On New Year's Day, Dr. Stephen G. Wells became the sixth President of the Desert Research Institute, heading up the statewide environmental research division of the University and Community College System of Nevada (UCCSN).
Wells begins his presidency at a time of major change in the national
research marketplace-the source of most of the Institute's funding-and as
the 1999 Nevada Legislature convenes to consider the university system
budget. Simultaneously, nearly half of DRI's faculty and staff are
poised to undertake a complex relocation from a 1950s Cold War concrete
relic at the former Stead Air Force Base north of Reno to modern new
facilities in DRI's Dandini Research Park, all the while working to keep
vital research projects underway and on schedule.
Prior to becoming President, Wells had served for three years as executive director of DRI's Quaternary Sciences Center, a rank equivalent to dean in academy hierarchy. There he oversaw a research group studying the dramatic processes of environmental change occurring in the last two million years, a process that continues today with the added influence of humanity.
A geomorphologist by professional training, Wells' personal research career has focused on the specific factors that shape the Earth's surface, such as volcanoes, floods, forest fires, erosion, and wind. He now hopes this familiarity in dealing with short- and long-term change will serve him well in his new role.
at Sierra Pacific Power Company, Wells converses with Greg Lambert (center), Sierra Pacific's director of communications, community relations, and marketing, and Robert Seale (left), president and CEO of Gabelli Fixed Income, LLC, and former DRI Foundation trustee. |
Wells also knows that change frequently provides new opportunities, and he likes to apply the modified cliché, "a rolling stone gathers momentum," to describe the results he wants to stimulate. "Right now, DRI's scientists face many great opportunities for applying their expertise to the benefit of Nevada and the nation, as well as advancing their fields of science," Wells says.
"The last ten years have seen major changes in the way scientists conduct their business, such as wide variability in federal funding levels, big shifts in federal research priorities, and a new emphasis on public-private research partnerships. These all offer exceptional potential for scientific opportunity."
Wells says DRI's multidisciplinary nature, its lean and flexible operating structure, and its ability to respond relatively quickly to research sponsors' changing needs have served it well over a period that has been extremely hard on many similar "soft money" research organizations. Today, DRI stands as one of the world's largest and most broadly based environmental research organizations.
"DRI has undergone some difficult, but necessary, adjustments in the past few years that have seen our own mix of research expertise change and our scientific faculty evolve to meet the new expectations and opportunities in the marketplace. We depend on research sponsors for 85 to 90 percent of our funding, so this ability to respond is essential, as it is in any business enterprise."
new Warm Springs Branch of Pioneer Citizens Bank, Wells and his wife, Beth, greeted more than 125 guests, including newly named DRI Foundation trustee Nick Aquilina (right) and his wife, Freda (left). |
This expanded activity will benefit Nevada in several ways, he says. "This is very beneficial to the university system in developing new research funding sources outside our traditional areas. The state's economic diversity and the depth and quality of the academic programs will be enhanced by success in these efforts."
To facilitate this enhancement, Wells wants to expand DRI's interaction with Nevada's university campuses in teaching and research beyond several already strong programs. He wants to make it easier for university faculty to collaborate with DRI scientists and open up more opportunities for graduate training and employment with the Institute.
"For years, DRI has been in a position of attracting outstanding faculty to Nevada. It's both a compliment and a curse that some of these are lured away. The success of DRI's young scientists, for example, makes them extremely attractive to universities and the private sector. I'm going to try to develop retention incentives to keep research talent at DRI." Wells sees DRI's increasing role in studies of Nevada's environmental challenges, particularly in southern Nevada, as the most immediate opportunity for DRI scientists to make an impact. He cites work on several important groundwater challenges and a planned $1 million air quality study of the Las Vegas valley as recent examples.
"The growth of Las Vegas is an opportunity for environmental scientists to develop models for evaluating and managing the urban-environmental interface. The response to the spectacular growth in southern Nevada should be seen as an opportunity to learn management strategies that can benefit not only Nevada but also urban and economic planners everywhere," says Wells.
Superintendent Dr. Brian Cram. |
Besides the direct retention of faculty, other challenges facing Wells include the continued upgrade and development of the Institute's research infrastructure-its laboratory, computing, and technical support capabilities. He would also like to improve strategies for professional development of scientists.
"If we have a good scientist who needs $50,000 to reach the next level in research productivity and reputation in the scientific community, I want to make sure I'm aware of that and that I have some ways to respond. It's not just meant as reassuring to say that the research faculty is the heart of the Institute; it's good business sense to help expand the scientific capabilities of our current research faculty." Not just as the new president of a division of the UCCSN, but as a former center director, Wells can brag about the Institute's record of success in winning research funding. "DRI's scientists have maintained a 38-42 percent success rate for their research proposals in the past few years. In an academic environment, over 30 percent is phenomenal! This is four or five times the proposal submission success rate of the rest of the university system."
"With the proper state investment in research and an aggressive collaborative effort among the campuses, I strongly believe that all of us will benefit. We can all see better success ratios. This is not just a very cost-effective approach for enhancing the quality of our university system; it builds the technology base every study says is needed to diversify Nevada's economy."
and two-year old Taz. |
Wells acknowledges that it's too early to have a precise plan for his presidency. He's making certain that he gathers as much information as possible before he sets forth a detailed strategy. In this regard, he has met with the faculty and staff from the Institute's five research centers and is pleased with the input he received. "Everyone wants the Institute to prosper, and everyone has ideas about how to ensure that prosperity and also continue DRI's leadership role in the scientific community."
Wells is also actively soliciting the opinions of community, business, political, and academic leaders outside of DRI. "In the early months of my presidency and beyond, I want to hear their ideas for the future direction of the Institute."
"I hope in a few years we can all say, 'What an amazing entity this organization has become, and what an effective blend of enterprise and science it provides to the state of Nevada.'" With Wells' enthusiasm and dedication, no one should doubt it!
John Doherty
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