 
| West Coast Foundation Supports Undergraduate Research in Marine and Freshwater Biology | |||||
Profile in GivingBy Maria V. Caliri ’86, M.B.A. ‘92 More than 400 miles of coastline and innumerable lakes, ponds, and rivers define Rhode Island’s natural beauty. While these bodies of water represent livelihoods for fishermen and unlimited recreational opportunities for swimmers and boaters, they also serve as training grounds for ambitious biological sciences and marine biology students who aspire to work alongside this country’s top scientific minds. Through a $30,000 endowment from the Joan Irvine Smith & Athalie R. Clarke Foundation, their aspirations will become reality. Funds from this gift will support research related to the understanding, protection, and preservation of coastal, marine, and/or freshwater environments and for the plants and animals that live in them. Juniors and first-semester seniors, whose funding proposals will be chosen through a competitive review process, will now enjoy the opportunity to conduct original, professional research under the supervision of URI scientists. The students’ current research projects vary widely. Topics range from the feeding behavior of hatchling sharks and the jaw and tooth mechanics in white-spotted bamboo sharks to the ability of mussels to recover from snail attacks. The scope of these projects is often limited, however, due to a lack of funding for supplies or inadequate equipment. With grant money, students can purchase critically needed supplies such as petri dishes, forceps, and antibodies (proteins of high molecular weight) to continue their studies. One antibody alone costs nearly $250. Though the foundation is based on the West Coast, Morton Irvine Smith ’88 brought the work of URI undergraduates and their need for funding to the attention of his mother, Joan Irvine Smith, and brother, James Irvine Swinden, both officers of the foundation. “My family’s endeavors are closely linked to the goals of the University’s research,” says Smith. Ecological research activities are paramount among the foundation’s funding priorities, and this gift exemplifies the foundation’s commitment to environmental preservation. “We are extremely pleased to be able to support the University and encourage young people to pursue careers in water research,” says Swinden. “Undergraduates typically do not have the chance to conduct research. Without private funding, they would otherwise pay for research out of their own pockets.” Arts & Sciences Dean Winifred Brownell, speaking on behalf of all the faculty and students who will benefit from this gift, expresses gratitude for the foundation’s interest in URI. “The generous gift of $30,000 will provide support for talented undergraduates engaged in basic research that will lead to the protection and preservation of marine and/or freshwater environments. We appreciate this timely gift made possible by the leadership efforts of Joan Irvine Smith and her sons, James Irvine Swinden and Morton Irvine Smith. Thanks to their investment in education and research, our best undergraduates will have an opportunity to work on marine, coastal, and environmental problems along with world-renowned scholars and scientists.” Maria Caliri is the communications manager at Citizens Bank. |
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