The University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources will broaden its selection of educational programs by offering two new certificate programs starting fall 2023 semester– Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) and Land Administration.
The Wyoming Legislature created the School of Energy Resources to help promote clean and efficient energy in Wyoming.
“We exist because of a state statute, so the Wyoming Legislature actually dictated in a state law that the school of energy resources needed to exist,” said Kamie Donnelly, Academic Director for School of Energy Resources.”[The] guidance that they gave us are outreach, education and research to benefit Wyoming energy,”
“We’re one of the largest energy producing states in the United States,” Donnelly said of Wyoming.
CCUS has gained significant popularity recently among energy departments and UW’s newest certificate is the second of its kind within the United States following Colorado School of Mines, according to Donnelly.
“CCUS and hydrogen are pretty much the buzzwords right now in the field of energy,” she said.
Donnelly feels that UW offers a competitive program when compared to the School of Mines.
“Ours are undergraduate level and there’s specifically only focus on the engineering,” Donnelly said of UW in relation to Colorado School of Mines’ similar programs. “There’s also less credits because of that. Ours certainly gives a more well-rounded view.”
CCUS and Land Administration programs are run as two separate programs at the university, however energy companies have long seen the programs as only one job.
“We’re trying to encourage companies to think of that as two different jobs, because the certificate could really prepare students to be able to go straight into the field,” said Donnelly.
Donnelly noted that CCUS and Land Administration programs are in high demand among energy companies.
“The job need for these two things is so high,” Donnelly said.
