Desert Research Institute

A person uses a camera to photograph a desert landscape with large boulders under a clear blue sky.

Two people outdoors, one smiling close to the camera wearing sunglasses and a cap, and the other sitting on a large rock in a desert landscape, focusing on the environment.

Person taking a selfie with a smartphone in a desert landscape, with large rocks featuring petroglyphs in the background.

Person photographing a large rock with the word "JVA" written on it, in a desert landscape.

The archaeology team is in the field! They’re using new tools to explore and capture Nevada’s beauty in a whole new way.

✨ Learn how tech is transforming discovery—join us at the Las Vegas Curiosity Lab: The Possible Unknown Nov 5, 6:30 p.m. 🎟 bit.ly/clthepossibleunknown

#CuriosityLab #DiscoverDRI

New Study Reveals Alarming Groundwater Declines Threatening Nevada's Ecosystems DRI's Dan McEvoy is a researcher with the Western Regional Climate Center, and he recently co-authored a new study showing the declining groundwater levels in Nevada. He worked with scientist Laurel Saito with The Nature Conservancy to address risks and...

Groundwater in #Nevada is under growing threat, with nearly 40% of thousands of wells analyzed across the state showing significantly declining water levels, according to a  study published in the Hydrological Processes. bit.ly/nvgwdeclines
@nature.org @danmcevoy.bsky.social #Groundwater #Drought

✨The View from Here: Stories of Perspective and Discovery
📅 Oct 22 | 6:30 p.m. | DRI Reno Campus
Discover how new perspectives spark discovery with stories from Eric Wilcox & Michael Branch.

🎟️ Get your tickets: bit.ly/clviewfromhere
#CuriosityLab #DiscoverDRI

DRI Recognizes Ashley Cornish as the 2025 Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award Winner for Women in Atmospheric Sciences DRI is pleased to announce that the 27th annual Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award for Women in Atmospheric Sciences has been awarded to Ashley Cornish of the University of Georgia. The Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award for Women in Atmospheric Sciences is an ...

The Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award for Women in #AtmosphericSciences has been awarded to Ashley Cornish from the @universityofga.bsky.social. She received this award for her paper “The Impacts of Plant Physiological Responses to Rising CO₂ on Humidity-Based Extreme Heat.” bit.ly/2025wagneraward

Scientists Successfully Recreate Wildfire-Induced Thunderstorms in Earth System Models for the First Time The breakthrough enhances scientific understanding of the dangerous storms and their long-term impacts on the climate. The research, published September 25th in Geophysical Research Letters, represents the first successful simulation of these wildfire-i...

In 2020, California’s Creek Fire grew so severe that it began producing its own weather system. These wildfire-born storms have become a growing part of fire seasons across the West, with lasting impacts on air quality, weather, and climate. bit.ly/firethunder #ScienceThatMattersNow #Wildfire

Join us Oct 16 at DRI's Reno Campus for AWE+2025 Collaborative: Exploring wildfire’s cascading impacts—heatwaves, flooding, droughts—and driving urgent, cross-sector action for resilience.

Register now: www.dri.edu/awe

AWE2025 #WildfireResilience #ScienceThatMattersNow

Underground research in Nevada may shape NASA's search for extraterrestrial life The Nevada System of Higher Education secured a $750,000 grant from NASA's Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research for the study.

Thank you to the @lasvegassun.bsky.social and reporter @hillarylvsun.bsky.social for a terrific story on research into underground ecosystems that could inform the search for life beyond Earth. Read the story: bit.ly/drinasa #NSHE #NASA #DiscoverDRI #UNLV #UNR

✨The View from Here: Stories of Perspective and Discovery
📅 Oct 22 | 6:30 p.m. | DRI Reno Campus
Discover how new perspectives spark discovery with stories from Eric Wilcox & Michael Branch.

🎟️ Get your tickets: bit.ly/clviewfromhere
#CuriosityLab #DiscoverDRI

Diving headfirst into a pilot study looking at the effects of heat and wildfire smoke - The Nevada Independent Diving headfirst into a pilot study looking at the effects of heat and wildfire smoke. Read more from The Nevada Independent.

Thank you to @thenvindy.com, Indy #Environment newsletter, for the terrific article on DRI’s Heat & Wildfire Smoke Research Project in Washoe County. Read the story: bit.ly/pilotwildfiresmokestudy #ScienceThatMattersNow #WildfireSmoke #WashoeCounty

The equipment has arrived! Stay tuned to see how DRI archaeologists are using new technology to capture Nevada’s beauty.

✨ Experience the story behind this innovation at the Las Vegas Curiosity Lab: The Possible Unknown on Nov. 5, featuring Megan Stueve.

🎟 Tickets: bit.ly/clthepossibleunknown

💧WaterStart, created by DRI w/support from GOED, opened its RFP 27 last week! One priority we need help solving is finding an alternative #watertreatment approach to pressure-driven membranes. Learn more about the RFP 27 priorities and the submission process: bit.ly/waterstartrfp #NSFFuturesEngine

Join us Oct 16 at DRI's Reno Campus for AWE+2025 Collaborative: Exploring wildfire’s cascading impacts—heatwaves, flooding, droughts—and driving urgent, cross-sector action for resilience.

Register now: www.dri.edu/awe

AWE2025 #WildfireResilience #ScienceThatMattersNow

NSF Grant Awarded to Research the Chemistry of Post-fire Soil Water Repellency The research will investigate how the chemical composition of post-fire soils is linked with soil water repellency and reflectance. A significant knowledge gap exists in understanding the post-fire so...

A gap exists in understanding the post-fire #soil chemical processes that lead to soil water #repellency and increase the risk of post-fire hazards. DRI’s Dr. Vera Samburova and Dr. Yan Wen will study the chemistry of post-fire soil water repellency. https://bit.ly/soilchem #ScienceThatMattersNow

✨The View from Here: Stories of Perspective and Discovery
📅 Oct 22 | 6:30 p.m. | DRI Reno Campus
Discover how new perspectives spark discovery with stories from Eric Wilcox & Michael Branch.

🎟️ Get your tickets: bit.ly/clviewfromhere
#CuriosityLab #DiscoverDRI

Follow along as DRI’s Ice Core Lab goes on an expedition 14k feet high in the French Alps to sample a 12k year old glacier. After discovering the historic age of the ice, they’re hoping to see what’s changed since the original ice was collected in 1999. Read more: bit.ly/icecoredatesbacktoiceage

On #PublicLandsDay, we’re celebrating DRI researchers working to protect the places we all share — from deserts & forests to dunes & rivers. 💧🌿🔥🌲 www.dri.edu
#NPLD #DiscoverDRI #ScienceInAction #ScienceThatMattersNow

Meet Kelly Loria Kelly Loria, Ph.D., is a Postdoctoral Researcher and stream ecologist who joined DRI in July 2025. She is working with Monica Arienzo, Brittany Kruger, and Mark Hausner to study the water quality impacts of the 2024 Davis Fire in southern Reno's Washoe ...

Meet Kelly Loria, Ph.D., a Postdoctoral Researcher and #streamecologist who joined DRI in July 2025. She is working with @microplasticmonica.bsky.social, Brittany Kruger, and Mark Hausner to study the #water quality impacts of the 2024 Davis Fire. https://bit.ly/kloria #DiscoverDRI #WashoeLake

🪨 Nevada is full of incredible rock writing most hikers never see.

Join us Nov. 5 in Las Vegas for our next #CuriosityLab to learn how DRI archaeologists are bringing these hidden stories to life!

🎟️ Tickets: bit.ly/clthepossibleunknown

#VirtualOutdoorExperiences #ThingsToDoLasVegas

Join us Oct 16 at DRI's Reno Campus for AWE+2025 Collaborative: Exploring wildfire’s cascading impacts—heatwaves, flooding, droughts—and driving urgent, cross-sector action for resilience.

Register now: www.dri.edu/awe

AWE2025 #WildfireResilience #ScienceThatMattersNow

NSHE Secures $750,000 NASA EPSCoR Grant for Research into Underground Ecosystems That Could Inform the Search for Life Beyond Earth The Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) has secured a $750,000 grant from NASA's Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) to study unique underground ecosystems powered by radiation instead of sunlight. The findings could help...

NSHE has secured a $750K NASA EPSCoR grant for a study, led by with DRI’s Duane Moser in collaboration with UNR & @unlv.edu, on underground ecosystems powered by radiation instead of sunlight—work that could inform the search for life on Mars. Learn more: bit.ly/epscorgrantnshe

DRI, ATOMIC MUSEUM LAUNCH FREE FIELD TRIP PROGRAM TITLED “EXPLORING THE INVISIBLE” FOR GRADES 6-12 DRI, in partnership with the Atomic Museum, announces an innovative and accessible field trip program titled “Exploring the Invisible: A Hands-On Journey into Radiation Science.” Designed to ignite curiosity in science, technology, engineering and mathe...

DRI, in partnership w/the #AtomicMuseum, announces an innovative & accessible field trip program titled “Exploring the Invisible: A Hands-On Journey into #Radiation Science.” Designed to ignite curiosity in #STEM and to Nevada’s rich history. https://bit.ly/DRIfieldtrip #DiscoverDRI

Glaciers in the Alps are melting rapidly. DRI’s Ice Core Lab has been out in the field in France on Mont Blanc to collect an ice core with the goal of updating a core that was collected in 1999. Learn more about our Ice Core Lab: bit.ly/icecorelabdri

DRI’s Sean McKenna spoke on the Policy, Permitting & Public Trust panel at the 2025 Elements of Change Forum, which brings together leaders in lithium & strategic minerals. Learn more: www.nsgi.info/elements-of-change-forum

Get a #BehindTheScenes look at DRI’s Ice Core Lab as they are out in the field in France on Mont Blanc to collect an updated ice core from the Dôme du Goûter with the goal of updating a core that was collected in 1999. #DiscoverDRI and learn more about the Ice Core Lab: bit.ly/icecorelabdri

Keep Tahoe Blue, The Tyre Collective, and DRI launch innovative pilot program to protect Lake Tahoe's air and water Today, Keep Tahoe Blue, The Tyre Collective, and Desert Research Institute (DRI) announced a groundbreaking collaboration with the Emerald Bay Shuttle and its operator, Downtowner, that brings together science, technology, and alternative transportation...

@keeptahoeblue.bsky.social, The Tyre Collective, & DRI announced a groundbreaking collaboration w/the Emerald Bay Shuttle & its operator, Downtowner, that brings together science, technology, & alternative transportation to protect Lake Tahoe’s water clarity.   https://bit.ly/DRItahoeblue #Tahoe

Join us Oct 16 at DRI's Reno Campus for AWE+2025 Collaborative: Exploring wildfire’s cascading impacts—heatwaves, flooding, droughts—and driving urgent, cross-sector action for resilience.

Register now: www.dri.edu/awe

AWE2025 #WildfireResilience #ScienceThatMattersNow

Leonard and Sara Lafrance: Champions of Clean Water in Ghana Leonard and Sara Lafrance have pledged their support for the continuing work of DRI's Center for International Water and Sustainability (CIWAS). Their two-year gift will support Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services in the North and North East ...

Leonard & Sara Lafrance have pledged their support for the continuing work of DRI’s Center for International Water and Sustainability (CIWAS). Their gift will support #Water, #Sanitation, and #Hygiene (WASH) services in Ghana. We are grateful for their support. https://bit.ly/ciwaslafrance #CIWAS

Snow Droughts, Water Scarcity and Wildfire Risk : An Interview With Climatologist Dan McEvoy Dan McEvoy is a climatologist with the Western Regional Climate Center at DRI. In this interview, Dr. McEvoy answers frequently asked questions about how warmer temperatures are impacting water availability and wildfire risk in the West, and what he and...

DRI’s Dr. Dan McEvoy is a #climatologist with the #WRCC at DRI. He is a recognized expert on the mountain #snowpacks of the Western US. Dan answers FAQs about how warmer temperatures are impacting #wateravailability & #wildfire risk in the West. https://bit.ly/danmcevoy #ScienceThatMattersNow

Join us Oct 16 at DRI's Reno Campus for AWE+2025 Collaborative: Exploring wildfire’s cascading impacts—heatwaves, flooding, droughts—and driving urgent, cross-sector action for resilience.

Register now: www.dri.edu/awe

AWE2025 #WildfireResilience #ScienceThatMattersNow

DRI Internships Offer TMCC Students Insight Into Science Careers This summer, DRI brought eighteen students from Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) to our Reno campus for a paid, immersive research experience. Over the course of the ten week program, students worked under the mentorship of DRI faculty members t...

DRI brought 18 students from #TMCC to our #Reno campus for a paid, immersive research experience. During the 10-week program, students worked under the mentorship of DRI faculty to learn about using scientific research to solve real-world problems. https://bit.ly/driintern #DiscoverDRI