WIP lauded for creating statewide interdisciplinary student opportunity in vital industry while cultivating strategic and commercial partnerships

Governor Mark Gordon recently toured the Plant Growth and Phenotyping Facility at the University of Wyoming (UW) Center for Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). The Governor was briefed regarding the Center’s interdisciplinary course offerings, partnerships, and commercialization potential by Mike Baldwin, Greenhouse and Genotyping Manager; Parag Chitnis, VP, UW Research and Economic Development; and Curtis Biggs, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships. 

Following foundational support from the Wyoming Innovation Partnership (WIP), the established program attracted additional investment from the National Science Foundation (NSF). With the additional funding, the Center is able to bring together faculty, staff, and students from the College of Engineering and Physical Science, School of Computing, College of Agriculture, Life Science and Natural Resources, and College of Business, with the goal of developing a cross-disciplinary workforce for Controlled Environment Agriculture, industry, and community engagement.

“It is gratifying to see that ‘Wyoming’ is becoming synonymous with the word ‘innovation’ nationally and internationally. The interdisciplinary coursework at the Plant Growth and Phenotyping lab, and its internship opportunity serves students statewide who seek a career in controlled environment agriculture while still adding to innovation in conventional agriculture,” Governor Gordon said. “WIP’s investment planted seeds for new technologies and economic opportunities in Wyoming – and the impact from this initial investment is fostering new industry partnerships and commercialization opportunities. This is exactly what Land Grant Universities are meant to do.”

Launched by Governor Gordon in 2021, WIP is a collaboration to align education and workforce development and support innovation, entrepreneurship, and research to help drive Wyoming's economy. The UW Center for CEA utilized initial WIP funding to purchase phenotyping instrumentations, secure expert personnel and develop a new course — CEA Research and Internship — that enables students to engage with instructors from six different departments including: Plant Science, the Science Initiative and Botany; Electrical Engineering; Accounting and Finance; Family and Consumer Science; Engineering; and the School of Computing.

“The WIP-funded CEA project, led by Dr. [Carmela Rosaria] Guadagno in collaboration with Central Wyoming College, provides outstanding opportunities for workforce development and entrepreneurial activities in this exciting industry sector. The plant growth and phenotyping center is already attracting collaboration with small and large industries and developing collaborations with universities like the Ohio State University and Cornell University,”  Dr. Chitness said.

More information on the Wyoming Innovation Partnership can be found at https://wip.wyo.gov/