Peter B. Wagner Memorial Endowment Honors the Work of Exceptional Women Graduate Students for 26th Year

Sue Wagner wearing glasses and smiling at something just off camera against a black background.

In 1981, Sue Wagner established the Peter B. Wagner Memorial Endowment to honor her late husband, Peter Wagner, who was an atmospheric physicist at DRI. The Wagner Memorial Endowment supports the Peter B. Wagner Medal of Excellence for DRI Scholars in the Early Stages of Career Development and the Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award for Women in Atmospheric Sciences. Sue established the latter in 1998 to honor both her husband’s career as an atmospheric scientist and her own legacy as a strong political advocate for women’s rights during her time as a Nevada legislator and as the first woman elected to be lieutenant governor in Nevada.

Sue shared her career background with Catherine Ivanovich, PhD, who received the 26th annual Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award for Women in Atmospheric Science for her research on extreme heat and extreme humidity. Ivanovich graduated with her PhD from Columbia University this July and is now a postdoctoral fellow at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies.

Twenty-six years since it was first awarded, the Peter B. Wagner Award for Women in Atmospheric Science remains the only award in the United States for female graduate students in the atmospheric sciences. Thanks to the generosity of Sue Wagner in establishing the Peter B. Wagner Memorial Endowment, the exceptional work of women graduate students in the atmospheric sciences will continue to be recognized and honored in perpetuity.

To support the Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award for Women in Atmospheric Science, make a gift online or contact the DRI Office of Advancement at dri.foundation@dri.edu or 775-673-7300.



October 15, 2024



Subscribe via RSS



Atmospheric Sciences | DRI Foundation | Wagner Award

← Prev: Nell J. Redfield Foundation Supports Hands-On Computer Science, Math, and Literacy Classroom Lessons Through DRI’s Nevada Robotics Ray of Sunshine Ministry Uses Green Boxes to Bring STEM Education to Foster Children and Homeschool Families →

Remembering the Legacy of Sue Wagner, Long-Time DRI Supporter and Pioneering Woman in Nevada Politics

Mar 18, 2026

Sue Wagner built the foundation for state support for DRI. She joined the staff of DRI in 1981 and served as Special Assistant for Government and Legislative Affairs for nine years, and ending when she was elected Lieutenant Governor. One of her major achievements at DRI was shepherding of special legislation through the U.S. Congress to establish the DRI Dandini Research Park. Sue remained active in local and state politics and continued to play a role in supporting promising scientists from DRI and beyond.

Take Charge of Your Estate: DRI Foundation Partners with Community Foundation for 7-Week Series

Mar 11, 2026

Interested in learning more about estate planning and want to take charge of your estate matters? Sign up for the Family Estate Planning Series, presented by the Community Foundation of Northern Nevada and PBS Reno! The free, in-person 7-week Spring Family Estate Planning Series will take place on Wednesdays, March 18 – April 29, 2026. Each week will feature subject-matter experts as guest speakers and cover the fundamentals of estate planning.

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

Feb 17, 2026

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.