Sierra Pacific Power Company
Contact: Robert Sagan/Karl Walquist
Phone: (775) 834-4345

For Immediate Release

Three researchers at the Desert Research Institute (DRI) have won this year's Sierra Pacific Power Graduate research Assistance Awards presented by the University of Nevada, Reno's Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering.

Jacob McDonald, Jeremy Snyder and Leland Tarney each received $4,000 to support their future graduate research. The awards were announced by James N. Seiber, director for the environmental center.

McDonald's award is for research to determine how smoke from wood burning sources and natural fires impacts local air quality.

Snyder was recognized for his work in renewable hydrogen energy systems, which involves generating hydrogen from renewable energy resources such as wind and solar power, and turning it back into electricity.

Tarnay won for his research into dry deposition of nitrogen of forest canopies in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Loss of clarity in the lake's water has been attributed to this deposition.

The Sierra Pacific UNR/DRI Graduate Student Research Assistance Program was established in1977 by the Sierra Pacific Foundation to assist two or three UNR graduate students each year, who are working under the direction of DRI professors and researcher.