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
Understanding How Microbes Interact: Q&A with Kara Eichelberger August 20, 2026 - What happens when two very different microbes meet during an infection? For Dr. Kara Eichelberger, a new faculty member in the University of Rhode Island’s Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, that question is central to her research.
Designing parks with Rhode Island communities: Q&A with Anthony Cordova August 20, 2026 - This summer, Anthony Cordova worked with communities in North Providence, Scituate, and Richmond to develop park designs shaped by community feedback, site history, culture, and ecology.
2025 Hollings Scholar completes summer internship August 19, 2026 - Eleni Mouyos, a double major in ocean engineering and marine biology, completed a summer internship at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. It was funded through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship program.
PrepareRI Students Join URI Cooperative Extension for a Summer of Discovery August 19, 2026 - Three Rhode Island high school students spent the summer gaining hands-on experience with URI Cooperative Extension
