Desert Research Institute

🎨✨ From Curiosity to Creation: Listen, Learn, Create! ✨🎨
Join us at Curiosity Lab by DRI on July 30 in Reno for an evening where science meets self-expression.
🎟️ More Info & Tickets at dri.edu/curiositylab
👤 Ages 13+ recommended | Part of #artown

🎨✨ From Curiosity to Creation: Listen, Learn, Create! ✨🎨
Join us at Curiosity Lab by DRI on July 30 in Reno for an evening where science meets self-expression.
🎟️ More Info & Tickets at dri.edu/curiositylab
👤 Ages 13+ recommended | Part of #artown

NSHE Chancellor McNair, DRI President Acharya, and Nevada Robotics Director Long are in a discussion. Chancellor McNair holds documents about the Nevada Robotics program.

NSHE Chancellor McNair and DRI President Acharya walk with colleagues in a hallway, engaged in conversation.

NSHE Chancellor McNair and DRI President Acharya are engaged in a discussion with a researcher inside a modern greenhouse with an extensive glass structure and multiple plant growth chambers. A clear blue sky is visible through the transparent roof.

NSHE Chancellor McNair engaging with researchers in a hallway surrounded by scientific posters and equipment can be seen through an open doorway.

We were honored to have our new Nevada System of Higher Education Chancellor, Matt McNair, tour our Reno campus and to showcase the impactful research that our scientists are conducting in Nevada and around the world. Thank you, Chancellor McNair, for supporting #ScienceThatMattersNow.

The Plastic Paradox - edible Reno-Tahoe Everything Everywhere All at Once is not just a movie title. It’s probably the best description of the prevalence of plastic in modern times.

DRI’s Microplastics team, led by Monica Arienzo, tests for #microplastics in sources (rain and snowpack) that fill #LakeTahoe. Many #plastics leach harmful chemicals. Arienzo shares her concerns with edible Reno-Tahoe. bit.ly/plasticparad... #ScienceThatMattersNow

Scientists Find the First Ice Core From the European Alps That Dates Back to the Last Ice Age The new study, published in the June issue of PNAS Nexus, examines a 40-meter long ice core from Mont Blanc’s Dôme du Goûter. Using radiocarbon dating techniques, the research team found that the glac...

Glaciers hold layers of history, offering unique insights into Earth’s past that can help us interpret the future. DRI’s #IceCore Lab found in its latest study a #glacier in the French Alps that dates back the last Ice Age – the oldest known glacier ice in the region. bit.ly/Icecoreage #DiscoverDRI

Teichert Foundation supports STEM Education Outreach in Washoe County The Teichert Foundation has generously provided support for DRI’s STEM Education Program to engage in a targeted STEM education outreach and engagement campaign in Washoe County, Nevada. This campaign...

The Teichert Foundation has generously provided support for the DRI STEM Ed Program to engage in a targeted #STEM #education outreach and engagement campaign in Washoe County, NV, utilizing 3 bilingual Next Generation Science Standards aligned STEM kits. bit.ly/DRITeichert #DiscoverDRI #DRISTEM

Why planting more trees may not be the ‘silver bullet’ to combat extreme heat in Las Vegas - The Nevada Independent Why planting more trees may not be the ‘silver bullet’ to combat extreme heat in Las Vegas. Read more from The Nevada Independent.

Terrific story in Nevada Indy about new DRI research on the benefits and trade-offs of urban street trees in LV. DRI's Juan Henao & John Mejia demonstrated that in hot, arid climates such as LV, trees provide shade but do little to cool the air around them. bit.ly/combatheat #ScienceThatMattersNow

Column | These are the most and least polluted national parks in the U.S. While haze levels have declined in most national parks, more intense wildfires threaten to reverse this trend. See where your favorite park stands.

Check out the great coverage of the #IMPROVE project. DRI scientists have been working with the National Park Service and the #EPA since 1987 to measure, understand, and reverse the effects of atmospheric pollutants on visibility. wapo.st/3IkQ6YO, #ScienceThatMattersNow, #NationalParks

Six volunteers pose together in yellow reflective vests and holding trash pickup tools.

A volunteer in a yellow reflective vest holds up a large panel of scrap metal that was picked up during the clean-up program.

A big thank you to our volunteers in last Friday’s KTMB Adopt-A-Spot cleanup to help keep the #TruckeeMeadows beautiful. Volunteers did a did an amazing job collecting plastic bottles, cans, screws, fast food waste, car parts and supplies, and much more. www.ktmb.org/adoptaspot

Students speak in a conference room to a group of adults seated at tables.

DRI Vice President for Research Vic Etyemezian stands behind a brown podium and speaks.

Man wearing a cap, holding a microphone with three others seated near him.

DRI was honored to host the LV Robotics Meetup. DRI VP for Research Vic Etyemezian provided an overview of DRI and our Nevada Robotics program. It was exciting to hear from students at Nasri Academy For Gifted Children-- first place winner FIRST Robotics State Championship, and other speakers.

The question of whether Earth is alone in harboring life has captivated humanity for millennia. A new study led by DRI’s Dr. Henry Sun offers evidence that life as we know it may be able to thrive on those Earth-like exoplanets. bit.ly/desertlichen #ScienceThatMattersNow #astrobiology #microbiology

Painting of a man in a coat holding a cloud and looking at the sky with the text: Curiosity Lab from curiosity to creation: Listen, Learn, Create on July 30 from 5-8:30 p.m. in Reno, NV

Get ready for an evening of inspiration and creativity at our next Curiosity Lab: From Curiosity to Creation on our Reno Campus on July 30 from 5-8:30 p.m. Get your tickets now for this #Artown event on our website at www.dri.edu/curiositylab

#ScienceThatMattersNow

A New, Detailed Analysis of the Benefits and Trade-offs of Urban Street Trees in Las Vegas Earth is hotter than it has been in 125,000 years, scientists say, and Las Vegas continues to break temperature records. Planting and preserving the city’s street trees is one method that brings many ...

The extreme #heat claimed more than 500 lives in southern #Nevada last year alone, and scientists and city officials are clamoring for solutions. Planting and preserving the city’s street trees is one method that brings many benefits. bit.ly/urbanstreett... #ExtremeHeat #ScienceThatMattersNow

Scientists Teresa stands next to a table holding a drone. Trees and green grass behind her.

Scientist Anne Heggli explains snowpack science to three campers.

Five campers photographed using sensors. Tall trees in background.

Seven campers stand in front of tall trees.

DRI scientists Dr. Teresa Wriston, a Geoarchaeologist, and Dr. Anne Heggli, a Mountain Hydrometeorologist, shared their work with girls at the Sierra Nevada Journeys Girls in STEM Camp. bit.ly/sierrastemcamp, #GirlsinSTEM, #DiscoverDRI

MGM Resorts International Support for DRI STEM Education Program's Green Boxes MGM Resorts International has generously donated funds to support the purchase of over 100 Pelican hard-sided cases for the DRI STEM Education Green Box Program. These cases will replace the hard-shel...

Thank you to #MGM Resorts for their generous support of the DRI STEM Ed Green Box program and ensuring #Nevada students and educators continue to have access to high-quality, hands-on #STEM learning. In 2024, over 30,000 K-12 NV students engaged STEM education via Green Boxes. bit.ly/mgmgreenbox

Wet Soils Increase Flooding During Atmospheric River Storms A new study examined decades of atmospheric river storms across the West Coast to pinpoint the conditions that lead to catastrophic flooding. The research, published June 4 in the Journal of Hydromete...

A new study examined decades of atmospheric river #storms across the West Coast to pinpoint the conditions that lead to catastrophic #flooding. Learn more at: bit.ly/wetsoils #ScienceThatMattersNow, #soil, #AtmosphericRiver

New Study Offers Detailed Look at Winter Flooding in California’s Central Valley The research used satellite imagery to identify where winter flooding occurs, which can improve flood risk awareness and inform how to best redirect floodwaters to replenish groundwater supplies.

New research, with DRI’s Christine Albano, used #satellite imagery to identify where winter flooding occurs in California's Central Valley, This research can improve #flood risk awareness & inform how to best redirect floodwaters to replenish groundwater supplies. bit.ly/winterflooding
#DiscoverDRI

Faced with rising temps, Las Vegas is embracing a simple climate solution: More trees Climate change is driving more dangerous summer heat across the U.S. Las Vegas, which reached 120 degrees last summer, is planting thousands of trees to help cool its hottest neighborhoods.

Thank you to @npr.org and @knpr.org for featuring DRI's Ariel Choinard, the Nevada Heat Lab and their local heat resilience work in Southern Nevada.

Read or listen on NPR: n.pr/43VEMZY

Listen to the full interview with DRI's Ariel Choinard on KNPR: bit.ly/knprheatlab

Screenshot of the first page of the Nevada Water News newsletter from NWRRI for June 2025 - Volume 11; Issue 2 Project Spotlight: Development and Enhancement of OpenET Software Tools, Datasets, and Planning.

The new issue of the NWRRI newsletter is now available on our website. Read now at bit.ly/nwrrijune25

Inside, you'll find articles on the research being conducted in Nevada as part of the National Institutes for Water Resources (NIWR) program. #DiscoverDRI #NWRRI

Spring Runoff is Older Than You Think DRI’s Rosemary Carroll, Research Professor of Hydrology, co-authored a new study that found spring runoff in mountains across the Western U.S. is much older than previously known. Using advanced datin...

DRI’s Rosemary Carroll co-authored a new study that found spring runoff in mountains across the Western U.S. is much older than previously known. The research has implications for #water management and our understanding of the changing dynamics of water availability. bit.ly/spring_runoff #Drought

#ExtremeHeat, #Wildfire, #Drought - these issues impact us all. For over 65 years, our scientists have worked tirelessly to solve environmental challenges to help create a better tomorrow. For #WorldEnvironmentDay, please help support this important work: bit.ly/supportdri #ScienceThatMattersNow

Building on the success of the AWE+2024 Wildfire Recovery & Resilience Summit, we will keep this project alive. Please join us this fall for the AWE+2025 Collaborative on October 16, 2025, at the DRI Reno campus. Stay tuned to www.dri.edu/awe for details.

AWE+2024 provided a unique forum to bring together diverse groups to discuss the devasting impacts of wildfires. Building upon its success, we are excited to announce plans for the AWE+2025 Collaborative on Oct. 16, 2025! www.dri.edu/awe #WildfireAwarenessMonth

New Study Analyzes Air Quality Impacts of Wildfire Smoke The comprehensive research examined air quality in Reno, Nevada during 106 wildfires to illuminate the atmospheric and public health impacts of smoke. The research, published in April's issue of Envir...

Researchers examined air quality in #Reno during 106 #wildfires - With wildfires increasing in frequency, severity, and size in the Western US, researchers are determined to better understand how #smoke impacts #air quality, public health, and even the weather. Read more: bit.ly/WFSmoke

Graduate Student Winners of the Annual Poster Presentation Session On Friday, April 25th, 21 graduate students presented their research at DRI’s Reno campus for the annual poster presentation session. Organized by Kathleen Rodrigues, PhD, Assistant Research Professor...

DRI-affiliated grad students presented their #research at the annual poster presentation. Their #scientific interests span a range of topics. Congratulations to our winners: Bianca Martinez, Abigail Sandquist, and Alyssa Radakovich. bit.ly/GradPosters #ScienceThatMattersNow #DiscoverDRI

Former Rep. Jon Porter, Kristin McMillan Porter, and DRI President Kumud Acharya in a ballroom.

I was honored to help recognize Kristin McMillan Porter as a 2025 Woman of Achievement. Kristin is a strategic leader in business and nonprofit sectors, a senior consultant with Porter Group in Washington, DC, and she chairs the board of trustees for the @driscience.bsky.social Foundation.
#WOA2025

$1.8 million GOED Investment in WaterStart Marks Decisive Support for the Development of Water Technologies in Nevada and the Southwest The investment will substantially strengthen the NSF Futures Engine in the Southwest, enhancing economic growth and job creation. WaterStart was created by DRI, with support from the Nevada Governor’s...

Congratulations to WaterStart on $1.8M investment from the NV Governor’s Office of Economic Development for the development of water technologies in NV & the Southwest. This investment will strengthen the NSF Futures Engine, enhancing economic growth & job creation. bit.ly/WaterStartNSF #NSFEngines

A performer is rapping into a microphone on stage with the audience looking on.

A speaker is on stage in front of a presentation on a screen with the audience looking on.

A speaker is smiling while presenting in front of a screen with images of people and the headline, "Overheated: How Heat Affects the Human Body."

The event host is addressing the audience in front of a table with three speakers and the text Q&A on the screen behind them.

Thank you to everyone that came to Curiosity Lab in Las Vegas as we explored stories of #extremeheat featuring DRI storytellers Cayenne Engel & Patrick Hurbain with a special performance by RED! Next up is Dual Lens on Aug. 20th at Vegas Theatre Company. Tickets: www.dri.edu/curiositylab

Long Science in the Nevada Bristlecone Preserve Ancient bristlecone pines have been collecting data for us for millennia. Anne Heggli's research aims to provide a nearly microscopic look at how the climate in the Great Basin is changing, from hour ...

DRI’s Anne Heggli shares how partnering with The Long Now Foundation changed the course of her research and gave her the privilege of being a steward of Mount Washington and of the data that facilitates scientific discovery. Read more: bit.ly/NVBristlecone, #ScienceThatMattersNow

The AWE+2024 Summit, a DRI global initiative, brought together a wide range of stakeholders to discuss the impacts of wildfires. Building on its success, we’re excited to announce plans for the AWE+2025 Collaborative this Fall! www.dri.edu/awe #WildfireAwarenessMonth