, by design, creates the foundation and infrastructure of support for programmatic expansion across all 8 IHE’s through increased data computing and capabilities, creating opportunities for increased computational power in support of economic growth.
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2) Software Development
UW lead: Mike Borowzwak, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
The multi-phase Software Development initiative develops new pathways for Wyoming residents to earn credentials (certificates, Associates & Bachelor’s degrees) in multiple modalities (e.g., online, in-person, hybrid) from a consortium of institutions of higher education and industry partners. These new pathways, providing traditional, experiential, and collaborative learning opportunities, enable sustainable, controlled growth of a high-tech workforce in lock step with future high-tech job opportunities.
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3) DataHub
UW Leads: Jeff Hammerlinck, WyGISC and Ivan Gaetz, Dean of Libraries
The Wyoming DataHub will improve the discoverability, usability, and interpretability of research datasets, and thereby enhance Wyoming’s abilities to make policy decision, address issues of importance, and thereby enhance the research activities of faculty and students at the University of Wyoming and Wyoming Community Colleges and researchers at Wyoming state agencies and businesses.
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4) Fintech
UW Leads: Steve Lupien, College of Business
Overall Objective: This project develops a comprehensive curriculum offering an intriguing look into how blockchain innovation will affect industries, businesses, personal finance, and civilization at large. Students will gain a deep understanding of not only the broader societal and economic implications of blockchain technology, but how they, personally, will be impacted by this global paradigm shift towards digitalization and decentralization. This curriculum is designed for high schools, community colleges and continuing education students and is ideal for blockchain beginners who seek to understand the “big picture” implications and opportunities of blockchain and how it can impact their futures and Wyoming’s economic development - without all the technological complexities.
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