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 biotechnology student helps raise tiny wasps with a big mission July 30, 2026 - Through a summer internship in URI's Biocontrol Lab, Andrew Swiader is helping rear tiny parasitoid wasps that could offer a natural defense against an invasive crop pest
Keeping Greenhouses Cool: Q&A with Noah Antonellis July 30, 2026 - As part of a CELS Summer Research Fellowship, Noah Antonellis is investigating whether a specialized infrared-blocking film can keep greenhouses cooler while maintaining healthy plant growth. 
Tracking Summer Flounder: Q&A with Zuzanna Bajer July 30, 2026 - As part of a CELS Summer Research Fellowship, Zuzanna Bajer is helping URI researchers better understand the movement and distribution of summer flounder in Rhode Island waters. 
Exploring the World of Deep Sea Corals: Q&A with Lewis Truckel July 30, 2026 - Meet Lewis Truckel, a URI junior who's turning a passion for marine science into hands-on research. This summer, he's helping analyze data from the deep ocean to support coral restoration efforts
