The Tevis Research and Education Center will be a memorial to the first resident scientist at Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center. Lloyd Tevis began his career as a biologist at UC Davis, and then joined the Laboratory of Dr. Fritz Went, California Institute of Technology, in 1959. In October of that year he brought the Caltech mobile Desert Laboratory to Deep Canyon, and established it in the vicinity of the current facilities. Lloyd rejoined the University of California later in 1959 and served as the reserve manager and resident research scientist of the Center until 1973. He supervised the construction of the original facilities and served on the UCR Control Committee until 1972. When he left the University in 1973, he pursued other interests in the Coachella Valley. The Tevis family moved from the Coachella Valley to the Santa Rosa area in the mid-1980s.
The Tevis family recalls fondly their trips to Deep Canyon for family outings and to help Lloyd with his research. After his passing the family conceived the idea of honoring Lloyd with a memorial gift to Deep Canyon. This unsolicited gift came from the heart of the family.
The Tevis family decided that an appropriate memorial to Lloyd would be a facility to enhance research and teaching programs at Deep Canyon. The concept of the facility evolved from a utilitarian laboratory to a multifunctional building that will incorporate a class room (Boyd Deep Canyon’s first indoor classroom), a meeting room, and other academic facilities.
Major funding for the facility was provided by California State Proposition 84 and matching funds from the Tevis family and other funds from Boyd Deep Canyon resources. Construction should begin in 2016.