Through the CELS Summer Fellowship Program, Delia Fuller, a senior studying marine affairs at the University of Rhode Island, has been exploring what ocean equity means and how it can be incorporated into the URI community. Under the mentorship of Dr. Yoshitaka Ota, professor of marine affairs, she has been researching ocean equity, reviewing academic literature and documentaries, and laying the groundwork for an Ocean Equity Club at URI.

By tracking tick populations across Rhode Island, two URI students are helping researchers map where different species occur and provide the public with information to reduce the risk of tick-borne disease.

Marine biology junior Joshua Carr spent his summer investigating a rare behavior in wildlife research: gray wolves hunting and consuming sea otters.

Carissa Sherman is bringing GIS and environmental data to bear on one of Narragansett Bay’s most persistent water-quality challenges.

This summer, marine biology major Sofia Grabiel Butler traveled to Guana Island in the British Virgin Islands to investigate how coral reef habitat loss may be contributing to declines in fish populations.

From penguins to rabbits, URI students are helping give imperiled species a better chance at survival. Under the mentorship of URI’s Justin Richard and in partnership with leading zoos and aquariums, these CELS Summer Research Fellows are contributing to conservation efforts that reach far beyond the classroom.

Carissa Sherman and Jaired Flanagan ’26 used GIS, hydrologic modeling, and environmental data to investigate how water moves through Rhode Island communities — and how better stormwater management can protect local waterways and Narragansett Bay.

Mame Issa Ndoye identifies mosquitoes across Rhode Island as part of RIDEM’s surveillance effort to track West Nile, Triple E, and Jamestown Canyon virus.

CELS Summer Research Fellow Azaliah Lopes spent the season in the field with RIDEM’s mosquito abatement program, trapping and identifying mosquitoes across the state and testing for West Nile Virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, and Jamestown Canyon Virus.

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.