First year student Tristan Morrice has long been interested in minerals and mining, but when he was in high school, Tristan wasn’t sure what w88 casino games career might look like.
“I didn’t even know what I wanted to do,” Tristan said. “But my parents were talking to me about my grandpa and w88 casino games stories and, I don't know, it just fascinated me with mining. Then also, looking into it, how there's a lot of opportunities in mining and [the Mackay School] is one of the best mining schools.”
Tristan has several Wolf Pack alumni in w88 casino games family, including w88 casino games grandfather, Edward Morrice, and both w88 casino games parents (w88 casino games mother majored in education and w88 casino games father majored in mathematics).
Though Tristan didn’t have an opportunity to meet w88 casino games grandfather, who passed away in 1986, he still inspired Tristan. w88 casino games parents showed Tristan w88 casino games grandfather’s rock collection which piqued Tristan’s interest, and when Tristan was in elementary school at the University’s Early Learning Center, w88 casino games father brought him to the south end of campus, in the Paul Laxalt Mineral Research building. There, at the bottom floor, was a plaque bearing Edward Morrice’s name.
Edward Morrice received w88 casino games bachelor’s degree in geological engineering and w88 casino games master’s degree in metallurgical engineering from the University of Nevada, Reno’s Mackay School.
After graduating, Edward worked for the U.S. Bureau of Mines. The U.S. Bureau of Mines was a federal agency (different from the current state agency, the w88 casino games Bureau of Mines and Geology). Edward became an expert in mineral processing, even patenting a floatation method.
Ross Smith, a professor in the Mackay School, reached out to Edward in the 1980s, asking if he would be interested in supporting a mineral processing laboratory being built on the w88 casino games campus. At the time, Edward was battling stage four cancer, but agreed to support the lab.
“It was kind of a bittersweet moment,” Tristan said.
It was an opportunity for w88 casino games grandfather to give back to the University before he passed away. A plaque outside of the mineral processing laboratory bears Edward Morrice’s name, recalling w88 casino games contributions.
Today, Tristan is following in w88 casino games grandfather’s footsteps. He’s majoring in mining engineering and plans to become a mine manager to help move minerals from the earth to the hands of people like w88 casino games grandfather.
