Elyse DeFranco, Author at DRI

Meet Trey Flowers

By Elyse DeFranco | Apr 14, 2026 | Featured researchers, Elyse DeFranco

Trey Flowers, Ph.D., P.E., joined DRI in March as the new Executive Director of the Division of Hydrologic Sciences. He brings a wealth of expertise in hydrology research and water resources management, having previously worked at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and Exponent. Immediately before joining DRI, he was leading the Analysis and Prediction Division at the National Weather Service’s Office of Water Prediction in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Researcher stands by lab equipment in white lab coat with DRI above the pocket.

Andrey Khlystov and Nathan Chellman Receive 2026 Board of Regents Awards

By Elyse DeFranco | Mar 11, 2026 | Awards and Honors, Elyse DeFranco

The Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Board of Regents awards Andrey Khlystov, Ph.D., the 2026 Regents’ Distinguished Career Award in recognition of his significant accomplishments and contributions to the field of atmospheric science, and Nathan Chellman, Ph.D., the Jason Geddes Rising Researcher Award in recognition of his outstanding early-career accomplishments and potential to advance scientific knowledge in the field of hydrologic sciences.

Scale showing soil saturation levels through colors.

Accounting for Soil Saturation Enhances Atmospheric River Flood Warnings

By Elyse DeFranco | Feb 27, 2026 | Research findings, Elyse DeFranco

Atmospheric rivers carry unfathomable amounts of water across the sky, bringing moisture to drought-stricken regions like the Western U.S. But whether a particular incoming atmospheric river storm will result in disastrous flooding has long been difficult for researchers to determine with confidence. Now, a new DRI-led study demonstrates that accounting for soil saturation levels can substantially improve our early warning of potentially destructive flooding events. The research, published February 12th in Nature Communications, was led by DRI hydrologist Mariana Webb. She and her team examined more than 71,000 atmospheric river storms in the Western U.S. and central Chile to improve flood hazard early warning.

Ziming Ke standing on a deck under trees with the coast of a body of water in the background.

Meet Ziming Ke

By Elyse DeFranco | Jan 20, 2026 | Featured researchers, Elyse DeFranco

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, Elyse DeFranco

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, Elyse DeFranco

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, Elyse DeFranco

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, Elyse DeFranco

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, Elyse DeFranco

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, Elyse DeFranco

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.

Posts by Elyse DeFranco