MARINE BIOLOGY
THE FEINSTEIN SCHOOL OF SOCIAL AND NATURAL SCIENCES
Bristol & Providence | Rhode Island
is filled with OPPORTUNITIES
DIVE HEADFIRST INTO THE STUDY OF OCEANOGRAPHY, MARINE ECOLOGY, FISHERIES BIOLOGY AND MORE WITH A DEGREE IN MARINE BIOLOGY!
RWU’s state-of-the-art Marine and Natural Sciences (MNS) Building is situated on Mount Hope Bay, with direct access to the coastal environment. The building is home to the aquatic animal diagnostic lab, one of the state’s only shellfish hatcheries, and a marine biology wet lab with flowing sea water direct from the Bay. Plus, starting in the first year of study, our students get their feet wet on the expansive shores of campus and from onboard RWU’s research vessel, the InVinceble Spirit. Working with expert faculty, our majors get hands-on, interdisciplinary training that prepares them for professional careers in the marine field.
SUCCESS by the NUMBERS
100%
REAL WORLD OPPORTUNITIES
Marine Biology students participate in community-engaged projects and internships during their undergraduate studies, not to mention attending classes held on our boat in the Mt. Hope Bay!
PRESTIGIOUS INTERNSHIPS
100% HANDS-ON RESEARCH
All students are encouraged to participate in hands-on research opportunities, starting in their first year! Annually there are over 80 students conducting research alongside faculty or caring for our marine animals in the wet labs.
93%
PLACEMENT OF 2022 GRADS
Our RWU graduates found success in employment or in graduate school within 6 months of graduation.
All students are guaranteed the opportunity to participate in hands-on experiences, with the goal of being well-prepared for highly competitive internships at leading marine and environmental research agencies and advocacy organizations.
Students have interned at organizations such as:
• New England, Mystic, & Baltimore Aquariums
• Save the Bay
• Audubon Society
• Center for Coastal Studies
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• R.I. Department of Environmental Management
• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution & Marine Biological Laboratory
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH STARTS YOUR FIRST YEAR
We receive and work with millions of dollars in grants for research and support of aquaculture locally, regionally and nationally.
RECENT STUDENT RESEARCH PROJECTS INCLUDE:
• Functional morphology of jellyfish
• Evolution and ecology of marine viruses
• Ecology of temperate corals and their microbiome
• Diagnostics of marine fish and shellfish diseases
• Marine ornamental fish and invertebrate aquaculture
• Shellfish aquaculture, ecology, and larval biology
Graduates Share Their EXPERIENCES
I’m really passionate about interdisciplinary science. Studying Marine Biology and Chemistry, both majors had a lot of valuable classes that helped me in understanding my job and what the responsibilities require. My job at the Bigelow Laboratory is a biogeochemist-based job. It’s an interdisciplinary field of research. Getting this job and setting myself up for the future is a direct result of going to RWU.
HANNAH STERLING ’22
Majors: Marine Biology and Chemistry Research technician at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in East Boothbay, ME
Something so unique to Roger is we get to be super hands-on in our research as undergraduates.
Being able to take part in world-class research is absolutely amazing. It’s definitely a highlight of Roger.
TOMMY DEMARCO ‘21 Penguin and Pinniped Trainer at the New England Aquarium in Boston, MA
I did undergraduate research looking at a specific kind of jellyfish that create currents in the water that bring food towards them when they swim. I looked at the speed of the currents they create, compared across species, and studied the fluid mechanics and how atoms move through water.
MALAIKA CORDIERO ‘21
California Institute of Technology Ph.D. program in Bioengineering in Pasadena, CA
Faculty Profile
KOTY SHARP, PH.D.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, BIOLOGY, MARINE BIOLOGY, & ENVIRONMENTALSCIENCE
Koty Sharp is known for her work to save coral reefs worldwide through her research on local coral, which recently became Rhode Island’s official state coral thanks to her efforts.
In my research lab, we are interested in how interactions with microbes, both beneficial and pathogenic, impact the fitness and survival of benthic marine invertebrates. This is especially important as marine species, communities, and ecosystems face the emerging threats of climate change. Much of our work is focused on the temperate coral Astrangia poculata, an emerging model for studying coral-microbe symbiosis and physiology. All of the members of the Sharp Lab team have the opportunity to get hands-on experience with laboratory and field research during the academic year and throughout the summer months.
LEARNING RIGHT ON THE WATER
An entire class can be taken on board RWU’s experiential learning research vessel, the InVinceable Spirit. Students directly experience our coastal ecosystem dynamics on the bay right on campus.
The RWU Difference
SHELLFISH HATCHERY AND AQUACULTURE FACILITIES
With saltwater drawn straight from the bay, our shellfish hatchery and tropical fish aquaculture facility provide opportunities to pioneer research and technology development alongside faculty members. The MNS building is equipped with a Wet Lab, Shellfish Hatchery and Farm, Aquatic Diagnostic Laboratory, and a greenhouse.
MNS HOUSES ADVANCED LABORATORY RESOURCES, INCLUDING A CONFOCAL LASER MICROSCOPE, AN EPIFLUORESCENCE MICROSCOPE, A FLOW CYTOMETER, A PARTICLE COUNTER, THERMAL CYCLERS, CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENTAL CHAMBERS, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY INSTRUMENTATION.
STATE-OF-THE-ART WET LAB
The Marine Biology Wet Lab, a 3,000-square-foot research space housing many undergraduate and faculty research projects, as well as most of the RWU aquaculture projects, offers many research and work-study opportunities for students.
FIRST YEAR RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
The First Year Research Experience (FYRE) program is an initiative involving first semester students in hands-on research, setting a foundation for continued involvement in research throughout their time at RWU.
HOME TO THE NARRAGANSETT BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM (NBEP)
Roger Williams University is the home of the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program (NBEP), which is dedicated to the protection and improvement of vast watersheds, rich in coastal wildlife habitat, economic opportunities and recreational assets. Marine Biology students have access to NBEP scientists and help develop solutions for complex problems facing the people and coastal ecosystems of our region.
Sustainability in Action
The Center for Economic and Environmental Development promotes the environmentally sustainable development of marine and maritime industries in Rhode Island with a particular emphasis on aquaculture. Students work on real-world problems throughout the state that tackle the balance of economic development and environmental stewardship.
RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: BREAKTHROUGHS IN SUSTAINABLE FISH BREEDING
For the first time, Aquarists from Roger Williams University and the New England Aquarium successfully raised glassy sweepers, a small tropical fish, in captivity. The fish are now on display at the Aquarium in Boston. The work we are doing to preserve and propagate vulnerable species is really important for zoos and aquariums, Professor of Marine Biology Andy Rhyne said.
It’s also vital for research and learning opportunities for our students, so we are enthusiastic about expanding this work with other institutions and within our walls.