President of Nevada’s Desert Research Institute stepping down
The Desert Research Institute’s first female president announced Monday that she had resigned after two years on the post, citing personal reasons.
Dr. Kristen Averyt’s resignation will be effective June 30, according to the Nevada System of Higher Education.
She assumed the role in July 2017 after the Nevada Board of Regents unanimously appointed her.
“The past two years have been very rewarding, and I have enjoyed working with the NSHE team and everyone at DRI,” Averyt said Monday in a news release. “I am proud of the work we’ve done to connect DRI’s mission with society, share the impact of the important research DRI performs across Nevada, and tell the inspiring stories of the remarkable people at DRI.”
Dr. Kumud Acharya, an ecological engineer serving as interim vice president for research, has been designated as DRI’s Office in Charge.
He began his career at DRI in 2006 as an assistant research professor. Prior to joining DRI, an organization devoted to conducting research into the effects of natural and human-induced environmental change, he spent five years as a research fellow at Arizona State University and the University of Louisville, according to NSHE.
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