Newsletter - November 2023

The latest news & opportunities from RI NSF EPSCoR

Left to right: URI's Carol Thornber, Gabby Armin and Jongsun Kim interact with a 2022 Vis-a-Thon project created by Emir Cem Gezer, a graduate student in ocean engineering at URI (not pictured).

2024 Vis-a-Thon applications open December 1!

The 2024 Vis-a-Thon at RISD's Edna Lawrence Nature Lab is an arts-based program that provides opportunities for participants to collaboratively experiment with new and innovative ways to create and use visual imagery and language.

This year, Vis-a-thon is open to STEM researchers at all Rhode Island colleges and universities. Interested individuals at any phase of their research process are welcome to apply. We are particularly interested in having junior faculty members from STEM disciplines participate in this year's program.

Please share widely with your colleagues and students!

There are no costs associated with participating, and all materials are supplied by the program. RISD on-campus dates are March 1, March 23, and March 24. All participants must be available in-person for those times.

Don't hesitate to reach out to program facilitators, Stewart Copeland and Georgia Rhodes, at visathon@risd.edu if you have questions or would like to have a discussion about participating!

Past Projects

Apply on Dec. 1!

Vis-a-Thon Homepage

Accepting apps for 2024 SURF

RI NSF EPSCoR is now accepting applications from undergraduates enrolled at its eight partner institutions for the 2024 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF). This program offers a full-time, 10 week STEM research experience with faculty and graduate student investigators studying coastal ecosystems in Rhode Island. Learn More!

Opportunities & Events

Narragansett Bay Estuary Program seeking new executive director

Position open until filled

The Narragansett Bay Estuary Program (NBEP) is one of 28 place-based National Estuary Programs, which were established in 1987 by an amendment to the federal Clean Water and are overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A catalyst for scientific inquiry and collective action, the estuary program offers consensus-building, scientific analysis and communications, and grant-making services to help restore and sustain the region's natural resources in the face of legacy challenges and accelerating change. Learn more

Drivers of harmful algal blooms in Narragansett Bay RI Sea Grant Coastal Discussion Series

Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2pm ET

Researchers across New England have been focused on better understanding a phytoplankton species known for producing Domoic acid, a neurotoxin that can harm wildlife and humans, ever since an unprecedented harmful algal bloom in 2016 prompted the recall of more than five tons of shellfish in Maine and the first bay-wide precautionary closure for shellfishing in Rhode Island. Join URI's Matthew Bertin for a discussion on his research around this important topic.

The News

From left to right: RWU juniors Ashlee Lewandoski and Grace DiBlasio; senior Michelle Kryl; and Lillian Jeznach, Associate Professor of Engineering at RWU. Image courtesy RWU

Measuring microplastics in Narragansett Bay

2024 SURF mentor Lillian Jeznach, associate professor of engineering at Roger Williams University, takes undergraduates out into the field to measure the impact of microplastics on coastal areas throughout Rhode Island and ultimately share results with state officials. Read More!

Former SURF joins Peace Corps in Paraguay

Sophie Beauchesne, a 2021 RI NSF EPSCoR SURF and recent Salve Regina University graduate, is heading to Paraguay with the U.S. Peace Corps as a community advisor on the environment. As a SURF student, she examined osprey populations in Rhode Island under Jameson Chace, professor of biology at Salve. Read More!

Salve's Sophie Beauchesne

Examining AI in scholarly publishing

Through the National Association of Science Writer's Perlman Virtual Mentoring Program this past summer, RI EPSCoR Communications & Outreach Coordinator Shaun Kirby mentored Jenna Jakubisin, a graduate student at Johns Hopkins University, to write a news piece on the timely subject of AI in scholarly publishing. Read More!

Don't Forget

NSF Deadlines: Be sure to consult upcoming funding/project due dates for faculty and students alike from the National Science Foundation through their web portal.

C-AIM Newsletter Archive: Looking for info from a past C-AIM newsletter? Check out our archived newsletter page!

Rhode Island EPSCoR is funded by the National Science Foundation under EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Award #OIA-1655221 . Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

For more information about RI C-AIM and RI NSF EPSCoR, contact Communications Coordinator Shaun Kirby at 401-874-6888 or skirby@uri.edu