DRI Recognizes the Achievements and Dedication of Scientists and Staff Members
DRI’s annual awards and recognition ceremonies were held at our Reno and Las Vegas campuses in early October to honor scientists and staff members for their achievements. Along with the below awardees, several faculty and staff were recognized for their long-term service to the institute. DRI prides itself on fostering a fulfilling workplace that builds internal community and inspires scientific discovery.
Peter B. Wagner Medal of Excellence: Yeongkwon Son
Dr. Son is an Associate Research Professor of Environmental Health in the Division of Atmospheric Science. In DRI’s Organic Analytical Laboratory he focuses on environmental pollutants and their potential health impacts. Dr. Son is an expert in exposure science, chemical and biomarker analysis, computational modelling, and sampling device design.
He first joined DRI in 2018 as a postdoctoral fellow and was appointed to his current position in 2022. He also serves on the Graduate Faculty at UNR in Interdisciplinary Atmospheric Sciences and Environmental Science and Health. Dr. Son has authored or co-authored 25 peer-reviewed journal articles and has been part of 15 funded projects including from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS) and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Science to Achieve Results (EPA STAR).
“I really appreciate receiving this award,” Son says. “It means a lot to me, especially as it confirms that I have been doing the right job over these past five years.”
About the award: In 1981, Sue Wagner established the Peter B. Wagner Memorial Endowment to honor her late husband, Peter Wagner, who was an atmospheric physicist at DRI. One of the awards the Wagner Memorial Endowment supports is the Peter B. Wagner Medal of Excellence for DRI Scholars in the Early States of Career Development and the Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award for Women in Atmospheric Sciences. and is given on the basis of scientific and service achievement that brings recognition to the scientist and DRI. The two major criteria are the quality of publications and peer recognition, which can include program development and scientific achievement.
DRI Science Medal: Rosemary Carroll and Dave Rhode
Dr. Carroll is a Research Professor in the Division of Hydrologic Sciences and a leading expert in advanced numerical modeling of groundwater and surface water interactions in the Western U.S. Her expertise has made her a key resource for federal and state water managers seeking to understand water resource sustainability in a changing climate, as evidenced by sponsorships from the US Department of Energy, NOAA, USGS, USDA, and the States of Nevada and California.
Her 2024 publication in Nature Water, “Declining Groundwater Storage Expected to Amplify Mountain Streamflow Reductions in a Warmer World,” has been accessed over 7,000 times between May and October and was featured by many news outlets. Dr. Carroll has also mentored countless early career scientists.
“I am so honored to receive the DRI Science Award,” Carroll says. “I have often said that science is a community effort, a team sport. We do not do science alone. I want to thank my wonderful family who supported me through the PhD process while simultaneously working at DRI; Greg Pohll for hiring me, and funding me for many years on great projects; DRI leadership for supporting my non-traditional and often quirky approach to science – including John Warwick, Sean McKenna and Kumud Acharya; and finally, the wonderful and talented women who nominated me and teach me new things in science every week, Monica Arienzo, Christine Albano, Bea Gordon and Susie Rybarski. Thank you!”
Dr. Rhode is a Research Professor of Archaeology who has been with DRI for 35 years. He is widely regarded as one of the nation’s premier paleobotanists. He regularly teams with academic and contract archaeologists on projects worldwide, whether it be searching for the earliest Americans on the Cedros Island of Mexico, looking for early humans and analyzing paleoenvironmental history on the Tibetan Plateau of China, or assuring high scientific standards for analyzing the ages of ancient footprints at White Sands, New Mexico.
According to ResearchGate, his publications receive thousands of citations and reads, underscoring his influence in the fields of archaeology, paleoecology, ethnobotany, and Quaternary sciences. He is also a dedicated mentor, having served on 26 Ph.D. and M.A. student committees at UNR, UNLV, University of Washington, and University Cote d’Azur.
“I’m especially honored to receive the Medal of Science after spending 35 years working here,” Rhode says. “DRI is a wonderful place to do environmental science and I’m fortunate to have made it my research home all my career. Thanks, DRI!”
About the award: The DRI Science Medal is awarded annually to a faculty member in recognition of outstanding research achievements. This award builds on the history of the Count Alessandro Dandini Medal of Science – which annually recognized the highest scientific achievement by a DRI faculty member. The DRI Science Medal is given on the basis of scientific achievement that has brought recognition to both the winning scientist and to DRI, either cumulative or through a singular outstanding achievement.
DRI Service Medal: Steven Kohl
Kohl has served as DRI’s Environmental Analysis Facility’s Laboratory Manager for more than 30 years. In this position, he conducts basic and applied research focused on the chemical speciation of ambient and source samples from air, water, and soil. Methods and procedures developed by Kohl have been adopted by the Air Quality Laboratory of the UC Davis, the Department of Chemistry of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and the Chinese Academy of Science’s Institute of Earth and Environment in Xian, China, with Steve providing on-site training and advice. As part of EAF’s senior leadership team, he has worked with his colleagues to redesign and construct the DRI Model 2015 Multiwavelength Carbon Analyzer, drawing on his U.S. Air Force electronics experience to design circuit boards, electrical wiring, and testing. Over 150 carbon analyzers have been distributed in the US, China, India, and Europe.
“When I started at DRI in 1993, I was fresh out of the Air Force and didn’t know what to expect or how long my time at DRI would last, Kohl says. “I never would have guessed that 3 decades would fly by like it did. It has been amazing to see the progress and growth that has occurred at DRI over the years, and I am proud to have been a part of it.
A big thank you to everyone I have met and worked with along the way. It has been one hell of a ride, and I look forward to seeing what the next 30 years have in store for us.”
About the award: The DRI Service Medal honors an individual’s broader impact across the Institution and throughout our communities. This person has worked to make DRI a better place to work and secure our place as a leader in environmental science and research.
DRI Outstanding Contributions Medal: Patrick Sawyer
Dr. Sawyer is an Associate Research Professor of Environmental Science who leads the $30 million Technical Research, Engineering, and Development Services program (TREDS) contract with the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration’s Nevada Field Office for support to the Nevada Nuclear Security Sites. Under Patrick’s guidance, the DNN team has built the necessary talent and relationships to continue growing this program in new directions.
“I am very honored to receive this award in recognition of the significant growth in the TREDS program”, Sawyer says. “This achievement was only possible due to the outstanding contributions by all the TREDS scientific, engineering and technical staff and the fantastic support our team has received from the administrative, business management and security personnel working on this contract. I would also like to thank the executive leadership team at DRI for working tirelessly to facilitate all the special requests we have made over the last few years to build our customer base.”
About the award: This internal award is given annually to a DRI faculty or staff member for outstanding contributions to the Institution. There are many ways beyond scientific achievement that individuals can elevate DRI. This award is given on the basis of a singular or cumulative contribution to DRI. Evidence of contributions can include establishing new directions for research, securing a large grant, or management of large programs.
DRI Foundation Faculty Award for Outstanding Public Engagement in Science: Dan McEvoy
Dr. McEvoy is a Regional Climatologist with DRI’s Western Regional Climate Center who centers his research on the use of climate information for decision-making. His expertise in drought and water resources makes him a frequently sought out expert for numerous interests here in the West, and he excels at translating complex scientific information to the public in an accessible and engaging manner.
McEvoy is a dedicated science communicator who consistently takes the time to share his expertise with the media. From January 2023 through August 2024, Dan has appeared in 150 media articles including the Washington Post, New York Times, The Guardian, and Forbes, among many others. In one measure, the total audience reached by these articles is nearly two billion people.
“It’s a great honor to receive this award and I’ve learned so much from my peers and mentors at DRI,” McEvoy says. “I feel lucky to get so many great opportunities for public outreach and engagement as part of my day-to-day work at DRI.”
About the award: The DRI Foundation was founded in 1982 with the objective of maximizing DRI’s global environmental impact by securing philanthropic funding, promoting DRI to various constituencies, and expanding DRI’s reach. For the past 40 years, the Foundation has helped bridge the science that happens at DRI with the public.
In recognition of the important role that DRI scientists play in strengthening this bridge, the DRI Foundation established the DRI Foundation Faculty Award to recognize a scientist who has contributed to enhancing the public’s engagement with science, increasing scientific literacy, or translating the societal impact of scientific research for non-science audiences.
The Board of Regents Rising Researcher Award: Gabrielle Boisramé
Dr. Boisramé is an Assistant Research Professor and Environmental Engineer in DRI’s Division of Hydrologic Sciences, where her work focuses on the interactions between wildfire, land cover, and water in mountain regions of the West. She combines field work, remote sensing techniques, and hydrological modeling to explore how managing natural wildfire can improve water resources and forest health. Her current research investigates the relationships between plant growth, groundwater storage, and streamflow generation, particularly in areas that have experienced changes in land cover due to wildfire.
“This award is a wonderful validation of the work I do,” Boisramé said. “It can sometimes feel like the reports and papers we write just go off into the void, but hearing praise for my research helps me to feel that it is in fact touching others’ lives in a meaningful way. I am grateful to DRI for providing the support and flexibility for me to pursue all sorts of intriguing questions about our world.”
*Read DRI’s feature story on one of Boisramé’s projects: Tracking the Restorative Effects of Good Fire
About the award: The NSHE Board of Regents’ Rising Researcher Award is bestowed upon one faculty member at each Nevada research institution in recognition of their early-career accomplishments and potential for future advancement and recognition in research.
In addition to the award from the Board of Regents, this year’s Rising Researcher from DRI will also receive $5,000 from the DRI Foundation to support their research endeavors.
The Board of Regents Mid-Career Researcher Award: Xiaoliang Wang
Dr. Wang is a Research Professor in DRI’s Division of Atmospheric Sciences who seeks to understand air pollutant emissions and their transformations and impacts. His current research projects include studying dust emissions in underground coal mines to protect miners; vehicle tailpipe emissions and those from brake and tire wear; toxic gas and particle emissions from the open burning of household waste in South Africa; smoke emissions from burning lithium-ion batteries and spacecraft-relevant materials; and industrial emissions from mining activities in Canada’s oil sands region. His research interests include identifying the physical and chemical components of aerosols and pinpointing pollutant sources.
“I am deeply honored to receive this Award,” Wang said. “Every day, I come to work thinking of DRI’s motto ‘Impactful Science, Inspiring Solutions.’ I am fortunate to have great mentors, colleagues, and students at DRI who empower me to explore science and develop solutions.”
Graduate Advisor of the Year: Nathan Chellman
Each year, DRI asks our graduate students to nominate advisors for the DRI Graduate Student Advisor of the Year. The faculty nominated this year are Justin Huntington, Christine Albano, Vera Samburova, Steve Bacon, Nathan Chellman, and Yeongkwon Son. The winning nomination this year wrote of Chellman that he is: “patient, always willing to lend help, pushes me to think deeper about my research, and is constantly looking for ways to improve the quality of our lives.”
Dr. Chellman is an Assistant Research Professor of Snow and Ice Hydrology in DRI’s Division of Hydrologic Sciences. He specializes in the collection, processing and analysis of ice cores — cylindrical samples of ice drilled from glaciers and ice sheets around the world. He first joined DRI as a high school intern in 2008, then later returned to DRI during and after college to work with Joe McConnell in the Ice Core Lab. He now leads projects in the same lab and mentors his own students.
“I’m honored to receive this award,” Chellman says. “I have very fond memories of my time as a grad student at DRI and hope that I can continue to have a positive influence on my students so they, too, can have a great experience while they are here.”
The George Burke Maxey Hydrology/Hydrogeology Fellowships
- Incoming graduate student Angelique DePauw, who will be transitioning to graduate studies following her undergraduate work with Monica Arienzo. Depauw’s research focuses on microplastic and emerging contaminant fate and transport throughout the environment. She will be investigating microplastics in snow caves in the Western U.S.
- Current student Maggie Duncan, who is advised by Steve Bacon. Duncan’s research focuses on implementing geomorphology, structural geology and hydrogeology to understand groundwater flow in large, tectonically active basins.
- Current student Chauntelle Murphy, who is advised by Nathan Chellman. Murphy’s research focuses on diatoms in ice cores.
- Current student Mariana Webb, who is advised by Christine Albano. Webb’s research looks at the climate conditions associated with flooding caused by atmospheric river precipitation events.
About the award: These Fellowships were established through an endowment by Elizabeth West Stout, a paleontologist and Trustee Emerita of the DRI Research Foundation. The award has been established in the honor of Dr. George B. Maxey, former Executive Director of the Division of Hydrologic Sciences, and Jane C. Maxey, his wife.
