Art League RI and the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography are featuring the works of artists and scientists in a new exhibition titled “The Synergy Project: A Collaboration of Art and Science” at Studio Blue on the URI Narragansett Bay Campus.With its goal to communicate oceanographic research to wider audiences through art exhibits and events, The Synergy Project has paired artists across many mediums with scientists from URI and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution since 2020. This third Synergy Project group exhibition features 50 pieces from returning artists and scientists as well as new work exploring new topics. Each exhibition is an opportunity for guests to learn about ocean science in an engaging and unconventional way, prompting new conversations about science and its importance in climate regulation and ocean health with communities near and far.

Need assistance navigating accommodations or resources on campus? Our Drop-in Hours are a welcoming space where you can meet with a Student Resource Mentor to get personalized guidance on things like:Discussing accommodations with professorsSigning up for the Academic Testing CenterImproving organizational skillsAccessing campus resources and servicesand More! Whether you have specific questions or just want to chat about how your semester is going, we're here to support you. No appointment necessary—just stop by!Visit URInvolved for complete event details and to RSVP.

Join us for lunch as we create space to share your experiences on campus, discuss current events, and connect with other students. Lunch will be provided. Feel free to bring your own lunch as well.Fostering an inclusive and welcoming community is at the heart of the Multicultural Student Services Center (MSSC) ‘s work. All events hosted by or in collaboration with the MSSC are open to the entire URI community. We are committed to making URI a place where everyone feels valued, included, and has a true sense of belonging. We look forward to welcoming you!Thursdays 12:30pm- 1:30pmDates:1/30, 2/13, 2/27, 3/27, 4/10,4/24Visit URInvolved for complete event details and to RSVP.

Nanofiber Technology for Personal Protection EquipmentAirborne transmission via aerosolized droplets is the major mode of transmission for many respiratory viruses including SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). The global COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the effectiveness of respiratory PPE (facemasks and respirators) as a tool for mitigating the spread of viral disease, but it also highlighted certain deficiencies with conventional meltblown polypropylene filter media, such as performance degradation in the presence of heat or humidity, limited shelf life and potentially large environmental footprint. To address these problems, we are motivated to develop alternative technologies that are more robust and can be scaled up quickly and reliably. Electrospinning is one such technology, suitable for manufacturing nonwoven filter media comprising submicron fibers (“nanofibers”) with controlled morphology from a wide selection of materials. Electrospun media have found applications in tissue engineering, green energy, high performance materials, catalysis and industrial filtration, to name a few. Previous experiments and modelling suggest that nanofiber media can have a much higher aerosol collection efficiency compared to microfibers for a comparable air resistance. Electrospun technology thus has the potential to open up new space for the design of filtering facepiece respirators (FFR) that satisfy international standards. We first discuss the design of electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) aerosol filters for FFRs and propose a simple graphical method that facilitates the design process. We also compare our experimental observations for a subset of materials to existing models for aerosol filtration and pressure drop and observe quantitative agreement that can be used to further guide the design of electrospun PPE. We also consider issues related to the practical implementation of these materials into respirators and demonstrate the fabrication and testing of face masks that meet the N95 standard. We then extend our process to the development of electrospun filtration media based on polycaprolactone (PCL), a commercially available, biodegradable polymer, and demonstrate that these materials can also show good filtration performance and meet the N95 standard.

The Introduction to Unity webinar will explain how to get started using Unity, a high-performance computing cluster located at the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center. While it is geared towards new users, effort will be made to adapt the webinar to the experience level of the attendees.Thu, Feb 6 1:00-2:00 PM Introduction to UnityThu, Feb 27 1:00-2:00 PM Introduction to UnityThu, Mar 20 1:00-2:00 PM Introduction to UnityThu, Apr 10 1:00-2:00 PM Introduction to Unity

The GSC will offer a 2 hour workshop to train on basic issues affecting the LGBTQ community and how to be an ally. This session is specific to AEC student employees. Employees should choose 1 session to attend and decline the other two events sent to them.PurposeTo increase awareness, knowledge, and support of LGBTQ people and issues.To build a visible support network of LGBTQ Allies on URI’s campus.To improve the campus climate for LGBTQ people at URI.Visit URInvolved for complete event details and to RSVP.