Posts by Elyse DeFranco

Meet Cayenne Engel

Meet Cayenne Engel

by | May 7, 2025 |

Cayenne Engel, M.Sc., is a Staff Research Scientist in urban climate adaptation who joined DRI in September 2024. Based at DRI’s Las Vegas campus, she is dedicating her time to assessing and expanding the region’s urban tree canopy to bring relief to communities burdened by temperatures that regularly soar above 100° Fahrenheit. In the following interview, Engel shares her passion for public service-oriented research, how Nevada’s unparalleled landscape lured her west, and her love for intricate puzzles.

DRI Holds Water Panel at Nevada State Legislature

DRI Holds Water Panel at Nevada State Legislature

by | Apr 23, 2025 |

On March 27, DRI scientists gathered at the State Capitol to illuminate work that supports Nevada’s communities and landscape. With more than 600 scientists, engineers, students, and staff across our Reno and Las Vegas campuses, we conducted more than $52 million in sponsored research focused on improving peoples’ lives in 2024 alone.

What’s in the Burnt Remains of the LA Wildfires?

What’s in the Burnt Remains of the LA Wildfires?

by | Apr 21, 2025 |

DRI scientists deployed to Los Angeles to collect ash, soil, and dust samples from burn zones in the hopes of illuminating the unique risks of wildland-urban fires. These urban fires presented a unique opportunity to understand how materials like plastics, metals, and even lithium batteries from electric cars can transform into environmental contaminants when they burn.

OpenET’s New CEO, Sara Larsen, Discusses the Future of the Revolutionary Water-Monitoring Initiative

OpenET’s New CEO, Sara Larsen, Discusses the Future of the Revolutionary Water-Monitoring Initiative

by | Apr 8, 2025 |

OpenET, a nonprofit initiative focused on improving water management with accessible, satellite-based evapotranspiration (ET) data, has welcomed Sara Larsen as the new CEO. DRI sat down with Sara to discuss what makes the initiative unique, her plans for the organization, and how OpenET can help address the biggest challenges in water management.

New Study Finds Rocky Mountain Snow Contamination

New Study Finds Rocky Mountain Snow Contamination

by | Apr 1, 2025 |

An examination of Rocky Mountain snow finds higher contamination levels of mercury and others metals in the northern part of the range, consistent with increased current and historical mining in the region. The study, published in the May issue of the journal Environmental Pollution, examined contamination levels for Mercury, Zinc, Cadmium and Antimony from nearly 50 sites in the Rocky Mountains.

Blurring the Line Between Rain and Snow: The Limits of Meteorological Classification

Blurring the Line Between Rain and Snow: The Limits of Meteorological Classification

by | Mar 31, 2025 |

A new study published in Nature Communications utilizes insights gleaned from DRI’s Mountain Rain or Snow project to evaluate why traditional weather forecasting struggles to identify the rain/snow transition line. The research was possible because thousands of community members across the U.S. contributed more than 40 thousand observations of the type of precipitation falling at their location.

FARMing with Data: OpenET Launches New Tool for Farmers and Ranchers

FARMing with Data: OpenET Launches New Tool for Farmers and Ranchers

by | Mar 6, 2025 |

A NASA, DRI, and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)-supported research and development team is making it easier for farmers and ranchers to manage their water resources. The team, called OpenET, created the Farm and Ranch Management Support (FARMS) tool, which puts timely, high-resolution water data directly in the hands of individuals and small farm operators.