Michael Chirillo joins the College of the Environment and Life Sciences this fall as an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Biological Sciences.

Zarah Deutsch joins the College of the Environment and Life Sciences this fall as an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Science.

Every fall, thousands of migrating songbirds make a pit stop on Block Island. A recent study coauthored by Lauren Michael reveals a promising trend: while many species experienced steep declines in the 1970s and ’80s, most have since stabilized or begun to recover.

Sarah Kienle has been awarded a National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program award to investigate the causes and consequences of female-biased dimorphism in leopard seals, generating new data on the life, physiology, and biology of this important and mysterious polar predator.

Through the Regenerative Community Design Lab, landscape architecture majors Mia Jenkins and Brandon Howard are partnering with the towns of Charlestown, Cumberland, and Providence to redesign public green spaces using sustainable, nature-based solutions. From managing stormwater to creating welcoming parks, they’re turning classroom lessons into real-world change.

Geosciences professor Dawn Cardace is always happy to talk about what we see around us in parks and natural spaces. At URI, she’s teaching students about vital minerals and materials to better understand discussions in today’s news.

Coral populations are at risk due to ocean warming and changing environmental conditions, leading to precipitous coral declines in the Caribbean region. URI professor Carlos Prada is part of an international scientific team calling for action and regulatory reform to allow a technique that could prevent further reef decline and irreversible damage to coral ecosystems there.

Wild populations of the Eastern Whip-poor-will have declined precipitously since 1970, and because of their nocturnal and cryptic nature, few researchers have been able to study their nesting behavior. Liam Corcoran ’18 M.S. ’25 is contributing crucial new insights into its breeding biology, offering the first published growth data for the species.

Celebrated for his lifelong dedication to wetland science, unmatched mentorship, and an unwavering commitment to conservation, Frank Golet, Professor Emeritus of the University of Rhode Island’s Department of Natural Resources Science, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Wetland Scientists earlier this month.

URI’s Department of Cell and Molecular Biology has recently added a new graduate certificate to its offerings. The program offers students training in cell and molecular biology, biotechnology, and medical laboratory science.