The URI college of the environment and life sciences (CELS) is the home of rhode island's agricultural experiment station (AES) and cooperative extension (extension)

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the University of Rhode Island $2.14 million on October 1, 2025, under the Payments to Agricultural Experiment Stations Under the Hatch Act program (CFDA 10.203), a formula grant supporting agricultural research delivered through Rhode Island's Agricultural Experiment Station.

The funding supports research on environmental biology and ecology of coastal, freshwater, marine, and terrestrial species and habitats at national, regional, and local scales; human-natural systems coupling and resilience to environmental challenges; fundamental biological properties across genes, proteins, cells, organs, organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems; interdisciplinary researcher teams addressing human, animal, and plant health threats; and application of big data, bioinformatics, and artificial intelligence to preventative, diagnostic, and therapeutic approaches for human and environmental health. The research program emphasizes three thematic areas: agriculture and food systems across terrestrial and aquatic species production, harvest, marketing, and consumption; local-to-global environmental change response and adaptation; and human and environmental health challenge recognition and management.

The award obligates $2.14 million with a period of performance from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. Work is performed in Kingston, Rhode Island. The University of Rhode Island's Research Office Division, operating as URI - Research, is the recipient; the State of Rhode Island is the parent organization. Hatch Act funds may be carried over for up to one year after the fiscal year of appropriation with no prior approval required.

URI's land grant programs address a wide range of national issues, with an emphasis on the needs of our state. Our research programs seek to improve rhode islanders' quality of life, their livelihoods, and the health of our natural environment, with special attention to local problems. Themes include agriculture and food systems - increase our ability on local, regional, and global levels to sustainable grow, harvest, market and consume food from both terrestrial and aquatic species. Local to global environmental change - increase our ability to respond and adapt to local, regional, and global environmental changes. Human and environmental health - increase our ability to recognize and manage emergent human and environmental health challenges. Outcomes/deliverables - hatch (agriculture experiment station) understand how the environment may alter the biology and ecology of coastal, freshwater, marine and terrestrial species, and habitats on national, regional, and local scales. Improve our understanding of human-natural systems (including coastal, freshwater, marine, and terrestrial), how they are coupled, and how to enhance their resilience to environmental challenges. Understand the fundamental biological properties of genes and proteins, cells, organs and organ systems, organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems, and their collective responses, leading to enhanced food production and improved human health. Encourage development of interdisciplinary teams of researchers with the capacity to understand the underlying biological and social mechanisms that contribute to human, animal, and plant health threats. Harness the power of big data, bioinformatics, and artificial intelligence to implement improved preventative, diagnostic, and therapeutic approaches to human and environmental health challenges. Understand and address the distribution and impacts of human and environmental health challenges across communities. Develop, implement, and evaluate interventions that preserve or improve health in aging adults living in rural and urban environments. Strengthen our ability to develop the region's blue economy.