The fall 2024 semester got off to a busy and beautiful start. The research community at the University of Rhode Island (URI) continues to do fantastic work. As highlighted in annual report section of this issue, our extramurally funded research portfolio continues to grow, and hit an all-time high of $161.1 million in awards in FY24. Our faculty and researchers continue to do an incredible job seeking funding from a diverse group of agencies to support their work.
We launched FY25 with URI leading several large collaborative projects that promise to improve climate resilience and the blue economy in our state and across the country. Since 2019, URI has been the home of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) funded Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute (OECI), which leads efforts in exploring and mapping the ocean, which just received a five-year renewal of more than $20 million. Led by Professor Adam Soule at the Graduate School of Oceanography, the OECI includes our partners the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the University of New Hampshire, the University of Southern Mississippi and the not-for-profit Ocean Exploration Trust.
URI also received $8 million in funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to lead the Rhode Island Network for Excellence in Science and Technology (RI-NEST), which will bolster the state’s research competitiveness and support societal and economic growth. Elin Torrell, director of URI’s Coastal Institute, leads this project which includes the Narragansett Indian Tribe, Rhode Island College, Brown University, Roger Williams University, and the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).
URI secured NSF funding as well for the ENACTS project (Equitable NAture-based ClimaTe Solutions) that will drive research and workforce development on equitable design and implementation of nature-based solutions. This $6 million project is led by College of Environment and Life Sciences geosciences Professor Soni Pradhanang along with Madison Jones, assistant professor of professional and public writing/natural resources science, Jason Parent, assistant professor of natural resources science, and Emi Uchida professor and department chair of environmental and natural resource economics. They will work with colleagues at the URI Coastal Institute, University of New Hampshire, Antioch University in New Hampshire, RISD, and the University of Louisville.
This issue of Momentum: Research and Innovation features the inroads that URI researchers are making to address some of the most challenging health issues of our day. The magazine also showcases how our faculty and students in fine arts enrich our human experiences. Facilities are essential for our community’s work, across campus and across disciplines. We look forward to having advanced studio and gallery spaces and seeing inspiring performances soon in the renovated Fine Arts Center on URI’s Kingston campus. In 2021, the voters of RI supported $57.3 million in bonds toward this project.
This fall in the general election, URI will ask Rhode Island voters to support a new biomedical and life sciences building through a yes vote on bond measure 2; a combined $160.5 million higher education bond, with $87.5 million directed to the URI facility. URI is so proud of the work our researchers are doing. This state-of-the-art infrastructure will attract and retain talented faculty and students and accelerate their essential research. I look forward to seeing everyone at the ballot box soon and hope you join me in voting “YES ON 2” this November.
Bethany D. Jenkins, Ph.D.
Vice President URI Division of Research and Economic Development Professor
Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Graduate School of Oceanography