Many children have never used a net to see what is living in a pond or looked at moss with a magnifying glass, and SMILE recognizes that encouraging this curiosity yields a more thoughtful young adult. Join us in the NRS 492 course during the spring semester at URI, and learn how to engage budding scientists in using equipment, testing soils and water, and identifying trees, insects and other organisms, and wetland vegetation. Collaborate with your peers to craft an environmental lesson plan to inspire 4th and 5th graders at this year’s Ecology Field Day. The event will be a full day (8:00 am to 5:30) in April at the URI campus’s North Woods vernal pool and forest, and a campus pond and stream.
The NRS 492 course usually convenes once a week on Thursdays, from 4 pm to 5:15 pm. However, the exact timing is flexible and molded to fit URI student schedules. If you would like to learn more or have any questions, please contact Professor Tolani Olagundoye at Tolagundoye@uri.edu or SMILE staff Brenda Dillmann at Brenda.Dillmann@uri.edu or keep an eye out for our recruitment drive in October.
Become a Mentor for
SMILE Engineering Challenges
Help SMILE students tackle a full day of excellent hands-on science and math projects at the High School Engineering Challenge on Friday, April 10, 2026, and the Middle School Engineering Challenge on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. These SMILE annual events, held at URI, gather students from all over the state to take on the roles of engineers, environmental scientists, chemists and biotechnologists. Corporate mentors and URI student mentors are an essential element of these events – chat with the kids and ask questions, help troubleshoot, and serve as a valuable role model. These all-day events are held in the URI Memorial Union Ballroom and include tours of the campus, talks with URI students, faculty and staff, and meals in the dining hall. Stay for an hour or stay all day (we’ll treat you to a meal in the student dining hall)!