DRI NEWS RELEASE
Steven Squyres, Ph.D., best known for his work as the principal investigator for the Mars Explorations Rover Project and his study of the history and distribution of water on Mars, will be honored at the 25th annual Desert Research Institute Nevada Medal dinner.
“I am honored to receive the Nevada Medal,” Squyres said. “Science-driven discovery is paramount to DRI’s mission and to my research. I look forward to spending time in Nevada sharing my experiences with other like-minded science enthusiasts.”
Squyres is currently the Goldwin Smith Professor of Astronomy at Cornell University. He has won various respected awards including the 2004 Carl Sagan Memorial Award and the 2009 Carl Sagan Medal of Excellence in Communication in Planetary Science. He has been recognized by “ABC News,” “The Colbert Report” and Wired Magazine. In 2005, Squyres published “Roving Mars: Spirit, Opportunity and the Exploration of the Red Planet,” which has since been adapted into the Disney film “Roving Mars.”
“Dr. Squyres’ research on our solar system has earned him an extraordinary reputation in the field of planetary sciences,” said DRI President Steven Wells, Ph.D. “DRI is honored to award him the Nevada Medal.”
The 25th annual DRI Nevada Medal dinner will take place in both Reno and Las Vegas.
The Reno dinner and awards program is scheduled for Tuesday, Apr. 24, at the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino. A cocktail hour is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m., with dinner and the awards program beginning at 7 p.m.
The Las Vegas dinner and awards program is scheduled for Thursday, Apr. 26, at the Aria Hotel. A cocktail hour is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m., with dinner and the awards program beginning at 7 p.m.
Additionally, an exclusive reception with Squyres and Gov. Brian Sandoval will take place in Las Vegas at the Nevada State Museum at the Springs Preserve Wednesday, Apr. 25. This private reception will be open to premium sponsors that contribute to the Nevada Medal dinner.
Squyres has also been a co-investigator on the 2003 Mars Express and 2005 Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and a member of the Gamma-Ray Spectrometer Flight Investigation Team for the Mars Odyssey Mission. In addition to his studies on Mars, he has worked with NASA on numerous other space exploration projects, including the Voyager mission to Jupiter and Saturn, the Magellan Mission to Venus, the Cassini Mission to Saturn and the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous Mission.
For more information on the 25th annual DRI Nevada Medal dinner please visit www.dri.edu/25.
For sponsorship information, please visit http://bit.ly/y8DCB9.
About the DRI Nevada Medal
The Nevada Medal was established by DRI in 1988 to acknowledge outstanding achievement in science and engineering. The annual award includes an eight-ounce minted medallion of .999 pure Nevada silver and $20,000 lecture honorarium sponsored by AT&T.
The award program involves public lectures by the medalist at DRI campuses in Reno and Las Vegas. The award is formally presented by the governor of Nevada during dinner ceremonies in Reno and Las Vegas attended by Nevada’s business, educational and governmental leaders.
