Planning for a School of Energy Resources at the
University of Wyoming
Myron B. Allen
VP for Academic Affairs allen@uwyo.edu
Background
Structure and key elements
Tentative budget
Process

Faculty Report-Drafting Team
Myron Allen, Academic Affairs, chair
Bill Gern, Office of Research
Steven Holbrook, Geology & Geophysics
Ed Barbier, Economics & Finance
Brian Towler, Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
Morris Argyle, Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
Mark Balas, Electrical & Computer Engineering
KJ Reddy, Renewable Resources
Jim Steidtmann, Institute for Energy Research
Consultants:
Norman Morrow, Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
Harold Bergman, School & Institute for ENR

2005 Legislature (Senate File 0001, Section 337):
“By October 1, 2005, the University of Wyoming shall develop an academic and financial plan for the development and operation of a proposed energy institute.”

Why an energy institute makes sense:
1.
Wyoming’s energy portfolio:
• The near term
• Oil (especially EOR)
• Gas (including CBM, unconventional reservoirs)
• Coal (including reclamation)
• Renewable energy resources

•The longer term
•Enhanced and improved oil recovery techniques
•Reclamation
•Coal Conversion
•Carbon sequestration
•Long-range electric transmission
•Local energy systems
•Nuclear power
•Oil shale

UW’s existing assets
• World-class Department of Geology & Geophysics
• Expertise in Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
• Strength in natural resource economics
• Expertise in underground flow modeling
• EORI and IER (externally funded)
• Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center
• RIENR (working groups in CBM water, EOR)
• Western Research Institute
• Support in other departments: Renewable
Resources, Ag & Applied Economics, Chemistry,
Electrical & Computer Engineering, other engineering departments

*UW currently offers the M.S. & Ph.D. in Petroleum
Engineering and a concentration in Petroleum Engineering as part of the B.S. in Chemical Engineering.
In fall 2005, UW’s administration will ask the Trustees to consider re-instituting the B.S. in Petroleum Engineering.

Mission and nature of a university:
1. Teaching is the first priority
• Bulk of intellectual resources are in mainstream academic departments.
• College deans tend to direct new resources to these departments.
• Teaching is our main vehicle for workforce advancement and outreach to the state and nation.
2. Research is how faculty members stay current.
• Research requires resources: money, students, postdocs.
• Administrators don’t have the expertise to control it.
• They do have the ability to steer it, using incentives.
3. Service is an essential part of the mission.
• It’s appropriate to dedicate resources to applied technology outreach and public policy support, to address the state’s needs.

President
Trustees
VP for Academic
Affairs

Director, Institute and School of ENR

Director,
International
Programs

Dean of Libraries

Director, Art
Museum

Director, AHC

Other directors
Director, School of Energy
Resources
7 College Deans

Agriculture

Arts & Sciences

Business

Education

Engineering

Health Sciences

Law

Distinguished faculty advisory panel
Director, School of Energy
Resources
VP for
Research
Technical
Advisory Board
Academic
Coordinator
Center for Energy
Outreach
Institute for Energy
Research

Distinguished faculty positions
• 12 fully funded senior faculty lines
• Targeted at teachers and researchers with national and international reputations, preferably new to the existing faculty
• Assigned to mainstream departments through a bidding process, overseen by the director of the school, VPAA, and VPR.
Departments likely to bid:
Geology & Geophysics
Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
Economics & Finance
Mathematics
Renewable Resources
Electrical & Computer Engineering

Academic Coordinator
(a faculty member with regular duties in addition to administrative duties)
1. Curricular coordination, undergraduate fellowships, and graduate assistantships to support interdisciplinary courses
2. Analysis and recommendations for new certification programs and degree options.
3. Management of distinguished teaching internships (high school & community college faculty)
4. Summer program for high school students.
5. Annual articulation with community colleges.

Center for Energy Outreach (new to UW)
1. Policy and technology analysis and planning
2. Consulting specialists (non-faculty scientists, engineers, economists, etc.)
3. Data sharing with agencies

Institute for Energy Research
1. Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute
2. Other externally funded, technology-specific research centers
3. Half-time funding incentives for faculty in mainstream departments
4. $1 million grant-matching pool
5. Permanently funded core research staff

One possible scenario:
Institute for Energy
Research
Technical
Advisory
Board
(external)
EOR
Commission
CBM Research
Center
Coal Conversion
Research Center
EOR Institute
(already exists)
Specific centers can change over time in response to emerging technologies, energy markets, and external funding

3. Rough budget (tentative so far)
Try to organize into 3 categories:
1. Academics
2. Research
3. Statewide service and outreach

CATEGORY BRIEF DESCRIPTION ANNUAL
BUDGET
$765,900 Academic
Coordinator’s office
Distinguished faculty chairs in energy resources
Academic Coordinator, staff, 18 undergraduate fellowships & 18 graduate assistantships
12 distinguished chairs, with fringe
& discretionary funds
Visiting professorships 2 visitors from industry or national labs, with moving and travel allowances
Distinguished teaching internships
3 teaching interns from Wyoming schools or community colleges, with moving and travel allowances
Summer program for high school students
2 faculty members, 2 undergraduate mentors, and travel, room, and board for 16 students participants per year
Subtotal
$3,312,000
$600,000
$303,000
$63,600
$5,044,500

CATEGORY BRIEF DESCRIPTION ANNUAL
BUDGET
$518,550 Institute for Energy
Research
Half-time faculty appointments
Startup assistance
Postdocs, technicians, equipment, grant matching funds, and office support
9 half-time appointments, with summer stipends and fringe
Funds to help college deans to hire in targeted areas
Grant matching pool Funds to provide institutional matching required for research grants from some federal agencies
Subtotal
$1,230,296
$500,000
$1,000,000
$3,248,846

Statewide service & outreach
CATEGORY
Center for Energy
Outreach
Consulting specialists
Director’s office
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Director, editor, staff, released time, with fringe and support
4 full-time scientists and engineers to provide technical consulting and short courses
Director, staff, fringe, support. (Director also administers IER)
Subtotal
ANNUAL
BUDGET
$561,000
$432,000
$513,100
$1,506,100

BUDGET SUMMARY
CATEGORY
Academics
Research
Statewide service & outreach
TOTAL
ANNUAL BUDGET
$5,044,500
$3,248,846
$1,506,100
$9,799,446

4. Process
1-day meeting with small group of industry stakeholders and legislators
Next draft developed by faculty team
Mailing to
Trustees & small group
Review and comment by broader group of industry representatives, and stakeholders. Draft posted on website.
June
July
August
Other industry input as recommended by Joint
Minerals Committee. Ongoing revision
Draft submitted to UW Trustees
Final report submitted to Governor and Minerals
Committee, 1 Oct 05
Note: Drafts mailed to chairs of the Joint Minerals, Business, and Economic Development Committee at each stage.
September