Sagebrushers

In this episode of Sagebrushers, University of Nevada, Reno, President Brian Sandoval speaks with Daphne Hooper, director of Indigenous Relations, and Dr. Fred Steinmann, director of the University Center for Economic Development. Hooper and Steinmann provide insight into the Nevada Tech Hub and the initiatives aimed at building a sustainable workforce and closing the lithium loop in Nevada’s electric vehicle and battery materials industry.

In this episode of Sagebrushers, University of Nevada, Reno, President Brian Sandoval speaks with Dr. Charlie Yingling, dean of the Orvis School of Nursing, and Dr. Shannon Richard, associate dean for undergraduate studies. Yingling and Richard provide insight into the strategies the Orvis School of Nursing is using to address Nevada’s nursing shortage and prepare students to serve rural communities.

A first-generation college graduate, Yingling earned his Bachelor of Science in nursing at Loyola University Chicago, followed by a master’s degree as a family nurse practitioner and a Doctor of Nursing Practice at the University of Illinois Chicago. Richard earned her Bachelor of Science in nursing and Master of Science in nursing from the University of Nevada, Reno and her doctorate in nursing from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Both have extensive experience in nursing education and workforce development.

Sandoval, Yingling and Richard explore the unique challenges of Nevada’s nursing shortage, the expansion of the nursing program at the University’s Lake Tahoe location, accelerated pathways for second-career nurses, and initiatives that support student success, clinical readiness and community engagement.

In this episode, University of Nevada, Reno President Brian Sandoval and Pearson explore how tobacco companies target vulnerable populations, the ongoing challenges in regulating tobacco and cannabis products in the US and how her research informs public policy aimed at improving health outcomes. 

In this episode of Sagebrushers, President Sandoval chatswith Yani Dickens, director of University Counseling Services, about mental health resources for students, reducing barriers to access and combating stigmas around mental health.

University of Nevada, Reno President Brian Sandoval speaks with Director of Dual Credit Initiatives Joe Nannini. Nannini provides leadership and support to all stakeholders connected to the University's dual-credit efforts, including the University of Nevada, Reno Collegiate Academy. 

Nannini is a proud University alumnus. His experience in K-12 education as a teacher and a school administrator, combined with his work teaching and leading clinical experiences for the College of Education and Human Development, gives him a unique perspective on both the K-12 and higher education sides of the dual-credit equation. 

During the episode, Sandoval and Nannini discuss how high school students in Nevada can take college-level classes through the Collegiate Academy program. They also explore the rigor of the courses, the support high school teachers receive from the University while teaching and the ways in which the program helps to improve the college-going rate in Nevada. 

University of Nevada, Reno President Brian Sandoval hosts Associate Professor of Management Dan Jones, Ph.D. Jones’ research primarily focuses on how toxic personality traits predict unethical behavior across different environments, and he has spent years developing the construct of emophilia, the dispositional tendency to fall in love easily and often.

During the episode, Sandoval and Jones discuss the value of teaching social and personality psychology to business students and what the dark triad of personality traits consists of. They also explore Jones’ 2024 TEDx Reno Talk, “How to recognize a master manipulator.” In addition, the conversation covers Jones’ research on emophilia and how emophiliacs navigate relationships, break-ups, online dating and more.

In this episode of Sagebrushers, University of Nevada, Reno President Brian Sandoval speaks with Dr. Geoffrey Blewitt. Blewitt is one of the lead scientists credited with making GPS accurate within a millimeter, resulting in discoveries related to the earth’s shape, dark matter tsunamis, mega earthquakes and more.  

Blewitt earned his Ph.D. in physics from Caltech (California Institute of Technology) then joined the faculty of the University of Newcastle in the U.K., becoming a professor of space geodesy in 1994. He joined the University of Nevada, Reno in the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology in 1999, becoming a professor of geosciences. 

During the episode, Sandoval and Blewitt discuss the science of geodesy as well as the many ways in which GPS benefits humans’ daily lives. They also chat about Blewitt’s research with atomic clocks and dark matter and explore what Blewitt’s recent election to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors a scientist can receive, means to him.   

In this episode of Sagebrushers, University of Nevada, Reno President Brian Sandoval hosts Assistant Vice President and Chief of Police Eric James. The University Police Department-Northern Command serves the University by leading an extraordinary group of police officers, support staff and partnerships.

James started as a police officer at the University in 2003 after serving in the United States Marines Corps for 12 years. His work focuses on supporting workplace safety, sexual assault prevention, education about the dangers of underage drinking, self-defense training and more. As chief of police, James empowers his officers to support the Wolf Pack through proactive community involvement and protection.

During the episode, Sandoval discusses with James what the department does, how it serves the campus, including innovative safety measures, and how it partners with other campus units, such as the School of Medicine and School of Social Work, to provide educational opportunities to students.

In this episode of Sagebrushers, University President Brian Sandoval chats with Vice Provost of Online Learning Carley Ries about the newly launched Nevada Online. The office focuses on providing fully online undergraduate degrees, certificates and graduate degrees.

Sandoval and Ries discuss recently added programs, including bachelor’s degrees in interdisciplinary studies, communications and sociology. They also explore the new partnership with Guild Education and plans for the office to expand offerings for adult learners around the country.

University of Nevada, Reno President Brian Sandoval hosts Angie Lenard, Ph.D., and Satish Manandhar, Ph.D., two postdoctoral scholars contributing to impactful research on campus. Around 70 postdoctoral scholars work at the University, playing a valuable role in advancing the research and teaching on campus.

Lenard and Manandhar help to lead the University’s Postdoctoral Association (UNR PA), an organization that was formed in 2021 by volunteer postdocs to represent postdocs across campus. The organization offers professional development opportunities, social events and other community building for any postdoctoral scholar at the University.

During the episode, Sandoval discusses with Lenard and Manandhar what a postdoc is, why someone would choose to pursue this path after receiving their doctorate and how UNR PA is working to connect with postdocs around campus. They also explore both scholars’ research – Lenard is monitoring chemicals on national wildlife refuges near California agriculture lands and Manandhar is running experiments on one of the largest shake tables in the country to determine how to better build structures atop soil.

Thank you to the team at the University Libraries @One Center for producing and editing this episode. Additional contributors included Burak Boyacıoğlu and Loren Pietsch.