NSF Offers University of Wyoming Chance to Operate Cheyenne NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center

The National Science Foundation has offered the University of Wyoming the opportunity to submit a proposal to operate the NCAR‑Wyoming Supercomputing Center in Cheyenne, the North Range Business Park site that houses the Derecho supercomputer, the agency announced Feb. 12. Michael England, identified as NSF head of media affairs, told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle via email that NSF "has offered UW the opportunity to submit a proposal for operations of the supercomputer," and he would not disclose what other agencies were offered the chance.

The Cheyenne facility runs hardware focused on climate and weather modelling and supports researchers nationwide. ResearchProfessionalNews reports the center is used by around 1,500 researchers from more than 500 universities across the country, and NCAR’s Computational and Information Systems Laboratory provides computing resources, services and support to more than 500 universities and research institutions, one of which is the University of Wyoming.

The NCAR‑Wyoming Supercomputing Center feeds data into the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, supplying climate model output that those agencies use to predict storm severity and inform responses to climate-related hazards. That modeling underpins forecasting and emergency planning that affects Wyoming communities and national research on storms and climate change.

The facility’s computing systems have been updated through multiple generations of machines. Yellowstone became operational in 2012 and was used through 2017, a system called Cheyenne ran until 2023, and the current Derecho system "has been active for the past two years." University of Wyoming President Edward Seidel spoke at the Derecho inauguration on Aug. 18, 2023, an event photographed by Alyte Katilius of the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.

NSF signaled that management and operations are expected to transition to an external or third-party operator, but the agency has not released a timeline, evaluation criteria, or the identities of any other invited proposers. Michael England told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle he "could not disclose what other agencies were offered the opportunity to submit a proposal for operations." Calls to NCAR’s Boulder facility and NCAR‑Wyoming were not returned at the time of publication.

UW told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle that "The supercomputing center and the Derecho NSF‑supported computing facility within are great assets for the university and state, and UW is a heavy user of the computer. We are closely following the process laid out by the NSF for next steps, and have conveyed our interest in playing an appropriate role to support it in the future."

Reporting on related federal decisions provides political context. Datacenterdynamics noted earlier reports that plans to dismantle NCAR were first reported in December 2025 and that those moves were thought by some reporters to be driven, in part, by President Donald Trump’s dislike of Colorado Governor Jared Polis. Yahoo pointed out the NSF announcement came two months after the Trump administration announced plans to shut down NCAR’s Mesa Laboratory in Boulder.

Key questions remain for Cheyenne users and Wyoming stakeholders: NSF has not published a formal request for proposals or a schedule, NCAR had not responded to outreach, and the identity of any future third-party operator is unknown. This story will be updated when NSF posts a formal RFP or when UW or NCAR provide further detail.