View of side walk in front of Bellagio in Las Vegas with trees lining the right side.

A New, Detailed Analysis of the Benefits and Trade-offs of Urban Street Trees in Las Vegas

By | Jun 24, 2025 | Research findings

Earth is hotter than it has been in 125,000 years, scientists say, and Las Vegas continues to break temperature records. Planting and preserving the city’s street trees is one method that brings many benefits, from the cool air of their shade to their ability to store carbon. Now, a new study takes a deeper look at just how much trees can offer Sin City, as well as the water tradeoffs inherent in growing trees in a desert.

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View from the top of a mountain where a DRI truck is parked and researchers are working on a weather station and surrounded by pine trees.

Long Science in the Nevada Bristlecone Preserve

By | May 12, 2025 | Featured projects

Ancient bristlecone pines have been collecting data for us for millennia. Anne Heggli's research aims to provide a nearly microscopic look at how the climate in the Great Basin is changing, from hour to hour and season to season. With scientific monitoring equipment positioned from the floor of the Great Basin’s Spring Valley up to the peak of Mount Washington, her project examines temperature fluctuations, atmospheric information, and snowpack insights across the region’s ecosystems.

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A presenter stands at the front of a conference room with attendees sitting at tables.

DRI Scientists Work to Protect Miner Health and Safety Across Nevada

By | Mar 27, 2025 | Featured projects

To help protect miners and assist mine managers in reducing hazardous exposures, DRI scientists Xiaoliang Wang, Judy Chow, and John Watson are conducting free trainings to raise awareness about health risks and effective protection methods. Data from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) show that as much as 27% of miners are overexposed to air contaminants.

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Thick smog hovers over a highway during rush hour traffic.

Regional, Racial, and Economic Disparities in Cancer Risk from Air Pollution Exposure Persist, But Improving, New Research Suggests 

By | Dec 3, 2024 | Research findings

Researchers from DRI and UNR teamed up for this new study, published October in Environmental Science & Technology. Using sociodemographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau and public health and air pollution information from the EPA between 2011 and 2019, the study identified higher estimated cancer risk tied to air toxics in urban communities, those with lower incomes, and those with higher proportions of racial minorities. 

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Headshot of Patrick wearing a tie and collared shirt and smiling with arms crossed in a brightly lit hallway full of plants.

Meet Patrick Hurbain

By | Dec 3, 2024 | Featured researchers

Patrick Hurbain, Ph.D., is an environmental epidemiologist working with Judy Chow, John Watson, and Xiaoliang Wang in the Environmental Analysis Facility. In the following interview, Hurbain discusses how his childhood in Stead influenced his career trajectory, his new study published in Environmental Science & Technology, and his hopes for bringing the chili cook-off back to DRI.

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

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

By | Oct 15, 2024 | Donor Stories

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, the exceptional work of women graduate students in the atmospheric sciences will continue to be recognized and honored in perpetuity.

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Casey presenting at the podium at the Wagner Awards with flags in the background.

DRI Recognizes Catherine Ivanovich as the 2024 Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award Winner for Women in Atmospheric Sciences

By | Sep 23, 2024 | Awards and Honors

DRI is pleased to announce that the 26th annual Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award for Women in Atmospheric Sciences has been awarded to Catherine (Casey) Ivanovich of Columbia University. 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.

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Reno Sparks Heat Mapping Project logo over a picture of the city of Reno.

Reno-Sparks Heat Mapping Project seeking volunteers for August 10

By | Aug 2, 2024 | Announcements

In an effort to better understand urban heat islands and their impacts on our region, a group of organizations, led by the Nevada State Climate Office, is seeking volunteers to track heat on August 10 for the Reno-Sparks Heat Mapping Project. Volunteers will set out in pairs to drive or navigate a predetermined route, equipped with a GPS-equipped temperature and humidity sensor that can be affixed to a volunteer’s car. The original project date was postponed due to unusually cool weather.

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Reno Sparks Heat Mapping Project logo over a picture of the city of Reno.

Reno-Sparks Heat Mapping Project Now Recruiting Volunteers

By | Jul 2, 2024 | Announcements

Scientists from the Desert Research Institute (DRI) and the University of Nevada, Reno are recruiting volunteers to conduct a one-day campaign to map extreme heat across Washoe County on July 27. community volunteers will fan out across the county to collect thousands of temperature and humidity measurements from early morning through evening, taken over 3 one-hour periods.

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