Sue Wagner, a Nevada Gaming Commissioner and former lieutenant governor and state legislator, has been awarded the Desert Research Institute President's Medal by DRI President Stephen G. Wells. Wells said the award is the institute's highest non-scientific honor and recognizes individuals who contribute significantly to the institute or render exceptional service.
Wells cited Wagner's long-time commitment to DRI when she was special assistant to three previous DRI presidents, and her establishment of two important award programs at DRI in memory of her late husband, Dr. Peter B. Wagner, a DRI atmospheric scientists who died in the 1980 crash of the institute's research aircraft. "Sue has given us a national award for women in atmospheric sciences as well as a brand new internal award to acknowledge outstanding work by DRI's younger scientists, something that was important to Peter Wagner in his own mentoring of our newest faculty members," Wells said.
Wells noted that Wagner was also instrumental in raising the awareness of DRI's capabilities within the state's government and business sectors, as well as in helping to establish the institute's 14-year-old Nevada Medal Award, a national scientific honor presented annually