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Regents Appoint Barber as DRI Interim President

RENO--The Board of Regents today appointed Dr. Peter Barber as Interim President of the Desert Research Institute.

Currently executive director of DRI's Atmospheric Sciences Center, Dr. Barber's appointment will be for a period of one year or until the successful completion of the Board's ongoing search to find a permanent successor to President James V. Taranik. Taranik is returning June 30 to the classroom as the Arthur Brant Chair of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Nevada, Reno, after leading the Institute for the past 12 years.

"After consultation with the leadership of the faculty, administrative, and technical staff at DRI, I was delighted to recommend Dr. Peter Barber to the Board," said Dr. Jill Derby, Board chair.

"Dr. Barber has the experience of administration at DRI and the confidence of the institution and the Board to help lead DRI through this period of transition," she added.

Prior to joining DRI in 1993, Dr. Barber was a professor in the Department of Electrial and Computer Engineering and Applied Science at Yale University. He also held various faculty positions at the University of Utah and UCLA.

Dr. Barber earned a B.S.E.E. from Washington State University; a M.S. and a Ph.D. in Engineering from the University of Califoria, Los Angeles.

He was awared the John R. Park Teachers Fellowship from the University of Utah; the Outstanding Advisor Award from Clarkson University; and a Fulbright Fellowship to Finland.

Dr. Barber's annual salary will be $148,000.