en.Wedoany.com Reported - On June 25, the University of Rhode Island (URI) Narragansett Bay Campus reached a significant milestone in its $300 million multi-phase revitalization plan with the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Marine Robotics Laboratory. Hundreds of attendees, including Governor Dan McKee and former House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, participated in the event. Students Elliot Roman and Jake Bonney operated the university's remotely operated vehicle, Rhody, to perform an underwater ribbon-cutting in the lab's 20-foot-wide, 30-foot-long test tank.
URI President Marc Parlange stated that this milestone marks substantial progress in the campus revitalization. He noted that the campus serves as the hub of Rhode Island's blue economy, encompassing education, research, training, outreach, and collaboration with industry, state, and federal agencies, and expressed gratitude for the support from state and federal elected officials and donors. URI Board of Trustees Chair Margo Cook remarked that the new lab becomes a cutting-edge resource supporting students, faculty, and industry partners, as well as a new tool for attracting and retaining talent to drive the blue economy within the state.
The revitalization initiative is supported by two bond referendums totaling $145 million, approved by Rhode Island voters. Governor McKee stated that URI has one of the nation's best oceanography programs, yet the campus infrastructure had been underfunded. He cited a report from the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation indicating that, with proper investment, the blue economy could provide up to 60,000 jobs. Shekarchi recalled that during his first visit to the campus, the facilities were outdated, describing how "you had to carry an umbrella inside the building because the roof leaked."
New state-of-the-art facilities are changing this situation. Steve D'Hondt, Interim Dean of URI's Graduate School of Oceanography, pointed out that the lab, by providing shared spaces, innovative infrastructure, and place-based partnership opportunities, will position Rhode Island as a global leader in robotic ocean exploration and marine autonomous sensing. Anthony Marchese, Dean of the College of Engineering, stated that taxpayers have been not only generous but also visionary, emphasizing that the facility is crucial for the region and society as a whole.
Lora Van Uffelen, Associate Professor of Ocean Engineering, highlighted that research, development, and deployment are key terms for this facility. She noted that the tank facility is essential for refining systems before they can go to sea. Jason Noel, a doctoral candidate in ocean engineering, said the new facility fills a gap in the infrastructure needed to carry out work, while also establishing a direct link between university talent and in-state industries, helping to retain local talent.
Several state elected officials spoke about the importance of the new lab. Senator Alana DiMario pointed out that investing to leverage the state's proximity to the ocean and fully realize its potential is crucial. Representative Carol Hagan McEntee stated that investing in URI is one of the best uses of taxpayer funds. Representative Kathleen Fogarty remarked that the new facility will attract talent and research in marine science, driving economic growth. Representative Teresa Tanzi emphasized that the state's investment has had a tremendous impact, representing the future of ocean exploration, research, education, technology development, and deployment.
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