Program Overview

In summer 2025, the University of Rhode Island Plastics Initiative NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) welcomed ten exceptional undergraduate students from across the United States. Over the course of ten weeks, students conducted cutting-edge research, developed professional skills, and experienced coastal Rhode Island through academic, cultural, and social activities.

Research

Students worked alongside URI faculty and graduate student mentors on a range of research projects addressing the challenges of plastics and sustainability. Each student was immersed in a hands-on research project, gaining experience in experimental design, data collection, and analysis while contributing to ongoing research surrounding plastics and sustainability. Our faculty mentors come from six different departments in three colleges across the university, bringing an interdisciplinary approach to the problem of plastic pollution.

Projects spanned four major focus areas:

  • Developing novel tools for detecting plastics across scales, from visible debris to microscopic particles.
  • Exploring methods for removing and recycling plastics, including innovative approaches to wastewater treatment and reuse in construction materials.
  • Studying the ecological and human health impacts of plastics, from marine organisms to advanced biomedical models.
  • Investigating societal and economic interventions, including consumer behavior, policy, and market-based solutions.

Professional Development

The REU emphasized building skills for future academic and career success. Highlights included:

  • Graphic Design, Visual Communication, and Scientific Posters Workshop at the Rhode Island School of Design, preparing students for poster presentations.
  • Exploring Graduate School Options seminar with URI College of Engineering Career Specialist Lauren Creamer.
  • Additional workshops on scientific communication, 3D visualization, and technical skills, offered through the Rhode Island IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (RI-INBRE).
  • Opportunities to attend a professional conference, the Circularity Conference of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists held at URI.

Students could customize their professional development experiences to align with their individual educational goals.

Presentations

Throughout the program, students refined their science communication skills by:

  • Delivering mid-program research updates.
  • Presenting final research talks to faculty, mentors, and community members.
  • Showcasing their work at the Rhode Island Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium (RI-SURS), an event drawing over 400 attendees from across the state.

Click here to view the posters created by the 2025 cohort.

Field Trips

The REU also brought research to life through immersive field trips, including:

  • A visit to the Mystic Aquarium, where the URI REU students met the Mystic Aquarium REU students, shared their research, and explored aquarium exhibits.
  • Tour of Field’s Point Wastewater Treatment Plant, a behind-the-scenes look at urban water infrastructure in Providence.
  • Beach cleanup at Black Point Trailhead, collecting plastic samples and logging pollution data.

Community and Social Activities

All students lived on campus in the TI House. Outside the lab, students built friendships and explored Rhode Island through activities such as:

  • A Newport Gulls baseball game.
  • A day trip to Block Island.
  • Visits to local beaches.

Why Apply?

The URI Plastics Initiative REU offers undergraduate students a unique opportunity to:

  • Engage in meaningful research on plastics and sustainability.
  • Develop professional skills for graduate school and STEM careers.
  • Connect with peers, mentors, and a vibrant scientific community.
  • Experience the culture, beauty, and resources of Rhode Island.

Applications for Summer 2026 will open this winter. To subscribe to future updates, contact us at plastics@etal.uri.edu.