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 Juan Henao Castaneda
Juan Henao, Ph.D., is a new postdoc in atmospheric sciences working with John Mejia, Ph.D. Originally from Medellin, Colombia, he spent six months on DRI’s Reno campus in 2018 while working with Mejia during his doctoral studies. His primary project will be contributing to atmospheric and air quality modeling efforts, including using digital twins to investigate the effectiveness of urban heat mitigation measures.
Meet Tiffany Pereira, M.S.
Tiffany Pereira, M.S., has been a member of the DRI community since July of 2019, and specializes in biology and scientific illustration.
Meet Ben Hatchett
Benjamin Hatchett, Ph.D., is an assistant research professor in the Division of Atmospheric Sciences at the Desert Research Institute in Reno. Ben has been a member of the DRI community since 2005 when he began as an undergraduate lab assistant. He...
Why scientists are studying stories during the COVID-19 pandemic
The family dinner table. The water cooler with coworkers. Your social media feed. Bedtime with your toddler. What do all these places have in common? They’re full of stories. Look closely at your day and, chances are, you’ll notice that stories...
Meet Steve Bacon, M.S.
Steve Bacon, M.S., P.G., C.E.G. is an associate research scientist of geomorphology with the Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences at the Desert Research Institute in Reno and a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Nevada, Reno. Steve...
Meet Ken McGwire, Ph.D.
Ken McGwire, Ph.D., is an associate research professor of geography with the Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences at the Desert Research Institute.
People-powered research: Citizen science makes microplastics discovery at Lake Tahoe possible
Take a moment to picture a scientist who has made a groundbreaking discovery. What does that person look like? Perhaps it’s a person in a white coat standing in a lab with microscopes and test tubes, or a distinguished professor accepting an award...
Meet Julie Albright, DRI’s Technologist of the Year
The cutting-edge scientific research that happens at DRI wouldn't be possible without the Institute's many technologists: non-faculty employees who have special technical experience and training to support instrumentation design, laboratory and...
Using Machine Learning to Address Land Subsidence in Pahrump Valley
As populations in the southwestern United States continue to grow, the demand on water resources also increases. One region experiencing this stress on its groundwater resources is Pahrump Valley in southern Nye County, Nevada. Pahrump Valley is...
New DRI projects for 2020 include luminescence dating, fracking, and groundwater
Three new research projects sponsored by the Desert Research Institute in 2020 will explore new methods in luminescence dating, groundwater contamination around fracking operations, and the movement of groundwater through rocks and soils. DRI...
Donor-powered research solving critical environmental problems
DRI is a non-profit, which means that we rely on financial support from donors to make our projects possible. Thanks to individual contributions from community members, seed grants were awarded to eight teams of DRI researchers last year...
The WASH Capacity Building Program: An interview with Braimah Apambire, Ph.D.
Braimah Apambire, Ph.D., is the Director of the Center for International Water and Sustainability (CIWAS) at the Desert Research Institute (DRI), and an expert in international Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). He leads DRI’s WASH Capacity...
Dust Control at the Oceano Dunes
DRI researchers continue a long-term effort to help park officials understand and manage dust emissions from California’s Oceano Dunes.