NORTH KINGSTOWN – As Rhode Island pushes to advance its blue economy, a Rhode Island higher education consortium has netted an $8 million grant from the National Science Foundation targeting ocean innovation.
Through its Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research program, the NSF announced the award to the The Rhode Island Network for Excellence in Science and Technology on Tuesday.
Led by the University of Rhode Island, the group also includes Brown University, Rhode Island College, the Rhode Island School of Design and Roger Williams University.
Though the four-year grant broadly covers science, technology, engineering and mathematics research initiatives, URI and state leaders highlighted ocean technology and the blue economy in a statement on the funding, with Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., calling the funding "a great step in ensuring Rhode Island continues to be a national leader in the Blue Economy."
Rep. Gabe Amo, D-R.I., echoed this sentiment, stating, "Investing in research and development is an integral part of maintaining Rhode Island’s edge as a leader in the blue economy.
"I am excited this $8 million award from the National Science Foundation will empower researchers from the University of Rhode Island to blaze new trails and unlock new breakthroughs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics," Amo continued.
The funding comes as Rhode Island researchers are on the hunt for dollars that they previously missed out on through the federal government's Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs program. The Ocean Tech Hub, a joint Rhode Island-Massachusetts initiative, had applied for a share of $504 million in federal funding towards blue innovation, but didn't make the cut in that funding round last month, which was administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration.
The EDA awarded the Ocean Tech Hub a $500,000 grant later in July, though this amount paled in comparison to the grants allocated during the $504 million round. URI did not immediately respond to an inquiry on whether the recent EPSCoR funding can cover some of those initiatives that researchers initially hoped the EDA would finance.
In a statement, Bethany D. Jenkins, vice president for research and economic development at URI, said that the university "is collaborating with partner institutions across the state to advance vital initiatives in STEM-related education and workforce development.
"Rhode Island has a unique and robust research ecosystem built through years of EPSCoR collaborations," she continued, "and funding through the new RI-NEST EPSCoR award will enhance research infrastructure; build capacity for investigator expertise, leading to sustained research, education and public engagement partnerships; and develop pathways to broaden the participation of students and institutions from across Rhode Island."
EPSCoR has previously provided support to URI and other academic institutions in the state, with Rhode Island receiving more than $100 million through the program since 2004.
At the beginning of the month, EPSCoR announced a $3.4 million grant to researchers at URI and the Rhode Island School of Design to study and develop climate change resiliency initiatives.
Among other awards, EPSCoR also announced a year ago that researchers at the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College, among other New England institutes, would receive a $6 million grant designated toward a climate change and coastal resiliency hub project. In 2017, EPSCoR awarded $19 million to URI, Rhode Island College, the Rhode Island School of Design and Brown University for a Narragansett Bay research initiative.
Jacquelyn Voghel is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Voghel@PBN.com.
