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DRI 2006 News Releases

~ for immediate release

news release April 27, 2006

Contact: Heather Emmons, DRI PIO, heather.emmons@dri.edu, Reno (775) 673-7313 (w), (702) 743-3435 (c)
Sherre Bishop or Shelley Ladd, TSU Office of Public Relations, (615) 963-5331
All DRI News Releases are available at: http://news.dri.edu/

DRI enters partnership with Tennessee State University
Memorandum of Understanding signed by presidents today in Nashville

DRI and TSU
The presidents of the Desert Research Institute and Tennessee State University sign a partnership agreement for collaborative research. Pictured from l to r: Dr. Chris Maples, vice president for research at DRI, Dr. Melvin Johnson, president of TSU, Dr. Steve Wells, president of DRI and Maria Thompson, TSU director of research and sponsored programs.
Reno, Nev. -- In a special signing ceremony today in Nashville, Tenn., DRI President Dr. Stephen Wells signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tennessee State University's President Dr. Melvin N. Johnson, signaling DRI's ongoing commitment to partnering with new institutions, both in the U.S. and abroad, for collaborative research activities. DRI faculty and students now have another avenue in which to establish powerful research partnerships across the country as TSU is known for its basic and applied sponsored research in a variety of disciplines, including agricultural and environmental sciences, engineering, technology and computer science, homeland security and health and biomedicine.

"TSU is a good match for us as their goals and objectives are very similar to ours," Wells said. "It is in the best interest for DRI and TSU to develop long-term collaborative efforts to strengthen both our research capabilities, broaden our opportunities and enhance the expertise of the faculty on both campuses. Signing the MOU is just the beginning of a great relationship between our institutions, and we look forward to working with their faculty and students."

The MOU signing ceremony formalized TSU's and DRI's intent to collaborate in the areas of conducting basic and applied research sponsored by federal and state agencies and private organizations, development of cooperative work programs, establishment of student research internships and development of cooperative work programs to provide research opportunities to students and other similar research-related initiatives.

Tennessee State University is an HBCU, or Historically Black College and University, founded in 1912. It is a major, comprehensive urban land-grant institution that offers 45 bachelor's degrees and 24 master's degrees. Doctoral degrees are offered in six areas: biological sciences, psychology, public administration, curriculum and instruction, administration and supervision and computer information systems engineering.

ABOUT DRI: A nonprofit, statewide division of the Nevada System of Higher Education, DRI pursues a full-time program of basic and applied environmental research on a local, national, and international scale. More than 500 full- and part-time scientists, technicians, and support staff conduct more than 300 research projects at DRI annually. DRI generates $45 million in total revenue consisting predominately of competitively won research contracts and grants. The State of Nevada provides critical funding in support of DRI's administration, operations, and maintenance through the Nevada System of Higher education budget. While DRI’s portion of the NSHE budget is approximately one percent, the institute leverages these funds to enhance its competitiveness.