URI College of Arts and Sciences

09/03/2026

Counting down the minutes until you’re back on campus. Literally.

09/01/2026

What do Rhode Islanders want for the future of healthcare? URI asked, and the results are clear.

For many Rhode Islanders, the high cost of healthcare isn’t just a concern. It’s keeping them from getting care.

The fourth annual Rhode Island Survey Initiative poll, led by URI’s College of Arts and Sciences and its Social Science Institute for Research, Education and Policy, found healthcare, housing, roads and bridges, and education among Rhode Islanders’ top concerns.

Seventy-two percent of respondents said they are worried about healthcare costs for themselves and their families. Nearly 3 in 10 said they did not pursue a doctor-recommended procedure, test or evaluation in the past year, with cost cited as the most common reason.

“The data show us that unaffordable healthcare costs serve as barriers to care,” said URI sociology professor and lead researcher Julie Keller. “This is especially concerning since delaying care often leads to poor health outcomes.”

As Rhode Island looks for solutions to its healthcare challenges, support for establishing a public medical school at URI continues to grow. This year, 82% of Rhode Islanders surveyed supported the idea of a URI medical school to train more primary-care doctors, up from 75% last year.

University of Rhode Island is now moving forward with the next phase of developing a public medical school, including hiring a founding dean and beginning curriculum planning.

Read more about what Rhode Islanders had to say about healthcare and other issues facing the state below.

KINGSTON, R.I. – Sept. 1, 2026 – While most Rhode Islanders are satisfied with how healthcare is delivered in the state, they feel more should be done to make it more affordable to everyone, according to a new public opinion poll from researchers at the University of Rhode Island. Those high hea...

08/27/2026

Nine URI students, led by a sports media and communication associate professor, Matthew Hodler, spent two weeks in Ireland this summer exploring the country’s sports culture while putting their reporting and storytelling skills to work.

08/24/2026

Congratulations to the semifinalists of the 2026 M.E. Bruné Guitar Competition Young Artist Division!

We’re looking forward to welcoming these talented guitarists to the University of Rhode Island Guitar and Mandolin Festival this October and hearing them perform.

Congratulations to all!

Davide Picci
Penelope Shvarts
Jesse Reece
Viacheslav Shugaev
Facundo Martinez
David Manzanares
599Jiujiu
Kaz Hudson
Ana Maria Iordache
Francesca Riva
Alberto Daniel Quintanilla
Kyle Khembunjong

08/19/2026

The history of Red Sox Nation extends beyond Fenway Park.

In his new book, “Segregation Games: Boston, Busing, and the Making of Red Sox Nation,” URI English professor David Faflik connects the intersection of US cultural and social history and examines the surprising ties in 1970s Boston between the racial segregation of the city’s schools and the racial controversies expressed on and off the field of “Red Sox Nation.”

A lifelong Red Sox fan and scholar of New England culture, Faflik brings those interests together to examine how racial tensions surrounding Boston’s busing crisis were reflected both on and off the field. His research, funded by a New England Regional Fellowship Consortium grant, included extensive archival work across Boston and interviews with African American community leaders.

“I’m personally invested in the Red Sox as an institution, but I’m also invested in the New England region and in public education,” Faflik said. “And the busing crisis is a way to bring my areas of expertise together.”

Faflik also brings this history into the classroom, where he uses sports as an entry point for students to explore larger questions about race, culture and New England history.

“Talking about sports is seemingly a safe space that turns out to be quite rich in the kind of cultural lessons it can afford us,” Faflik said.

Read more about Faflik’s research and the history behind “Segregation Games” below.

A cultural history of race, resistance, and representation in a city divided by politics and play.

08/11/2026

08/11/2026

08/05/2026

08/05/2026

Two prestigious awards are highlighting the impact of University of Rhode Island chemistry professor Fang Wang's research.

Congratulations to Wang on earning an American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund Award and a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award, two honors that celebrate his innovative research in organic chemistry and chemical biology, as well as his potential to advance research and education.

Since joining the URI College of Arts and Sciences in 2020, Wang has built a research program focused on developing new molecular tools for medicine and biology. His work also aims to improve the safety of everyday materials by advancing research related to PFAS, commonly known as "forever chemicals."

"My gratitude goes to the University of Rhode Island, which let us do this groundbreaking work, and this award recognizes my students and their incredible work," Wang said.

The awards underscore Wang's leadership in the field and the contributions of the students conducting research alongside him.

Learn more about Professor Fang Wang’s awards and research below.

KINGSTON, R.I. – July 10 – Fang Wang, assistant professor of chemistry, is the recipient of two prominent awards in his field of organic chemistry and chemical biology. The first from the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (ACS PRF), and a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER ...