Behind the Science Blog
DRI’s “Behind the Science” blog featuring our people and projects
Read the stories below to learn more about the amazing people and projects happening at DRI.
Meet Patrick Hurbain
Patrick Hurbain, Ph.D., is an environmental epidemiologist working with Judy Chow, John Watson, and Xiaoliang Wang in the Environmental Analysis Facility. In the following interview, Hurbain discusses how his childhood in Stead influenced his career trajectory, his new study published in Environmental Science & Technology, and his hopes for bringing the chili cook-off back to DRI.
Making it Snow: A Brief History and Review of the Science Behind Cloud-Seeding
The snow-inducing technique called cloud-seeding has been around for more than 60 years. Although not a panacea for drought-stricken regions, cloud-seeding can increase seasonal precipitation by about 10%. In the Reno area alone, winter cloud-seeding efforts are estimated to add enough water to supply about 40,000 households for a year.
Understanding Rain-on-Snow Events with Anne Heggli
Rain-on-snow events are the focus of DRI’s Anne Heggli, who is studying ways to improve our ability to forecast and prepare for these potentially hazardous storms.
Mary Cablk: Celebrating a Career in Canine Detection, Biology, and Remote Sensing
Mary Cablk retired from DRI after 23 years. Her journey into science began with remote sensing and later pioneered new fields of science.
DRI interns join the search for elusive desert tortoises in Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument
Tiffany Pereira’s student interns tracked elusive and threatened desert tortoises in the desert near Las Vegas, Nevada.
Lynn Fenstermaker: Celebrating a Career in Ecological Remote Sensing and NASA Space Grant Leadership
Lynn Fenstermaker, Ph.D., recently retired from DRI after 32 years. She studied large-scale questions about environmental stressors.
DRI Opens Doors to Careers in Scientific Research with Student Internship Program
Erick Bandala’s student interns studied ways to filter excess fluorides from drinking water during the fall 2022 semester.
Estom Yumeka Maidu Student Teaches DIY Air Filtration Techniques to Help Reservation Communities During Wildfire Season
Many houses have no particulate filtration systems, especially on reservations. Piercen Nguyen and his colleagues have a proven solution.
What can prehistoric ceramics of the California deserts tell us about the past?
DRI archaeologist Greg Haynes recently completed a synthetic report on the prehistoric ceramic artifacts of the Colorado and Mojave deserts.
Tim Minor: Celebrating a Career in GIS and Remote Sensing
Tim Minor, M.A, recently retired from DRI after 31 years. His successful career as a geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing scientist brought him to DRI in 1991.
New Study on Non-Tailpipe Emissions in Southern California
In a new study, researchers take a closer look at some overlooked pollutants, known as non-tailpipe emissions.
New research examines the potential impacts of climate change on water quality in tropical reservoirs
In a new study, scientists including DRI’s Erick Bandala, Ph.D., address how a warming climate alter water quality in tropical reservoirs.
Jim Hudson: Celebrating a Career in Cloud Physics
Research Professor Jim Hudson, Ph.D., DRI’s longest-serving employee, recently retired from DRI after 51 years studying cloud physics.