In this episode of Energy Frontier: The Wyoming Landscape, Dr. Erin Phillips, Director of Cross Cutting Programs and Acting Senior Director of Research at the School of Energy Resources (SER), sits down with Dr. Simon Pimblott, a world-renowned authority in nuclear science. From his award-winning work at the University of Manchester to his current role at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Dr. Pimblott has seen the evolution of nuclear energy from every angle. We dive deep into his new role as the newest member of the Advisory Committee for SER’s Nuclear Energy Research Center, and Dr. Pimblott shares why he believes Wyoming is uniquely positioned to lead the next generation of energy production and how the partnership between INL and UW will cultivate the workforce of tomorrow.

In this episode of Energy Frontier: The Wyoming Landscape, Dr. Erin Phillips, Acting Senior Director of Research at the School of Energy Resources, sits down with legal scholars Tara Righetti and Scarlett Forrest in SER’s Jurisprudence of Underground Law and Energy (JOULE) research group to talk about why the accompanying legal scholarship is so critical in emerging energy technology development and opportunities, and delve into a prime example, spent fuel storage.

In this episode of Energy Frontier: The Wyoming Landscape, Dr. Erin Phillips, Acting Senior Director of Research at the School of Energy Resources, visits with Dr. Ashli Tomisich the Director of Student Success and Experiential Learning in SER’s Academic Program, and the Assistant Director at the University of Wyoming’s Ellbogen Center for Teaching and Learning (ECTL) to talk about the value of experiential learning and mentorship opportunities in higher education. Drawing on over a decade of career counseling experience and her personal scholarship in experiential learning, Ashli delves into the transformative power of industry mentorship, and why the next generation of energy leaders is being built through peer-to-peer support.

In this episode of Energy Frontier: The Wyoming Landscape, Dr. Erin Phillips, Acting Senior Director of Research at the School of Energy Resources, sits down with long-time SER employee and Acting Executive Director, Scott Quillinan to talk about his journey from research to leadership at the School of Energy Resources.

This episode of Energy Frontier: The Wyoming Landscape introduces Dr. Erin Phillips, Director of Cross-Cutting Programs and Acting Senior Director of Research, at the UW School of Energy Resources as the new host of the podcast. For Dr. Phillips' debut, she sits down with the outgoing Executive Director, Dr. Holly Krutka, for a reflective and insightful conversation as Dr. Krutka steps away from her role at SER. Join us as we honor Dr. Krutka's tremendous impact and officially pass the torch to Dr. Phillips, who will now guide the conversation on the ever-changing Wyoming energy landscape.

In this episode of Energy Frontier: The Wyoming Landscape, we sit down with Anthony Nickens, Division Director of Materials & Manufacturing at Idaho National Laboratory. We explore how INL is advancing critical minerals research, bridging the gap between lab and industry, and enabling resilient supply chains for energy and minerals security. Anthony shares lessons from national lab–university–industry collaborations, the technological frontiers in mineral separations and processing, and how Wyoming might play a pivotal role in the nation’s mineral future. Along the way, we talk workforce development, pilot scale challenges, policy needs, and what it takes to turn scientific promise into impact on the ground.

In this episode of Energy Frontier: The Wyoming Landscape, we sit down with Dave Emery, former Chairman and CEO of Black Hills Energy and member of the Energy Resources Council, to talk about his journey from a University of Wyoming engineering student to leading one of the region’s most influential energy companies. Emery shares insights on leadership, the evolving role of electric utilities, and why Wyoming’s commitment to innovation—through the School of Energy Resources (SER) and statewide collaboration—matters more than ever. His reflections on teamwork, mentorship, and vision provide a powerful lens on what it means to lead through change in today’s energy landscape.

In this episode of Energy Frontier: The Wyoming Landscape, we sit down with Joe Leimkuhler, Chief Operating Officer of Beacon Offshore Energy and a proud University of Wyoming alum. Joe's career started in Laramie classrooms and took him to the forefront of offshore oil and gas development in the Gulf of America. He now oversees complex deepwater projects and operational leadership at Beacon.

As chair of the UW Department of Energy and Petroleum Engineering Industry Advisory Committee, Joe also plays a vital role in shaping the next generation of energy leaders. He shares his perspective on the value of a UW education, the lessons learned over decades in industry, and his views on leadership in high-stakes environments.

Finally, we explore why Joe gives generously of both his time and resources to the University of Wyoming — and why he believes alumni involvement is key to preparing students for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow’s energy landscape.