Elyse DeFranco, Author at DRI

Meet Ziming Ke

By Elyse DeFranco | Jan 20, 2026 | Featured researchers

Ziming Ke is an atmospheric scientist who joined DRI in March 2025. He has extensive expertise in earth system modeling and is producing groundbreaking research that integrates wildfire science into global and regional models, including a recent publication that is the first to successfully replicate wildfire-induced thunderstorms in earth system models. He joined DRI as a postdoctoral researcher working with Hans Moosmuller. Ke completed an undergraduate degree in China, a master’s in oceanography at the University of South Carolina, and a Ph.D. in atmospheric physics and chemistry at Georgia Tech. In the following interview, Ke shares his enthusiasm for wildfire science, spending time in Reno’s wetlands, and watching soccer games.

A map of the North American Continent with a background image of the desert on a rainy day.

A Rare Desert Plant Shows Benefits of Sustainability Efforts at a Large Solar Array in the Mojave Desert

By Elyse DeFranco | Jan 13, 2026 | Research findings

Although sunlight is one of the cleanest forms of renewable energy available, clearing large swathes of desert habitat to build solar arrays has consequences for the plants and animals it displaces. Researchers are trying to find better ways to preserve desert landscapes without impeding solar energy development. Now, a new study demonstrates that with careful planning and consideration for the ecosystem around it, at least one desert plant is surviving — and thriving — amidst the solar panels helping to power Las Vegas.

Episode 3 DRI Research Explained with Ecohydrologist Christine Albano, Ph.D.

Science for Human Resiliency in a Time of Droughts, Floods, and Fires: An Interview With Ecohydrologist Christine Albano

By Elyse DeFranco | Jan 7, 2026 | Featured researchers

Christine Albano is an Associate Research Professor of Ecohydrology at DRI. In this interview, Dr. Albano answers frequently asked questions about the relationship between a warming atmosphere and extreme weather, including wildfires, droughts, and flooding. This is the third in a new series of FAQ videos with DRI researchers.

A wide, murky river cutting through a lush green valley with colorful houses on the cliff sides.

DRI’s Monty Majumdar is Working with an International Team of Researchers to Create a Digital Twin of India’s Ganges River Basin

By Elyse DeFranco | Dec 4, 2025 | Featured projects

DRI’s Sayantan (Monty) Majumdar, Assistant Research Professor of Hydrologic Science and Remote Sensing, is joining forces with an international team of researchers to create a digital twin of the entire river basin that will support decision-makers as they work to protect this critical resource. Originally hailing from the river’s fertile lands, Majumdar is now based on DRI’s Reno campus, where he contributes to a wide range of research on water management issues in the Western U.S. As a no-cost Co-Principal Investigator (similar to a volunteer consultant role) on the project, he is excited to contribute the knowledge and models developed by teams like the OpenET project and apply them to India in order to expand their reach and test their efficacy in different climates.

View of mountainous and grassland landscape.

New Study Offers a Glimpse Into 230,000 Years of Climate and Landscape Shifts in the Southwest

By Elyse DeFranco | Dec 2, 2025 | Research findings

Atmospheric dust plays an important role in the way Earth absorbs and reflects sunlight, impacting the global climate, cloud formation, and precipitation. Much of this dust comes from the continuous reshaping of Earth’s surface through the erosion of rocks and sediments, and understanding how this process has shaped landscapes can help us decipher our planet’s history – and its future. Although an ephemeral phenomenon by nature, dust emissions through time can be depicted through natural archives like lake sediment cores. In a new study, scientists examine one such record to peer 230,000 years into the past of the American Southwest.

Three men in winter gear and snow board on a peak overlooking the water of Lake Tahoe.

Cloud Seeding for Local Precipitation Enhancement: An Interview With Atmospheric Scientist Frank McDonough

By Elyse DeFranco | Nov 19, 2025 | Featured researchers

Frank McDonough is a research and forecast meteorologist who leads DRI’s cloud seeding program. His research interests span cloud physics, aviation icing forecasting, and precipitation enhancement.

In this interview, Dr. McDonough answers frequently asked questions about how cloud seeding works and what makes DRI’s program unique. This is the second in a new series of FAQ videos with DRI researchers.

Prakash Gautam in the lab working with equipment and wearing protective eye covering.

Meet Prakash Gautam

By Elyse DeFranco | Nov 6, 2025 | Featured researchers

Prakash Gautam, Ph.D., is an Assistant Research Professor in the Division of Atmospheric Sciences and the Director of DRI’s Optics Lab: “Gautam Laboratory for Advanced Aerosol Dynamics and Light Scattering Research.” He has been with DRI since August 1, 2022, when he first joined as a Postdoctoral Researcher. Gautam also serves as Graduate Faculty in the Physics and Atmospheric Sciences departments at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), where he contributes graduate teaching, mentorship, and research collaboration. His work seeks to understand how atmospheric particles interact with light in order to better understand atmospheric components.

In the following interview, Gautam shares his dual passions for physics and tennis and offers insight on creating a successful career in science.

Four people holding up awards they have won.

Annual Awards Presented to DRI Faculty and Staff at 2025 Celebration of Science

By Elyse DeFranco | Oct 29, 2025 | Awards and Honors

DRI’s annual awards and recognition ceremonies were held at our Reno and Las Vegas campuses in October to honor scientists and staff members for their achievements. Along with the below awardees, several faculty and staff were recognized for their long-term service to the institute. DRI prides itself on fostering a fulfilling workplace that builds internal community and inspires scientific discovery.

Preparing Communities for the Future of Wildfire

By Elyse DeFranco | Oct 28, 2025 | Featured projects

Last year saw DRI’s inaugural global initiative aimed at advancing community resilience and adaptability in the face of rapid global change – AWE+, for an Adaptable World Environment. The event brought together hundreds of scientific experts, policymakers, resource managers, and other stakeholders to discuss ways to strengthen our communities against the growing threat of wildfires. To maintain momentum on the topic and continue building relationships that advance resilience, DRI’s 2025 AWE+ event sought to build on these conversations, again focusing on wildfire and bringing experts together from across the nation.

A microscope photo of colorful microfibers.

Household Dryers Are Significant Sources of Microfiber Pollution, Study Finds

By Elyse DeFranco | Oct 15, 2025 | News releases, Research findings

The fabrics that fill our homes, from natural cotton towels and bedsheets, to clothes produced with synthetic materials, produce microscopic fibers as they break down over time. Previous research has shown that household washers collect and release these microfibers into the environment, and now a new study uses citizen science to demonstrate how dryer vents also produce microfibers under normal household use.

Posts by Elyse DeFranco