Atmospheric Sciences Archives

Aerial view of clouds over the United States

Citizen Science Weather Tracking Project Celebrates Record Breaking Winter

By Elyse DeFranco | May 11, 2026 | Featured projects, Elyse DeFranco

Mountain weather is famously unpredictable, with storms rolling in at a moment’s notice and one part of a mountain experiencing sleet while others nearby get rain or snow. Even small changes in elevation can impact the type of precipitation received from the same storm. Scientists are learning more about how winter storms change across time and space thanks to Mountain Rain or Snow, a NASA-funded partnership between DRI, UNR, Lynker, and thousands of community members across the country.

Graduate Student Winners of the 2026 Annual Poster Presentation Session

By Elyse DeFranco | Apr 28, 2026 | Awards and Honors, Elyse DeFranco

On Friday, April 17th, 17 graduate students presented their research at DRI’s Reno campus for the annual poster presentation session. Organized by Kathleen Rodrigues, PhD, Assistant Research Professor of Luminescence, the event offers an opportunity for DRI-affiliated graduate students to network with each other and with DRI faculty, hone their presentation skills, and showcase the research they’re working on in pursuit of their degrees.

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.

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

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

By DRI Communications | Mar 18, 2026 | Announcements, Donor Stories, DRI Communications

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.

Ziming Ke standing on a deck under trees with the coast of a body of water in the background.

Meet Ziming Ke

By Elyse DeFranco | Jan 20, 2026 | Featured researchers, Elyse DeFranco

Ziming Ke is an atmospheric scientist who joined DRI in March 2025. He has extensive expertise in earth system modeling and is producing groundbreaking research that integrates wildfire science into global and regional models, including a recent publication that is the first to successfully replicate wildfire-induced thunderstorms in earth system models. He joined DRI as a postdoctoral researcher working with Hans Moosmuller. Ke completed an undergraduate degree in China, a master’s in oceanography at the University of South Carolina, and a Ph.D. in atmospheric physics and chemistry at Georgia Tech. In the following interview, Ke shares his enthusiasm for wildfire science, spending time in Reno’s wetlands, and watching soccer games.

Episode 3 DRI Research Explained with Ecohydrologist Christine Albano, Ph.D.

Science for Human Resiliency in a Time of Droughts, Floods, and Fires: An Interview With Ecohydrologist Christine Albano

By Elyse DeFranco | Jan 7, 2026 | Featured researchers, Elyse DeFranco

Christine Albano is an Associate Research Professor of Ecohydrology at DRI. In this interview, Dr. Albano answers frequently asked questions about the relationship between a warming atmosphere and extreme weather, including wildfires, droughts, and flooding. This is the third in a new series of FAQ videos with DRI researchers.

View of mountainous and grassland landscape.

New Study Offers a Glimpse Into 230,000 Years of Climate and Landscape Shifts in the Southwest

By Elyse DeFranco | Dec 2, 2025 | Research findings, Elyse DeFranco

Atmospheric dust plays an important role in the way Earth absorbs and reflects sunlight, impacting the global climate, cloud formation, and precipitation. Much of this dust comes from the continuous reshaping of Earth’s surface through the erosion of rocks and sediments, and understanding how this process has shaped landscapes can help us decipher our planet’s history – and its future. Although an ephemeral phenomenon by nature, dust emissions through time can be depicted through natural archives like lake sediment cores. In a new study, scientists examine one such record to peer 230,000 years into the past of the American Southwest.

Three men in winter gear and snow board on a peak overlooking the water of Lake Tahoe.

Cloud Seeding for Local Precipitation Enhancement: An Interview With Atmospheric Scientist Frank McDonough

By Elyse DeFranco | Nov 19, 2025 | Featured researchers, Elyse DeFranco

Frank McDonough is a research and forecast meteorologist who leads DRI’s cloud seeding program. His research interests span cloud physics, aviation icing forecasting, and precipitation enhancement.

In this interview, Dr. McDonough answers frequently asked questions about how cloud seeding works and what makes DRI’s program unique. This is the second in a new series of FAQ videos with DRI researchers.

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.

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.