An Overview of DRI
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PDF 4.3MBWelcome to the Desert Research Institute (DRI), the environmental research arm of the Nevada System of Higher Education. DRI conducts cutting-edge applied research in air, land and life, and water quality across Nevada, the United States and on every continent. With more than 500 employees and two main campuses in Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada, DRI generates $50 million in total annual revenue.

DRI’s faculty members are nontenured, entrepreneurial and responsible for their own salaries from external grants and contracts. This blend of academic rigor and private-sector pragmatism has earned DRI a reputation for delivering rapid, high quality environmental science in a businesslike fashion.

Our Mission

We excel in basic and applied research and the application of technologies to improve people's lives throughout Nevada and the world. We implement this mission by fostering scientific and engineering talent. We apply scientific understanding to the effective management of natural resources while meeting Nevada's needs for economic diversification and science-based educational opportunities.

Our Vision

We seek to be the world's scientific leader investigating the effects of natural and human-induced environmental change and advancing environmental technologies aimed at assessing a changing planet. We will achieve this vision by increasing scientific knowledge and understanding of the earth's environment, promoting preservation of diverse ecosystems, advancing responsible resource management, and improving human health and welfare.

This Is DRI: Imagine That!

Since 2000, DRI has attracted $391 million in external research. Watch the video below to learn more about DRI's research, scientists, and mission.