June 25, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Suzanne Ernst (702) 889-8426

DRI Professor Appointed Associate Director of NASA Program

LAS VEGAS – Dr. Chris Fritsen, an associate research professor with the Desert Research Institute (DRI), was appointed recently as the associate director of the UCCSN Space Grant Consortium and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program.

According to DRI President Dr. Stephen Wells, Dr. Fritsen’s appointment is an outgrowth of his long-term affiliation with NASA and his research interest in astrobiology. He has led 11 cold-region expeditions, been a sponsor and host investigator for the National Science Foundation (NSF) program for Teachers Experiencing Antarctica, and served as DRI's campus associate space grant director. In this position, Dr. Fritsen will work with Dr. James Taranik, a former DRI president and the current director of the UCCSN Space Grant Consortium and NASA EPSCoR.

“I’m looking forward to helping Nevada engage in creative programs that are consistent with NASA’s evolving mission,” Dr. Fritsen said. “This appointment enables me to facilitate new research and educational experiences, broaden my personal involvement with a wider variety of sciences and engineering projects, and learn first-hand about the exciting new exploration opportunities that NASA has to offer.”

This new role is considered a 50 percent appointment. Dr. Fritsen will also continue in his current roles as associate research professor in DRI's division of earth and ecosystem sciences and adjunct graduate faculty member in the hydrological sciences and environmental science and health programs at the University of Nevada, Reno. In addition to his interest in astrobiology, Dr. Fritsen has also completed research in microbial life and nutrient dynamics in extreme environments, thermodynamics of ice, trophodynamics of polar ecosystems, and systems modeling.

Dr. Fritsen earned his bachelor of science degree in biology from Montana State University, Bozeman, and his doctoral degree in biological sciences from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. He has also completed post-doctoral work in the biological sciences department at Montana State University, Bozeman.

Founded in 1991, UCCSN's Space Grant Consortium is composed of all eight institutions of higher education in Nevada, each of which strives to expand opportunities for Americans to understand and participate in NASA's aeronautics and space programs by supporting and enhancing science and engineering education, research, and outreach programs. NASA EPSCoR is a joint venture between NASA and the federal EPSCoR.

Created by NSF and administered in Nevada by the UCCSN, EPSCoR was created to enhance the scientific research capacity in states that rank in the lower third of receiving federal research funds. The EPSCoR philosophy is to stimulate competitive research by helping faculty members improve their research and write competitive proposals.

The Nevada Board of Regents is the elected, 13-member governing body for the University and Community College System of Nevada. Comprising two doctoral granting universities, a state college, four comprehensive community colleges, and one environmental research institute, the UCCSN serves the educational and job training needs of the nation's fastest growing state. As Nevada's only system of higher education, the UCCSN provides educational opportunities to nearly 98,000 students.

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