Paula Loop, Author at DRI

Bringing Wildfire Science Into the 21st Century

By Paula Loop | Mar 19, 2026 | Featured projects, Paula Loop

The Harnessing the Data Revolution for Fire Science project is bringing researchers from DRI, UNR, and UNLV together to tackle dozens of questions about wildfires -- from the impacts on air quality and hydrology to the way that plants and soils recover from burns. The project is treating wildfire as a continuum rather than as a single event, linking together the landscape and climate conditions that exist before the fire, the physical and chemical processes happening during the active burn, and the way the ecosystem responds and recovers.

Tiffany is wearing a DRI hat and holding up a picture of the Las Vegas Bearpoppy to a group of volunteers.

Join DRI’s Conservation Ecology Lab in Protecting Desert Flora & Fauna

By Paula Loop | Feb 17, 2026 | Donor Stories, Paula Loop

The DRI Conservation Ecology Lab, led by Tiffany Pereira and Tsvetelina Stefanova, helps guide the conservation and restoration of the Southwest’s diverse flora and fauna through basic and applied ecology and collaboration with federal agencies, community non-profits, and more. Central to the Conservation Ecology Lab’s mission to protect desert ecosystems is addressing and educating the public on the detrimental effects of invasive species, particularly on rare and threatened species.

Researcher in the lab wearing gloves and using equipment.

This Giving Season, Please Consider Supporting the IRP Endowment

By Paula Loop | Dec 12, 2024 | Donor Stories, Paula Loop

This giving season, please join us in supporting bright minds and their best ideas by donating to the IRP Endowment, which was established earlier this year to ensure that innovative science continues for generations to come. Your gift will bring us one step closer to our goal of raising $5 million to fully fund this endowment. To date, this program has supported more than 20 research teams and several successful research programs have grown out of IRP-supported preliminary research.

Nevada educators smiling and laughing while programming small robots on a track on a tabletop.

Nell J. Redfield Foundation Supports Hands-On Computer Science, Math, and Literacy Classroom Lessons Through DRI’s Nevada Robotics

By Paula Loop | Sep 12, 2024 | Donor Stories, Paula Loop

The Nell J. Redfield Foundation recently made a three-year commitment to support Nevada Robotics’ Books and Bots Teacher Trainings, which will provide classroom lessons in Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms using robots and storybooks.

Guo Yu Awarded Funding from USGS to Expand Research Examining Compounding Risks of Wildfires and Floods

By Paula Loop | Sep 10, 2024 | Announcements, Paula Loop

Guo Yu, assistant research professor of hydrometeorology, along with collaborator Luke McGuire from the University of Arizona, received a three-year grant from the USGS Water Resources Research Act Program. The funding will be used to expand his work examining how repeated wildfires impact flooding risk in communities.

Satellite map of Harney Basin, OR that shows evapotranspiration data.

Groundwater Use Can Be Accurately Monitored With Satellites Using OpenET, New Study Finds

By Paula Loop | Sep 5, 2024 | Research findings, Paula Loop

DRI scientists compared data from groundwater pumping meters with OpenET estimates in irrigated land to advance understanding of groundwater use. The new study demonstrated that OpenET can be used to accurately estimate the amount of groundwater used for crop irrigation at the level of individual fields.

Maureen McCarthy presenting at a podium on emergency management.

DRI Scientists Create Guidance to Help Emergency Managers Prepare for Weather Hazards of the Future

By Paula Loop | Sep 4, 2024 | Research findings, Paula Loop

DRI scientists partnered with the U.S. Geological Survey to produce a guidance document for incorporating publicly available data on historical and projected extreme weather events to aid with emergency planning exercises. The report, funded by the California Department of Water Resources, is available on DRI’s website.

Posts by Paula Loop