In this final year of our $19M Rhode Island NSF EPSCoR Track-1 award I find myself reflecting on our collective accomplishments and the impact RI C-AIM has had on research, education, and broadening participation across our institutions. These accomplishments have come despite the challenges posed by an ongoing pandemic. Our Bay Observatory, coupled with the Rhode Island Data Discovery Center, expanding our ability to observe the effects of climate change on coastal ecosystems, enabling novel sensor development, and offering new opportunities to educate students and engage stakeholders. Our modeling efforts have revealed new physical and biogeochemical insights in Narragansett Bay, and have positioned us closer to a predictive model that will span molecular phenomena to societal impacts.

Embracing team science, training and professional development, and the critical role visualization plays in both guiding and disseminating research, we have created the Career Development Program, a K-12 program for data visualization, and the Vis-a-Thon program. Most important is the impact we have had on the next generation STEAM workforce, with over 300 students and postdocs poised to contribute to the scientific and economic goals of our state and nation. It has truly been an honor working with so many amazing faculty, students, and staff.

I hope you enjoy this edition of The Current, RI NSF EPSCoR’s annual magazine. The stories we share are just a handful of what’s to come as we celebrate the achievements of our research community across the state. Please join us May 3 on the URI campus as we celebrate these achievements during our annual RI C-AIM Research Symposium.