Nevada Reads with DRI Scientists

By Staff of Nevada Humanities

Where does one’s literacy journey begin? From birth through childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and beyond, the need for literacy dominates the way we move through the world and understand it. One way we can think of literacy is to think of it as the ability or capacity to communicate and interact with others and to make sense of the world around us. Literacy can also come in many different forms: musical, culinary, financial, digital, and more. 

This year as part of our Nevada Reads program, we at Nevada Humanities chose to focus on cultivating environmental literacy in our communities: two non-fiction memoirs, Miracle Country: A Memoir by Kendra Atleework, and World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, were chosen for their focus on highlighting wonder and appreciation for our natural world and to have our readers better understand how we fit into (and share responsibility for) the ecological structure of our planet. 

We have delighted in forging new connections with passionate and dedicated organizations and individuals working to create a better world for us all, with the Desert Research Institute (DRI) being no exception. With campuses in Las Vegas and Reno, DRI serves as the nonprofit research arm of the Nevada System of Higher Education. DRI’s mission is to create a better future for the people of Nevada and the world, as they envision a world in which trust between scientists and the public forms the basis for a more sustainable and resilient environment for all people to live, grow, and prosper. As any scientist can tell you, collaboration is key to success. More than 400 scientists, engineers, technicians, students, and staff work together across disciplines and divisions to solve challenging environmental problems. In Nevada, these issues are critical and pertinent to everyday life - global climate change, water quality and availability, air quality, the sustainability of desert lands, life in extreme environments, and more. 

With the environmentally-focused themes of our two Nevada Reads selections this year, we wanted to highlight the intersection of the sciences and humanities. We asked DRI scientists and staff at different parts of their career to write short reviews of either Miracle Country or World of Wonders and to share how these books connect to their own research. As you read along, we hope you are inspired to learn more about the important work of our collaborators. Will this be where your environmental literacy journey continues or begins?

These reviews will be published online weekly on our website and social media platforms from September to November 2021. We cannot wait to share them with you - sign up for our newsletter and check back on our website for updates.