URI creates Blue Fellows program to support graduate students with $954,000 NSF grant

May 5, 2026
Offshore windmill.

Award will help the University recruit six doctoral fellows to develop future Blue Economy workforce

May 5, 2026

The University of Rhode Island has been awarded a three-year, $954,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to help cultivate the next-generation workforce to support Rhode Island’s Blue Economy.

The grant will help URI recruit and support six doctoral “Blue Fellows” who recently received honorable mentions in the NSF’s prestigious Graduate Research Fellowship Program. The program provides three years of financial support to graduate students who have demonstrated the potential to make significant contributions to scientific innovation. Three URI students were recently awarded similar individual fellowships.

Fellows will pursue study in various degree programs aligned with ocean-connected science and technology, including ocean, civil, environmental and chemical engineering; marine affairs; and oceanography, among others. Once enrolled at URI, the fellows will conduct use-inspired research on topics related to the Blue Economy, such as coastal resilience, sustainable fisheries, microplastics pollution and ocean exploration.

“This grant from NSF further cements URI’s reputation as an R1 research institution and as a major player in the blue economy,” said Brenton DeBoef, former dean of the URI Graduate School and current interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, who, along with URI Coastal Institute Director Elin Torell and Associate Oceanography Professor Kelton McMahon, secured the grant. “Graduate assistantships and fellowships such as this are rocket fuel for research. This is how the research gets done here at URI and this grant from NSF will further advance our strong expertise in the Blue Economy.”

Headshot of Elin Torrel.
Headshot of Kelton McMahon.
URI Coastal Institute Director Elin Torell and Associate Oceanography Professor Kelton McMahon, both of GSO, secured the grant from NSF.

The Blue Fellows program will be fully integrated with the Rhode Island Network for Excellence in Science and Technology, which helps strengthen Rhode Island’s research infrastructure and capacity, and positions the state to lead in research around the Blue Economy, and future societal and economic growth—focusing specifically on administration, workforce development, partnerships and science communications.

Fellows enrolled in the program will have individual development plans, be part of interdisciplinary committees, and have opportunities to mentor undergraduate students in their second year. Fellows will also engage in site visits, micro-internships, and an annual research symposium.

DeBoef anticipates the first cohort will be enrolled at URI this coming fall. He also hopes that the workforce created through this fellowship initiative further nets continued strong return on investment to Rhode Island’s economy. A recent economic impact study noted that for every $1 invested by the State of Rhode Island in URI, $17.39 is returned to the state’s economy.

“This NSF award is a significant investment in the next generation of Rhode Island’s scientific workforce,” DeBoef said. “It enables URI to recruit exceptional graduate students whose work will directly strengthen the Blue Economy that defines our state, while advancing our broader commitment to building graduate programs that are not only larger, but more impactful.”