The DRI Bulletin: February 2020

Scientific research and solutions for a changing planet. The DRI Bulletin: February 2020 RESEARCH NEWS Using Machine Learning to Address Land Subsidence in Pahrump Valley As populations continue to grow in places like Pahrump Valley in Southern Nevada, water resources are becoming more and more stressed, which is causing issues like land subsidence. This is the sinking or caving in of the ground’s surface, which can lead to damage to building foundations and slabs, fissuring of the land surface, shearing of well casings, and extensive damage to roadbeds. DRI scientists are using machine learning and high-resolution data sets to construct 3-D models of the subsurface. These models will help them better understand Pahrump Valley’s geologic structure and predict areas where land subsidence could occur in the future. Learn more about this research People-powered research: Citizen science makes microplastics discovery at Lake Tahoe possible  In citizen science projects, community members utilize their curiosity, enthusiasm, and talents alongside professional scientists in real-world research projects. They act as the eyes, ears, or an extra set of hands for scientists, helping to extend the spatial reach of a study or adding important perspectives that scientists cannot provide themselves. That’s precisely what Lake Tahoe locals did this summer to help DRI scientists identify microplastic pollution in the Lake for the first time ever.  Learn more about this research UPCOMING EVENTS Join us for "Science Distilled: I'll believe it when I see it" on March 4th Doors open at 7pm • Talks start at 7:30pm Patagonia Outlet • 130 S. Center Street Reno, NV $10 for Discovery Museum members • $15 for everyone else It’s safe to assume that we’ve all seen a weather forecast and muttered, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” How do we decide when to take warnings about natural hazards seriously? And when do we brush them off, assuming the forecasters are just crying wolf? At this installment of Science Distilled, hear from the researchers probing this decision-making process and the science behind communicating the risks of hazards like extreme heat, earthquakes, and snowstorms. Learn more & get tickets DRI IN THE NEWS "Reno sees third-warmest January on record, Tahoe snowpack diminishing" Reno Gazette Journal • January 31st "The race to decipher how climate change influenced Australia's record fires" Nature • January 23rd "Nevada's 60-year-old Desert Research Institute continues expanding its scientific exploration" Las Vegas Weekly • January 16th "Desert Research Institute, NASA, bring cybersecurity education to UNLV students" 8 News Now • January 14th "New Las Vegas cyber security boot camp teaches students how to hack" FOX 5 Vegas • January 13th "How marijuana impacts air quality in growing facilities" KOLO 8 • January 8th "This Robot’s Journey to an Icy Alien Moon Starts Beneath Antarctica" The New York Times • January 5th Browse more news coverage IMAGES OF THE MONTH Celebrating DRI Technologists The scientific research that happens at DRI wouldn't be possible without the Institute's many technologists: non-faculty employees who have special technical experience and training to support instrumentation design, laboratory and fieldwork, administration, accounting, reception, and facilities. Each year, faculty, students, and staff have the opportunity to nominate those technologists they believe go above and beyond to make DRI a great place to work for the Technical Employee of the Year award (nominated technologists pictured above). From those nominations, a council of technical employees selects the recipient of the award. This year, the recipient is Julie Albright (right), the program specialist for DRI's Office of Education. Get to know Julie Albright, DRI Technologist of the Year Follow @DRIscience to #DiscoverDRI Love what you read in this newsletter? Share it using the gray icons at the bottom of this email, and don't forget to tag @DRIscience in your post so we can say thank you! Explore more at www.DRI.edu.

Share this email: Manage your preferences | Opt out using TrueRemove™ Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails. View this email online. 2215 Raggio Parkway Reno, NV | 89512 US This email was sent to . To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.

Subscribe to our email list.