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.
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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.
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Urban planning scholar Julian Agyeman to deliver Metcalf’s annual Leeson Lecture on ‘Just Sustainabilities’ June 10 May 27, 2025 - Author Julian Agyeman will speak at the URI Graduate School of Oceanography, Tuesday, June 10, 3:30 p.m., as part of the URI Metcalf Institute’s annual public lecture series. It is free and open to the public.
URI tick expert shares tips for a tick-free summer May 23, 2025 - Thomas Mather, director of URI’s Center for Vector-Borne Disease, offers a wealth of information and resources so that people can stay ahead of, or away from, tick exposure this summer.
URI researchers study link between stroke and Alzheimer’s Disease May 21, 2025 - Claudia Fallini, assistant professor of cell and molecular biology and pharmacy, is investigating the link between stroke and dementias in a study funded by a $413,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health. She hopes her research will lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms that contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, as well as to improved stroke outcomes.
CELS graduate awarded research fellowship from National Science Foundation May 16, 2025 - Marine biology major Lindsey Reimels has received a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. This fall she will pursue a Ph.D. in ecological sciences continuing her research into the relationship between baleen whales and microplastics.
