No. While many of our fellowships deal with various aspects of environmental science, each year we offer a number of opportunities in a wide range of fields including microbiology, molecular biology, human health and nutrition, engineering, renewable energy, biogeochemistry and others.

During January and February, Coastal and Environmental Fellows Mentors submit their project plans which are compiled into an online view book.  Once completed, (typically late February), the link to the view book is emailed to students who have either submitted a completed application packet or expressed interest in becoming a Coastal and Environmental Fellow.

During the beginning of March, you will be interviewed by the Coastal and Environmental Fellows Program Coordinator, and asked to provide a list of the fellowships that most interest you. You will be “matched” with a number of prospective Coastal and Environmental Fellows Mentors. Your application materials will be sent to Fellowship Mentors whose research/outreach most closely matches your areas of interest.  Fellowship Mentors interview prospective candidates and make a final choice of their Coastal and Environmental Fellow.

We will match you with prospective Mentors in late March.  Interviews with Mentors take place in April.  You should be “matched” with a mentor no later than the end of April.

No.  Coastal and Environmental Fellowships are intended only for URI undergraduates who will be enrolled fulltime in classes at URI in the fall following their summer research.

Absolutely!  If you know of a faculty mentor or research or  public outreach organization with whom you would like to work with, don’t hesitate to approach them with your idea. We will be happy to work with them to create a fellowship “tailored” to your interests, and suggest ways that they may be able to find funding for your summer stipend.  Students have also secured summer/seasonal jobs with industry-relevant organizations, such as DEM, that they use as their Coastal and Environmental Fellowship. 

No.  Although the majority of our Coastal and Environmental Fellows live and work in Rhode Island, if you have someone or an organization you want to work with, for example, in Cape Cod or overseas, we will be happy to work with you and them to develop your fellowship and ensure you get the best experience possible.

We will be happy to suggest summer housing locations and give you contact information in order to plan accordingly.  Coastal and Environmental Fellows often live  on campus in dorms or other campus facilities which house students during the summer months.

Please contact Sarah Puckett, the Program Coordinator, via email (sarah_puckett@uri.edu), phone (401-874-7829), or drop by her office (CBLS 436).  She really enjoys chatting with potential Fellows!