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 Alexa Daniel
Alexa Daniel, M.Sc., is a hydrogeologist and Assistant Research Scientist who joined DRI this past December. Based at Reno’s campus, she will be spending most of her time over the next two years developing water resource plans for Nevada’s rural counties. In the following interview, Daniel shares her wide range of experience studying water resources in the West, her favorite book, and an invitation to a network event she’s spearheading for young professionals.
Into the Plume: Advancing Fire Science Using Drone Technology
Photo: Drone pilots look toward their aircraft flying through the smoke. Credit: DRI's Dave Vuono. Fire science research using drone technology at DRI “It was sort of like a deep-sea exploration, with a submarine scanning the ocean floor,” said DRI...
Problem Plastic: Investigating Microplastic Pollution in Nevada’s Waterways
The extent of microplastic pollution is only just beginning to be understood, with researchers discovering the tiny plastic pieces everywhere from the air we breathe to the deep ocean.
Meet Graduate Researcher Dante Staten
Meet Dante Staten, a Ph.D. student in environmental science with an emphasis in environmental chemistry. Staten recently graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a Master's Degree in environmental science. At DRI, Staten is working with...
Meet Kristin VanderMolen, Ph.D.
Kristin VanderMolen, Ph.D., is an assistant research professor and social scientist with the Division of Atmospheric Sciences at the Desert Research Institute.
Preserving Nevada’s Lost City using drones
Ruins of adobe houses, Lost City of Nevada. Credit: Special Collections, University of Nevada, Reno Libraries. Nevada’s “Lost City,” located northeast of Las Vegas on a terrace above the Muddy River, has been lost twice before – first abandoned by...
Meet Josh Sackett, Ph.D.
Josh Sackett, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral researcher with the Division of Hydrologic Sciences at the Desert Research Institute in Las Vegas.
Meet John Watson, Ph.D.
John Watson, Ph.D., is a research professor of air quality science with the Division of Atmospheric Sciences at the Desert Research Institute in Reno. John specializes in air quality measurements, source apportionment (tracing pollutants to their...
Meet Jim Hudson, Ph.D.
Jim Hudson, Ph.D., is a research professor of physics with the Division of Atmospheric Sciences at the Desert Research Institute in Reno. Jim specializes in cloud physics, and has worked throughout his career to gather and analyze field...
Putting the Knowledge Fund to Work
Created in 2013 by the Governor's Office of Economic Development, the Knowledge Fund spurs research, innovation, and commercialization in Nevada. Thanks to support from the Knowledge Fund, researchers across the Silver State have been busy...
DRI ice core research makes Discover magazine’s list of top breakthroughs in 2018
Reno, Nev. (Thurs. January 17th) - For the second time, research out of the Ultra-trace Ice Core Chemistry Laboratory at the Desert Research Institute (DRI) in Reno, Nevada, has been named one of the year’s biggest scientific discoveries by...
Meet Erick Bandala, Ph.D.
Erick Bandala, Ph.D., is an assistant research professor of environmental science with the Division of Hydrologic Sciences at the Desert Research Institute in Las Vegas. Erick specializes in research related to water quality and water treatment,...
Meet graduate researcher Meghan Rennie
Meet Meghan Rennie, a Master's student in atmospheric sciences. At DRI, Rennie is working with Dr. Hans Moosmüller from the Division of Atmospheric Science (DAS) to study aerosols and mineral dust for their optical properties that effect Earth's...