By Parag Chitnis
The University of Wyoming is Wyoming’s land-grant university -- a designation grounded in federal legislation and the state’s constitutional mandate.
The Morrill Act of 1862 granted lands in each state to establish public universities for promoting “the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life.”
These universities were established with a tripartite mission of education, research and extension/engagement.
As Wyoming’s land-grant university, UW serves Wyoming by providing accessible, high-quality education; conducting research that directly addresses state needs; and engaging with communities and industries to promote prosperity.
Faculty, staff and students at UW conduct research across disciplines essential to Wyoming’s future.
Agriculture contributes $2.5 billion annually to the state’s economy.
As UW researchers project potential losses exceeding $100 million annually from invasive weeds in grazing and crop lands if left unmanaged, UW leads a multi-state team to devise strategies for controlling invasive species in the high plains’ rangelands and providing practical strategies for ranch management.
In another area, UW researchers recently launched a Controlled Environment Agriculture Network, bringing together scientists, producers and industry partners to develop food-production technologies suited to Wyoming’s weather.
These research directions address current needs of Wyoming’s agriculture and explore future enhancements and strategies.
UW’s research is discovering ways to enhance viability of Wyoming’s energy and mining sector.
At the Center of Innovation in Flow through Porous Media, researchers are identifying ways to enhance oil recovery from Wyoming’s geological assets.
In doing so, they are collaborating with and receiving funding from oil industry partners that operate in Wyoming.
At UW’s School of Energy Resources, innovative research is finding alternative uses for Wyoming’s coal and coal byproducts.
Additionally, UW’s faculty and students are addressing new opportunities in critical minerals exploration and processing as well as in uranium supply chain opportunities -- areas of growing strategic importance.
Natural resource management is another strength.
Animal migration research at UW focuses on mapping and understanding hoofed mammal migrations, with key areas including how animals learn their routes; the role of experience versus genetics; and ensuring that development can move forward in coexistence with important migration corridors.
UW researchers have led national and global initiatives in animal migration, while focusing on elk, mule deer, pronghorn and other ungulate migration in Wyoming.
This is one of the examples of UW’s commitment to advance knowledge about natural resource management so that Wyoming’s natural resources continue to serve its agriculture, energy and outdoor recreation industries while conserving them for generations of future Wyomingites.
Besides the research and economic engagement activities relevant to Wyoming’s industries, UW is conducting projects to improve quality of life in Wyoming’s rural and remote communities by research and engagement in areas such as rural health, business, tourism and hospitality, and law.
For example, UW’s Firearms Research Center recently received a federal grant to expand its educational activities about the Second Amendment, a topic close to Wyomingites’ hearts.
UW’s engagement work furthers our land-grant mission.
For more than a century, UW Extension has served every county, delivering science-based programming in agriculture, youth development and community well-being. Beyond that, Manufacturing Works assists Wyoming’s manufacturers in adopting new technologies and improving efficiency.
The Small Business Development Centers support entrepreneurs with planning, finance and market access. UW’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation enables entrepreneurship as a part of student education and experience. Similarly, UW’s IMPACT 307 fosters startup growth and innovation.
These engagement efforts are not peripheral -- they are integral. Research informs them; education prepares the trained workforce; and economic development grows from real partnerships with industry, government and community organizations.
The growth in UW’s research and service enterprise is impressive. The state’s generous support of UW not only allows it to ensure its education remains accessible, but it also provides foundations for its research and engagement/extension activities.
UW’s faculty, staff and students leverage this support. In fiscal year 2023, external grants and contracts for research and engagement activities totaled $120 million; in 2024, $150 million; and in 2025, the university received a record $183 million.
These resources support not only knowledge creation, but also practical benefits for Wyoming communities.
Thus, research and engagement activities are integral to the UW’s mission and contribute to the diversification of revenue sources and financial sustainability of the university. UW’s recent Carnegie R1 classification recognizes UW’s research excellence.
Education, research and engagement are not separate pieces -- they are woven together in UW’s DNA.
UW enriches student experiences through research and industrial internships, empowers communities through extension and technical assistance, and advances economic vitality through collaboration with industry and community organizations.
In classrooms and labs in Laramie, and across research sites around Wyoming, UW fulfills its original mission: providing accessible and affordable education for the public while conducting research and engagement to address Wyoming’s needs.
The University of Wyoming remains steadfast in its promise -- proudly Wyoming relevant, ardently nationally competitive and unquestionably globally preeminent.
Simply put, UW is -- and must remain -- the University for Wyoming.
Parag Chitnis is the vice president for research and economic development at the University of Wyoming.
