KINGSTON, R.I. – Aug. 12, 2026 – The University’s land- and sea-focused work was showcased last month for local legislators and municipal leaders, letting them see and hear up close all the ways URI research can serve their constituents. Many had visited campus before—as speakers, parents or program attendees—but the morning forum in July let them delve deeper into an array of programs of interest to Rhode Islanders.

URI faculty, including Kathleen Carroll who leads work on the University’s ‘Rhode Kill’ survey, spoke with guests and community members during the URI Land- and Sea-Grant Showcase—opening a dialogue for visitors to get a peek into their research and learn about ways Rhode Islanders benefit from University research and programs. More than 25 elected and municipal officials, in a range of roles, registered for the event hosted by URI’s College of the Environment and Life Sciences (CELS).

Ecology professor Kathleen Carroll was one of the presenters at this year’s inaugural URI Land- and Sea-Grant Showcase; she oversees the University’s Rhode Kill survey and Bobcat Project.

The program provided community leaders with information on URI resources connected to issues that matter to Rhode Islanders in all parts of the state. College leaders said the event shows how important partnerships with state and municipal leaders are to the University’s work.

“The inaugural CELS showcase celebrated the college’s mission-oriented approach to research, education, and extension, highlighting programs that strengthen Rhode Island’s environment, economy, and quality of life,” CELS Dean Jean VanderGheynst said. “The event provided a unique opportunity to showcase how University expertise is translated into real-world solutions that benefit communities across the state.”

Sophomore Anaya Farmer, a 2026 URI Energy Literacy Fellow, said exposure builds interest for students looking at the work world after graduation.

Faculty at the event were appreciative of the interest in their work. “It was wonderful to discuss Rhode Island Sea Grant’s work with local cities and towns on issues such as coastal and environmental resilience, energy, and the blue economy with our state legislators and municipal staff,” said presenter Tracey Dalton, director of Rhode Island Sea Grant. “This was a valuable opportunity to share the breadth of work that URI carries out on behalf of Rhode Islanders.”

URI faculty and staff members shared information about their research focus in brief “lightning talks,” as well as resources in aquaculture, wastewater management, food safety, energy literacy and more.

While URI is well known for its roots in agricultural programs, leaders from across the state visited campus to learn more about ways University research can address a range of real-world issues.

Sam Adams, director of URI’s emergency management department and an adjunct professor of marine affairs, spoke about the CHAMP program and how appreciative URI is to have the state’s support for the program, which bridges gaps in emergency preparedness. Storms infamously caught Rhode Island by surprise in the last century, but that is not the case now. Thanks to CHAMP, emergency managers statewide are ready if a big storm hits. The CHAMP program can model and predict land and water surge, translating science to predict problems, and deploy technology not available during the state’s memorable 1938 or 1954 storms, which wrought widespread destruction in the state’s coastal communities. CHAMP is now deployed for Rhode Island’s State Emergency Operations Center and other agencies in the state.

“CHAMP demonstrates the fundamental value of URI’s land- and sea-grant missions,” Adams said.

Charles LaBash, from URI’s Geospatial Extension Program, shared the University’s geospatial expertise and resources within the URI Environmental Data Center GIS laboratory. The lab connects the dots in the Rhode Island physical landscape, and provides services that support mapping down to the centimeter level. URI’s Geospatial Extension operates a statewide GIS database that covers everything from aerial imagery to wetlands, offering tools widely used by state agencies and municipalities.

Some attendees, such as Rep. Jennifer Boylan (Barrington/East Providence), were interested in getting a better understanding of invasive species, a key research focus at URI.

Other speakers discussed additional issues that matter to all Rhode Islanders. Jannelle Couret described her work in URI’s Vector Ecology and Control Lab, which has a focus on “blood-sucking arthropods.” Couret says her work builds on a legacy of important research at URI—particularly around mosquitoes and ticks—and noted feeling fortunate to be at URI. Her lab is focused on how to manage these species and the risks they bring and has been experimenting with targeted interventions in communities, such as Westerly and Charlestown, to help cut down on the local mosquito population and reduce the burden of mosquito-borne illness in Rhode Island.

Kate Hardesty capped the presentation program by describing how URI Cooperative Extension extends University science to industry. Her office oversees three fellowship programs that put URI students into offices, programs and worksites across the state. These workforce-led fellow programs benefit both students and industry.

“These students work on real-world projects,” Hardesty said, “and not only are they changing the world with their work, they are staying here in Rhode Island after graduation.”

Follow the College of the Environment and Life Sciences on social media (@uri_cels) for ongoing updates on URI research in action.