DRI scientist Kristin VanderMolen, Ph.D., has been awarded the 2025 Rising Researcher Award in recognition of her outstanding early-career accomplishments and potential for advancing scientific knowledge in the field of applied anthropology.
FARMing with Data: OpenET Launches New Tool for Farmers and Ranchers
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.
DRI Invites Nevada Families to Science and Literacy Events for Pre-K Students
DRI’s STEM Education Program is holding free events focused on developing literacy through engaging science activities for Pre-K children 5 and younger throughout Nevada. Through hands-on experiments, story time, and interactive games, the events will bring ecology and electricity to life for the whole family. Each child will also receive free books to take home (while supplies last).
DRI Launches Statewide Science Storytelling Series
DRI announces the launch of a series of community-based events in Las Vegas and Reno that celebrate how science shapes our lives, fuels creativity, and deepens our understanding of the world by underscoring the transformative power of curiosity and knowledge. Curiosity Lab by DRI will feature DRI scientists and other guests to address some of the world’s most urgent concerns while also telling the tale of what it means to live in Nevada on the front lines of a changing climate.
Native Climate Reporter Team Presents, Listens, and Learns at Indigenous Climate Conference in Alaska
Along Alaska’s western coastline, 400 miles from the nearest road system, villagers from the Indigenous community of Newtok were scheduled for permanent evacuation in mid-October due to the irreversible threat of rising seas. The story, recounted by Newtok resident Della Carl in September at the National Indigenous Climate Conference in Anchorage, Alaska, embedded itself deep in the hearts and minds of each member of the audience, making it clear not just that sea level rise is happening, but why it matters. Such is the power of a well-told story.
DRI Recruiting Fallon Community Members for Free Well Water Quality Testing
DRI scientists are recruiting fifteen Fallon residents with private wells to participate in a water quality study. All fifteen study participants will receive free water quality results, and a subset of the well owners will receive water filtration systems. The research will be used to identify the spatial extent and potential sources of contaminants such as pesticides, microplastics, and flame retardants and quantify the efficacy of treatment systems to reduce concentrations in drinking water.
DRI’s STEM Education Program Receives DOE Grant to Support Nevada’s Clean Energy Workforce Pipeline
DRI’s STEM Education Program has received a grant from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Environmental Management to support Nevada’s clean energy workforce pipeline. The nearly $2 million in funding will be used to prepare the next generation with the knowledge and technical skills needed for employment in fields such as clean energy, waste management, and environmental remediation.
Guo Yu Awarded Funding from USGS to Expand Research Examining Compounding Risks of Wildfires and Floods
Guo Yu, assistant research professor of hydrometeorology, along with collaborator Luke McGuire from the University of Arizona, received a three-year grant from the USGS Water Resources Research Act Program. The funding will be used to expand his work examining how repeated wildfires impact flooding risk in communities.
DRI’s AWE+ Summit Tackles Wildfire Resilience and Recovery
DRI, one of our nation’s leading applied environmental research institutes, together with the DRI Foundation, this week held its inaugural AWE+ Summit -Wildfire Recovery and Resilience: Working Across Silos to Drive Solutions. The summit is a call-to-action for communities to implement measures that support resilience and human adaptability to devastating wildfire events. Nationally recognized scientific leaders discussed challenges, progress, and hope through actions that will lead to solutions.
NSHE Institute DRI Secures EPA Funding for Stem Education Program to Increase Water Workforce Pipeline in Nevada
The Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) is thrilled to announce DRI has secured $1 million in grant funding through the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Program. This funding will support DRI’s STEM Education Program, which aims to strengthen Nevada’s workforce in the drinking water and wastewater sectors.