Meet Cayenne Engel

Meet Cayenne Engel

May 7, 2025 |

Cayenne Engel, M.Sc., is a Staff Research Scientist in urban climate adaptation who joined DRI in September 2024. Based at DRI’s Las Vegas campus, she is dedicating her time to assessing and expanding the region’s urban tree canopy to bring relief to communities burdened by temperatures that regularly soar above 100° Fahrenheit. In the following interview, Engel shares her passion for public service-oriented research, how Nevada’s unparalleled landscape lured her west, and her love for intricate puzzles.

Meet David Almanza

Meet David Almanza

Aug 12, 2024 |

David Almanza, Ph.D., joined DRI this summer as a postdoctoral researcher in urban climate adaptation. He is working with Ariel Choinard in the Southern Nevada Heat Resilience Lab to examine how heat is impacting communities in and around Las Vegas. Born in Bogota, Colombia, Almanza grew up in Las Vegas and completed his Ph.D. at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in 2023. In this interview, Almanza discusses his social science training, what it means to center research on your own community, and his love for Las Vegas eateries.

Meet Ariel Choinard, Project Coordinator for CNAP & Southern Nevada Heat Resiliency Lab  

Meet Ariel Choinard, Project Coordinator for CNAP & Southern Nevada Heat Resiliency Lab  

Oct 16, 2023 |

Ariel Choinard, M.A., started at DRI in February 2023 as the project coordinator for the California-Nevada Adaptation Program (CNAP) and the new Southern Nevada Heat Resiliency Lab. She is working with Tamara Wall, Ph.D., to build connections between scientists, community members, and community organizations to co-produce solutions, adaptations, and resilience to natural hazards.