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.

You May Also Like…

Legacy of Education and Community Support Lives On Through Gallifent Endowment at DRI

Legacy of Education and Community Support Lives On Through Gallifent Endowment at DRI

The DRI Foundation is honored to announce that DRI recently received a generous donation from the estate of Elizabeth “Betty” Gallifent for the Betty & John Gallifent endowment. The Gallifent Endowment provides essential unrestricted support to advance DRI strategic priorities, such as the Innovation Research Program (IRP). The IRP provides essential seed funding for early-stage research projects at DRI, allowing DRI scientists to test promising ideas and build the initial data needed to secure larger state and federal grants. We are grateful to Betty and John, as well as Betty’s family, for the Gallifent’s continued generosity to DRI. The Gallifent Endowment will provide essential support to DRI for generations to come.

With Help from Nevada Foundations and Community Partners, DRI is Bringing High-Quality, Hands-On STEM Learning to Nevada’s Schools

With Help from Nevada Foundations and Community Partners, DRI is Bringing High-Quality, Hands-On STEM Learning to Nevada’s Schools

This April, we are celebrating STEAM – science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics – at DRI. Both the STEM Education Program and Nevada Robotics are dedicated to ensuring that Nevada educators are empowered to bring high-quality, hands-on STEM learning to their classrooms and that every Nevada student has the confidence and skills to thrive in our technology driven world. Community support plays a critical role in helping both programs fulfill their missions.

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

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

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.

Share This