Edwards Hall, Auditorium

To: URI Research Community
From: Bethany D. Jenkins, Vice President for Research and Economic Development
Lauren Burgess, Executive Director, Legislative and Government Relations
SUBJ: Forum on Federal Impacts to Research, 12-1, Sept 8, 2025

Dear URI Research Community,
We welcome you back to campus for a new academic year! Lauren Burgess, URI’s
Executive Director of Legislative and Government Relations and I will be co-hosting a
forum to update our community regarding recent federal developments impacting
research. The forum will take place on Monday, September 8, 2025 from 12:00PM-
1:00PM in Edwards Auditorium. President Parlange and Provost Wolfe will open the
forum.

The University of Rhode Island is committed to supporting our community, and to our
vital mission as a land- and sea-grant public research university and our foundational
values. The University has been actively assessing and tracking the potential impacts of
recent executive actions and other federal developments. This forum will serve to
update our community on events this summer and what to expect in the federal budget
process in the months ahead.

Despite cuts to federal funding, URI’s resilient and hardworking research community
continues to win an impressive number of extramural awards. At the close of FY25 in
June,$143M in awards came to URI, very close to our all-time high of $146.6M in FY24.
To date in FY 26, URI has received $32.3 M in awards.

The work our research community is doing in solving societal challenges, enhancing
daily life, and driving discovery and innovation is celebrated. The University remains a
strong and active advocate for research.

We look forward to seeing faculty, staff, and students at the September 8th information
session.

Special Events, Lectures / Presentations, Community Engagement