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Founded in 1961, URI’s Graduate School of Oceanography boasts a community of scientists who are researching the causes of and solutions to such problems as acid rain, harmful algal blooms, global warming, air and water pollution, oil spills, over-fishing, and coastal erosion. Each year it receives nearly $25 million from federal, state, and private sources to conduct approximately 200 research projects and a wide variety of educational programs. Perhaps the most visible of URI’s scientists is marine explorer Robert Ballard, best known for his 1985 discovery of the remains of the Titanic, who has created the world’s first graduate program in archaeological oceanography at the University. Students study maritime history, archaeology, oceanography and ocean engineering while participating in Ballard’s annual research expeditions at sea. Some of the other 100 researchers based at the University’s Graduate School of Oceanography focus their research on ensuring that the Bay remains a healthy and prosperous ecosystem that continues to ensure a high quality of life for all Rhode Islanders. For instance, one researcher is monitoring a southern species of jellyfish that arrived in the Bay on warming waters and is decimating local fish populations. Another is tracking effluent from wastewater treatment facilities as it enters and circulates in the Bay. Still others are studying currents to predict where potential oil spills may move; the interaction between the ocean and atmosphere to better predict hurricane intensity; and the role of eelgrass in predator-prey relationships, among other topics.
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The Bay Campus is also home to the National Sea Grant Library, the Coastal Resources Center, the Coastal Institute, and the Pell Marine Sciences Library. Adjacent to the campus are local offices of the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Environmental Protection Agency. The University of Rhode Island’s main campus, located seven miles inland in the village of Kingston, houses the nation’s first marine policy program. When decisions are made about managing fisheries in the Caribbean, marine reserves in New Guinea, submerged lands off New Brunswick, or endangered beluga sturgeon in Khazakstan, chances are graduates or faculty of the URI Marine Affairs program are involved. Overall, the University of Rhode Island hosts a diverse student body of more than 11,000 undergraduate students and nearly 3,000 graduate students from all 50 states and 72 countries. In addition to its reputation for excellence in marine and environmental studies, its researchers are also leaders in promoting healthy lifestyles and developing experimental treatments to prevent cancer and other diseases; developing new techniques for fighting crime; and addressing many other challenging and critical issues. It is one of the premiere centers in the U.S. for research in behavioral psychology, sensors and surface technology, and pharmacological delivery systems.
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As
you enter the west passage of Narragansett Bay, you’ll soon
notice the R/V Endeavor docked at the Bay Campus of the University
of Rhode Island, home to one of the country’s largest marine
science education programs and one of the world’s foremost
marine research institutions.