Summary

Dr. Jason Talaei, formerly known as Amir Talaei-Khoei, is a faculty member and Chair of Department of Information Systems at the University of Nevada (UNR)’s College of Business. He holds an MSc in Information Technology from the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden and a PhD in Information Systems from Australian School of Business at the University of New South Wales in Australia. Dr. Talaei has held faculty positions at the University of the Sunshine Coast and the University of Technology Sydney before joining the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) in 2016. As Chair of the Department of Information Systems since 2020, he has driven efforts in the development of cutting-edge programs, including a PhD in Business Administration with concentration in Information Systems and a 4+1 accelerated master’s Program, significantly boosting enrollment. Jason during 2022-2023 was appointed as Interim Associate Dean of the School of Social Work. His research agenda transcends traditional paradigms, with a focus on the intrinsic dimensions of artificial intelligence—particularly explainability—to enhance organizational decision-making. His work has been published in top-tier ABDC A and A* journals and has attracted multimillion-dollar funding from prominent agencies like the NSF, NIH, CDC, and CMS, as well as critical state and international grants. Renowned for bridging academia with industry, Dr. Talaei remains dedicated to advancing technology commercialization, fostering cross-sector engagement, and shaping the future of digital business and information systems.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Lithium battery fires are extremely hard to put out and can last for hours, even days. Two in the last few months have shutdown major interstates in and around Nevada. The lithium battery fires on Interstate 15 and Interstate 95 ignited conversation on battery transport and regulations.

Lithium batteries power everything from electric vehicles to cell phones and batteries of all sizes have led to fires. FOX5 has reported on an e-bike starting an Arizona housefire, a vape pen exploding in a New Jersey mall, and a lithium-ion battery blamed for an e-bike repair shop fire that killed four people in New York City.

“Here at NDEP we are actually doing new regulations regarding lithium-ion batteries,” shared Cierra Peters with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, a guest speaker at a recent meeting of the Nevada Department of Education Statewide School Safety Committee during a discussion on lithium-ion batteries.

“How big is this issue that we are facing within schools?,” Peters questioned.

Back in December, a fire at a CCSD storage building near Flamingo and McLeod was caused by an exothermic reaction from lithium batteries.

For Nevada schools, one major safety issue is vape pens.

“Vape pens do have lithium-ion batteries…they are considered a hazardous waste,” Peters explained.

In 2019, Austin Adams, then 17, was using an e-cigarette at his Ely home when it exploded, fracturing his jaw and causing him to lose several teeth. Educators say they are constantly taking the devices away from children.

“If at Elko High School where we only have 1,400 kids and I’m taking away four, five, six in a day, God only knows at a school 3,500…I think the most recent young age one I saw was a fifth grader,” shared CJ Anderson, Superintendent of Schools for the Elko County School District.

“I did speak with a couple of schools…they called up here and said they had a whole draw full of like 30-40 vape pens,” Peters reported.

While having a large number of the devices is a danger for schools, it’s also against state regulations.

“It is difficult because if you guys were to collect over 2.2 pounds, you would have to be held liable as a large generator,” Peters revealed. Educators asked how to dispose of their unwanted waste, one even suggesting schools should be given special containers. Throwing lithium batteries in the trash is not an option but something many people do anyway.

“When they go into a trash truck, it compacts it, so we have had several landfill fires and trash truck fires that way. That has been a big issue as well,” Peters described.

A fire broke out at Republic’s recycling plant on the northside of the Vegas Valley in September 2021. The cause is believed to be a lithium battery. How to best dispose of unwanted batteries is a question not just for Nevada schools but anyone who no longer wants one.

“How are we recycling these batteries? Is it correct? Is it incorrect? In the industry as a whole, not just in Nevada but the whole world there isn’t really a great way to recycle lithium-ion batteries,” Peters asserted.

According to Peters, NDEP has proposing changes to Nevada’s hazardous waste regulations. It will be up to the State Environmental Commission to approve them November 19th.

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The Nevada Gaming Control Board on Wednesday recommended approval of the licensing of a key executive for Hard Rock Las Vegas, the first license of several anticipated as the shuttered Mirage transitions to a new Strip resort.

Vincent Zahn, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Seminole Hard Rock International LLC and its subsidiaries, was recommended for licensing after a half-hour suitability hearing in Carson City.

Final approval of licensing is expected by the Nevada Gaming Commission on Nov. 21.

Zahn, a former Nevada resident who moved to Florida to join Hard Rock, told board members he aspired to be a Wall Street investment banker when he lived in northern New Jersey and attended New York’s Fordham University.

He worked with Merrill Lynch covering gaming industry companies and eventually went to work for Pinnacle Entertainment and Wynn Resorts before being recruited by Hard Rock, which bought The Mirage from MGM Resorts International for $1.07 billion in December 2022.

Hard Rock, owned by the Seminole Indian Tribe of Florida, closed The Mirage on July 17, after 34 years in business and announced it would expand the property with a guitar-shaped hotel tower replacing the iconic Mirage volcano.

Zahn said he oversees 120 Hard Rock employees and makes frequent trips to Las Vegas as the transition occurs toward a planned opening in 2027.

“Leading up to the reopening of Hard Rock Las Vegas, we’ll have to go through a pretty comprehensive financing process, so I’ll be visiting the site, the location, taking our potential financial partners through the financing plans and visiting for that, but as part of ongoing operations two to four times a year,” Zahn told board members.

Board members praised Zahn’s background and unanimously recommended licensing to the Gaming Commission.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.