Elyse DeFranco, Author at DRI

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.

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, Elyse DeFranco

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, Elyse DeFranco

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, Elyse DeFranco

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.

Ashley presenting at a podium with a microphone and American flag in the background.

DRI Recognizes Ashley Cornish as the 2025 Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award Winner for Women in Atmospheric Sciences

By Elyse DeFranco | Oct 8, 2025 | Awards and Honors, Elyse DeFranco

DRI is pleased to announce that the 27th annual Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award for Women in Atmospheric Sciences has been awarded to Ashley Cornish of the University of Georgia. The Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award for Women in Atmospheric Sciences is an annual competition recognizing the published works of women pursuing a master’s or Ph.D. in the atmospheric sciences or any related program at a university in the United States. The award is presented to women graduate students with outstanding academic publications and includes a $1,500 prize. This award has been presented annually by DRI since 1998 and is the only such honor designated for graduate women in the atmospheric sciences in the United States.

Scientists Successfully Recreate Wildfire-Induced Thunderstorms in Earth System Models for the First Time

By Elyse DeFranco | Sep 29, 2025 | Research findings, Elyse DeFranco

The breakthrough enhances scientific understanding of the dangerous storms and their long-term impacts on the climate. The research, published September 25th in Geophysical Research Letters, represents the first successful simulation of these wildfire-induced storms, known as pyrocumulonimbus clouds, within an Earth system model. Led by DRI scientist Ziming Ke, the study successfully reproduced the observed timing, height, and strength of the Creek Fire’s thunderhead – one of the largest known pyrocumulonimbus clouds seen in the U.S., according to NASA.

A scientist sitting in the snow next to a frozen stream.

Meet Kelly Loria

By Elyse DeFranco | Sep 23, 2025 | Featured researchers, Elyse DeFranco

Kelly Loria, Ph.D., is a Postdoctoral Researcher and stream ecologist who joined DRI in July 2025. She is working with Monica Arienzo, Brittany Kruger, and Mark Hausner to study the water quality impacts of the 2024 Davis Fire in southern Reno’s Washoe Lake and surrounding streams. In the following interview, Loria shares her passion for the ecology of western mountains and increasing our knowledge of Nevada landscapes.

Researcher taking a snow sample from a wall of snow.

Snow Droughts, Water Scarcity and Wildfire Risk : An Interview With Climatologist Dan McEvoy

By Elyse DeFranco | Sep 8, 2025 | Featured researchers, Elyse DeFranco

Dan McEvoy is a climatologist with the Western Regional Climate Center at DRI. In this interview, Dr. McEvoy answers frequently asked questions about how warmer temperatures are impacting water availability and wildfire risk in the West, and what he and other DRI scientists are doing to monitor these changes. This is the first in a new series of FAQ videos with DRI researchers.

Student researchers sorting through microplastics on the beach.

DRI Internships Offer TMCC Students Insight Into Science Careers

By Elyse DeFranco | Sep 3, 2025 | Announcements, Elyse DeFranco

This summer, DRI brought eighteen students from Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) to our Reno campus for a paid, immersive research experience. Over the course of the ten week program, students worked under the mentorship of DRI faculty members to learn about the process of using scientific research to solve real-world problems. This unique internship program welcomes all students, not only those pursuing majors in science.

Researcher kneeling on ground holding a device into water to take a sample for analysis

DRI Launches Collaborative New Project Investigating PFAS and Microplastics for Department of Defense

By Elyse DeFranco | Aug 27, 2025 | Featured projects, Elyse DeFranco

DRI’s Monica Arienzo, Director of the Microplastics and Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, was recently awarded $250,000 by the Department of Defense to investigate laundering and textile degradation as a possible source of PFAS and microplastic pollution. The one-year grant will fund laboratory studies and analysis led by Arienzo, with DRI’s Daniel Saftner and Yeongkwon Son contributing to the work. Matt Reeves of Western Michigan University is partnering with the DRI scientists for the project.

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