Desert Research Institute Researchers highlight climate change adaption at EPSCoR Western Tri-State Consortium | WPN World People News

The Desert Research Institute, at the two-day EPSCoR Western Tri-State Consortium, emphasized the importance of climate change adaption to a room full of scientists and stakeholders at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Many attendees came from all over the Western U.S. to participate in the workshop gaining further knowledge on the technical as well as the social side of climate change. Stakeholders for the workshop included the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Department of Defense to name a few.

Dr. Kelly Redmond, Regional Climatologist for the Western Regional Climate Center (WRCC) and DRI Research Professor, presented findings on long-term climate change and the fluctuating result of present-day weather patterns. Specifically, he stressed how the Western U.S. has become substantially drier in recent history. “The debate, the public discussion is shifting from ‘is this happening,’ to what should we do?” Redmond said.

Additional speakers included Pat Mulroy, Southern Nevada Water Authority’s General Manager, and Henry Gholz, National Science Foundation Director. As a leader of one of Nevada’s most precious resources, Mulroy specifically emphasized the importance of diversifying water sources to sustain community needs.

Other areas of the conference included break-out sessions where key stakeholders and scientists openly exchanged dialogue about climate change. A poster session was also wrapped into the conference where students and scientists presented areas of expertise in relation to atmospheric occurrences and the ecology of changing weather patterns. Benjamin Hatchett and Brittany Johnson, two DRI Graduate Research Assistants and University of Nevada, Reno Doctoral Candidates, won first and third place for their poster presentations at the conference.

Dr. Gayle Dana, Nevada EPSCoR Program Director and DRI Associate Research Professor, says this workshop provides a platform for enhancing climate change as a critical discussion. “Not only will it engage and inform stakeholders on Nevada’s new climate change science initiatives, but most importantly, it will provide the venue for building collaborations between Nevada’s stakeholders and scientists,” Dana said.

Source: Desert Research Institute