UNLV research professor Kristen Averyt has been named the director for drought and western resilience for the White House Council on Environmental Quality. With a long track record in diverse climate-related fields, including western water resources, the energy-water nexus, and climate resilience and adaptation, Averyt is poised to drive transformative actions and policies in the U.S.

Engineering professor Jeremy Cho leads a team that’s studying atmospheric water harvesting — or capturing water vapor in the air around us — and transforming it into drinkable water. His approach is designed for low-humidity environments like our Mojave Desert. His work landed a nearly $600,000, highly competitive grant from the National Science Foundation.

The Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine moved into its new five-story home in the heart of the city’s medical district, thanks to the nonprofit Nevada Health & Bioscience Corp. The facility, which will help the school double its class size, is now home to 250 medical students, 150 faculty physicians, and more than 335 medical residents and fellows. But the real impact is advancing the school’s mission to transform healthcare in our community.

The College of Engineering and the UNLV Small Business Development Center launched a Free Cyber Clinic to protect local business owners from cybersecurity threats. The National Security Agency recently awarded $2 million to UNLV so this student-led clinic can offer a comprehensive range of no-cost services, including security auditing, strategic planning, and more.

The PRACTICE, UNLV’s community mental health training clinic, received over $4 million in grants to provide coordinated specialty care for youth and young adults facing mental health disorders. With a focus on early intervention and tailored support through innovative treatment programs, The PRACTICE is reshaping mental health treatment and empowering young individuals to receive the critical support they need.

Southern Nevada’s first Patent and Trademark Resource Center is now housed at Lied Library thanks to a partnership with UNLV’s Wiener-Rogers Law Library and technology company Switch. The center will provide workshops and one-on-one training and bring together UNLV experts and entrepreneurs to foster a culture of creativity and intellectual property protection. It's another example of how UNLV and its Top Tier goals are supporting the socio-economic development of our region.

The William S. Boyd School of Law recently announced that industry veterans Jennifer Carleton and John Tahsuda will lead the school’s Indian Nations Gaming and Governance Program as distinguished fellows. The program supports research and training on gaming, regulation, and governance for Indian nations, and it educates Native and non-Native students in the legal, political, and cultural context of tribal gaming.

UNLV developed the nation’s first AI president to provide students with access to information and resources 24/7. President Whitfield’s digital twin answers thousands of questions on more than 500 topics and provides mentoring and mental health tools for student wellness. The digital president continues to receive upgrades as it becomes integrated into campus life — and provides students with information and encouragement along the way.