College of the Environment and Life Sciences

From coral farming and seaweed cultivation to sustainable reef aquaculture, Taras Pleskun ’17 is helping redefine what the modern aquarium industry looks like.

Through lab research, fieldwork, and close faculty mentorship, Abby Harlow is discovering how plant sciences can address real-world agricultural challenges.

Through applied coursework, close faculty mentorship, and interdisciplinary study, Anna Geubtner ’26 found a path in environmental economics that connects economic theory with real-world environmental challenges.

Through research, clinical experience, and a transformative scholarship program, molecular neuroscience major and Ryan Scholar Angela Marses has shaped her path toward medicine at the University of Rhode Island.

Student-led redesigns aim to turn Easton’s Pond shoreline into accessible, environmentally resilient public space

With support from the Amgen Foundation, URI delivers hands-on biotechnology labs to high school classrooms across Rhode Island, connecting students to real-world science and career pathways.

Emilio Pedroza Lopez’s NSF-funded research examines how social dynamics influence movement, resources, and survival in degus, a small rodent native to Chile

Through hands-on learning, leadership, and farmwork at URI, animal science major Paige Caron ‘26 discovered her passion for large animal veterinary medicine and will now pursue Doctor of Veterinary Studies in Grenada.

Ph.D. student Jaypee Samson came to the Ocean State to study challenging diseases in bivalve molluscs

As a child, Mary Brantley read her ocean encyclopedia so often it nearly fell apart. Years later that same fascination brought her to URI, where she double majored in marine biology and marine affairs. “The ocean is something I have always been deeply curious about,” Brantley says.

From philosophy conferences to biomedical research, URI Assistant Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology Nic Fisk is examining how computational tools are changing how scientists talk about their research – and what the consequences might be.

Through hands-on learning in URI’s Department of Plant Sciences and Entomology, Justin Levesque has found community, mentorship, and a lasting connection to the natural world.

From switching majors to pursuing an array of opportunities on campus and studying abroad, Kate Zmich’s journey at URI shows that exploration–not certainty–is the key to discovering purpose.

Alexandra Elizabeth Sinno, who graduated from URI in December 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in marine biology, was among the 2,500 students chosen out of nearly 14,000 applicants.

As trees come into bloom across Rhode Island, URI’s resident forestry extension specialist Christopher Riely answers questions about local trees in time for Arbor Day on April 24. Riely is a certified forester and arborist in URI’s Department of Natural Resources Science.

A new study by Terpase Gbaa, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences is surveying small-scale and backyard egg farmers across the region to assess their awareness of food safety practices and identify gaps that could put consumers at risk.

From global cancer disparities to rare disease diagnosis, two University of Rhode Island seniors highlight how laboratory science drives patient care with essential data.

Though patients never meet them, Kathryn Casey ’19 and Sabrina Metallo ’19 are often the first to detect life-changing diagnoses. They are passionate about revealing the critical yet often invisible role medical laboratory science plays in healthcare.

URI Cooperative Extension gardeners offer green suggestions and advice for novice gardeners looking to break ground this spring.

This year’s conference will be held on Wednesday, May 27, and Thursday, May 28 bringing together researchers, farmers, funders, and businesses at the forefront of the growing field of regenerative agriculture.