$1 Million Gift Creates UWYO International Wildlife Conservation

The University of Wyoming’s Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources received a proposed $1 million gift from an anonymous donor that would be used to establish the International Wildlife Conservation Chair, according to a UW publication.

The chair supports John Koprowski, Dean of the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources.

“I am honored to be honored by this legacy gift from a friend at Haub School, which has guaranteed the UW faculty an enduring role in expanding our impact on global conservation issues‘ says Koprovsky.

This endowed chair is established to honor the work and achievements of Koprowski, this year’s recipient of the prestigious Aldo Leopold Memorial Award – the highest honor presented by the Wildlife Society. Upon his retirement, the chair will be renamed the John L. Koprowski International Wildlife Conservation Chair.

The purpose of this gift is to inspire future UW grantees and create opportunities for their careers in international conservation. To better support these future scientists, the gift will be used to recruit and retain faculty members at the Haub School who have expertise in wildlife conservation.

This anonymous donation was structured so that other donors could help recognize Koprowski’s merits by making additional contributions.

While this gift will be funded in the future, a number of current gifts have recently been made to the Haub school. These directed donations go to the John Koprowski Excellence Fund, the John Koprowski Research Fellowship Fund, the John Koprowski Mongolia Research Fellowship Fund, and the Graduate Research Scholarship in Sustainable Landscapes and Livelihoods.

Koprowski’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally. He was named a Fellow of the Wildlife Society in 2014 and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2018; was elected a member of the Linnean Society of London in 2019; and will receive the Leopold Award this November.

He has written more than 200 peer-reviewed articles and books and worked with more than 50 graduate students to provide data-driven solutions to global conservation challenges.

Before joining UW, Koprowski taught wildlife conservation at the University of Arizona’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment. His focus has always been to empower students through interdisciplinary and experiential learning.

Koprowski has also conducted international courses in countries such as Ecuador, Mongolia, China and Italy. He has established long-term partnerships with universities and research institutes around the world, including University of Insubria (Italy), Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (Japan), Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University (China), National Institute of Biological Resources (South Korea) and Transfrontier Africa (South Africa).

Koprowski’s research philosophy has always been collaborative. It emphasizes community-based research aimed at increasing nationwide capacity for biodiversity conservation and management. His research not only included many projects in the United States, but also extended to China, Colombia, India, Mexico, Mongolia, Nepal and South Africa.

Koprowski is deeply involved in The Haub School’s efforts to advance the understanding and resolution of complex environmental and natural resource challenges in Wyoming, the West, and the world through its education, research, outreach, and collaborative problem-solving programs.

“Such a generous gift not only celebrates our tradition of excellence in wildlife research at the University of Wyoming, but also creates an opportunity for the Haub School and UW to be recognized as leaders in biodiversity management and ecological connectivity for decades to come.‘ says Koprovsky.