At the College of the Environment and Life Sciences, you’ll deepen your understanding of the living world and your place within it.
The work that happens here is rooted in our land- and sea-grant mission, and connected to the needs of the local, regional, and global communities. Our faculty researchers work collaboratively across disciplines, drawing from a broad, inclusive field of human knowledge to make critical discoveries within their fields. URI’s core research facilities and specialized labs offer the latest technologies that will enable you to gather field data, synthesize vast amounts of information, and develop solutions to real world challenges. Whether you are interested in urban food systems; protecting marine wildlife; understanding what makes an organism adapt and an ecosystem thrive; or assisting policy makers in the shift towards renewable energy and sustainable natural resource management, you’ll find your place here.
URI Cooperative Extension
Education and engagement with Rhode Island communities is at the core of what we do. As a land-grant and sea-grant university, our mission is to ensure URI provides education and applied research that helps communities and improves the lives of Rhode Islanders.
learn moreNews and Stories
URI researcher studies an overlooked tree’s secret life June 22, 2026 - By studying pollinators high in the forest canopy, URI Ph.D. researcher Ren Johnson hopes to answer long-standing questions about black cherry trees and their role in Northeastern forests
Digging deeper: URI workshop explores how soil protects water, public health June 19, 2026 - A hands-on workshop at URI brought together professionals from across New England to learn how evaluating soil helps ensure septic systems protect groundwater, ecosystems, and public health. 
Teaching Excellence Spotlight: Madison Jones June 16, 2026 - Associate Professor of Natural Resources Science Madison Jones, who also holds a joint appointment in Professional & Public Writing, is using rhetoric, fieldwork, and creative thinking to train the next generation of science communicators.
The Professor Behind the Plan: Farhad Atash Shaped Communities and Generations of Students June 10, 2026 - After more than four decades at the University of Rhode Island, planning professor Farhad Atash's legacy can be seen in Rhode Island communities, the students he guided, and the profession he helped strengthen.
