Dr. Peg Rees is Professor Emerita of Geoscience, where she is responsible for strategic planning and outreach within the state as well as nationally and internationally to guide and develop the institute. Peg previously served as Vice Provost for Educational Outreach, a position to which she was appointed in 2009.
Peg has held several administrative leadership positions at UNLV, including Chair of the Department of Geoscience, Associate Provost for Academic Resources, Senior Vice Provost, and Associate Vice President for Research and Community Outreach. She is also a geologist who has taught at both the community college and university levels, worked as an oil exploration geologist and conducted National Science Foundation-funded research primarily in Antarctica, China, and the western United States. In addition, Peg was an active member of the UNLV Women's Studies faculty and funded by the National Science Foundation for interdisciplinary women's studies, social science and geology projects in earth science education.
Peg is a recipient of the U.S. Congressional Polar Medal, a Fellow of the Geological Society of America, a member of numerous scientific societies, and co-author of many scholarly papers as well as a book, book chapter, and geologic map. She has a mountain named after her in Antarctica (Mt. Rees located at 780 29'S 1620 29'E Victoria Land, Antarctica, 1998). Peg was president of the Las Vegas Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society at UNLV and the Southern Nevada representative on the Nevada State Board on Geographic Names.
Peg holds an A.A. from Modesto Junior College, B.S. with honors in Geology from Sonoma State University, and a M.S. and Ph.D. with honors in Geology from the University of Kansas.