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
Where Science and Journalism Meet November 18, 2024 - For 26 years, URI’s Metcalf Institute, which is based in the College of Environment and Life Sciences, has been training journalists and scientists to be better science communicators. As climate change accelerates and misinformation proliferates, its work is more important than ever.
Students get their hands dirty in annual soils contest November 18, 2024 - Megan DeLaurier, an environmental science major with a minor in soil science, placed eighth in the recent Northeast Regional Collegiate Soils contest.
Boosting Biodiversity in the Backyard November 16, 2024 - A biological and environmental sciences master’s student, Margit Burgess’ interviewed homeowners about their current landscaping habits and views on barriers and motivations for shifting to practices that enrich biodiversity. 
Marissa Ardovino on the Persistence of Sacramento Mountain Salamanders November 12, 2024 - Marissa Ardovino, a graduate student in biological and environmental science with a specialization in ecology and ecosystem sciences, researches the Sacramento Mountain salamanders’ response to wildfires and climate change.
