CCRI joins network of state colleges in federally-funded research collaborative
Oct. 31, 2019
Spearheaded by a $20 million grant from the IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence
(INBRE), the Community College of Rhode Island is now part of a select network of
state colleges, providing both students and faculty members with exclusive access
to unparalleled opportunities in the research field.
INBRE is a federally-funded collaborative effort among partner institutions that selects
highly-qualified undergraduates to pursue original biomedical research within multiple
academic laboratories. The long-term goal of promoting better research techniques
and encouraging more collaborative efforts among research professionals is to improve
the overall quality of care for patients in the healthcare industry. Advancements
in the biomedical research field are a step in the right direction.
The University of Rhode Island originally applied for the INBRE grant five years ago
as the state’s lead institution and reapplied this past year with CCRI added for the
first time as one of the seven partner institutions, a list that also includes Brown
University, Bryant University, Providence College, Rhode Island College, Roger Williams
University and Salve Regina University.
What this means for CCRI is the college can now send students interested in participating
in research projects to any of the partner institutions to work with experts in the
field as part of the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program, all
of which is funded through the grant.
Biology Department Chair Christine Turenius-Bell – who, along with Lauren Webb, the
former Interim Dean for Business, Science, Technology & Math, led the effort to get
CCRIadded to Rhode Island’s INBRE’s inner circle – says the partnership serves two
constructive purposes: It will help whet students’ appetites for research and promote
faculty development.
Students who otherwise might not have the opportunity to participate in a research
project can now work with professionals at other institutions to determine whether
they want to pursue this as a career path. By participating in important laboratory
research in addition to learning from professors who have networked with fellow mentors
from the partnering institutions, CCRI students in the biomedical field will have
a leg up on others as they continue their education.
“Our role is to create a pool of candidates to filter them out to those four-year
universities,” Turenius-Bell said. “What we’ve found is undergraduates are all too
often transferring to four-year colleges without the necessary tools to become juniors
who understand research methods or research techniques. The students who have been
through the SURF program are head and shoulders above others who have not gone through
it, including students who are coming from the other partner institutions.
“That’s fairly close to my heart. It wasn’t until I was a junior in college when I
had the opportunity to participate in a research project and it just completely changed
my career path.”
Faculty can also work with fellow research professionals at any of the aforementioned
colleges by either bringing their classes to another facility to observe research
methods, or brainstorming with colleagues to update and improve their own curriculum.
“The faculty bringing new information to our students are elevating the quality of
our courses,” Turenius-Bell said. “We need to stay ahead of the curve with what is
going on in the industry and in research. We need to keep our students up to date.”
CCRI’s first INBRE cohort begins this summer. Students are encouraged to apply now
to meet the February deadline. To qualify for SURF, students must first identify a
research mentor at a partner institution and communicate with them directly to pitch
an idea for a project. Research proposals are submitted to the INBRE steering committee,
which then makes the final approval. Students and research mentors also receive a
stipend.
“The idea,” Turenius-Bell said, “is to give students a taste of proper research and
hopefully bring them into those four-year institutions with a more coherent idea of
what they want to do for the next two years along with the guidance at those four-year
universities on how to move along on that career path, too.”
An additional benefit for CCRI is the operator-assisted access to equipment. Faculty
can bring students to another lab to work with state-of-the-art equipment or potentially
acquire equipment no longer being used at one of the partner institutions.
The INBRE partnership serves a dual purpose in providing the necessary opportunities
for students to prepare themselves for life beyond CCRI in addition to encouraging
faculty to enhance the caliber of their curriculum. With better networking and increased
collaborative efforts between industry professionals, INBRE partnerships could eventually
facilitate groundbreaking developments in the biomedical research field.
Share this story
Latest News
CCRI Players close out the semester with production of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
April 24, 2024
Written in 1967 by Clark Gesner, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown is a musical based on the characters created by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz in his comic strip Peanuts – a perfect opportunity for the Players to end the year on a light-hearted note following a stretch of heavy, thought-provoking performances dating back to 2021.
Read More
Broadway tour members visit Providence Campus next week to discuss life on the road
April 17, 2024
Students interested in a career in performing arts will have a unique opportunity next week to learn about life on the road from two well-traveled industry experts, Jay Carey and Christopher DeAngelis from the Broadway musical Company, during a free Q&A session at CCRI’s Providence Campus Theatre on Wednesday, April 24 at 4 pm.
Read More
First cohort of trainees graduates CCRI's GWO-certified Basic Safety Training program
April 11, 2024
Thirty-nine local residents are the first to complete the Global Wind Organisation (GWO)-certified Basic Safety Training curriculum at the state’s only offshore wind safety training center and are prepared to continue building fulfilling careers in America’s fast-growing offshore wind sector.
Read More
Class of 2022 grad Tavares gains acceptance into prestigious Juilliard School to pursue acting
April 01, 2024
Less than a year after wrapping up a life-changing fellowship with The Gamm Theatre, 22-year-old Pawtucket, RI, native and Class of 2022 graduate Eddy Tavares is one of only a small percentage of applications who were accepted into Juilliard's four-year Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program in Drama beginning in the Fall of 2024.
Read More
Unwilling to give up her dream, New Century Scholar Grace pursues a career in Archaeology
March 28, 2024
After an on-again, off-again journey to further her education, West Warwick, RI, native Kelly Grace earned the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society's 2024 New Century Transfer Scholarship for the state of Rhode Island, awarding her $2,250 toward her pursuit of a career in Archaeology.
Read More
CCRI earns Military Friendly® School designation for the third year in a row
March 27, 2024
The Community College of Rhode Island has been named a 2024–25 Military Friendly® School by VIQTORY, a data-driven military company that helps connect the military community to civilian employment.
Read More
Insurance training grad makes investment in herself to break into a satisfying new career
March 26, 2024
Dorchester, MA, native and current Johnston, RI, resident Shamika Lyte initially worked in the construction industry fresh out of high school, but, thanks to CCRI's free Property and Casualty Insurance certification program, has found new life in a career that keeps her on her toes.
Read More
Social Sciences professor McCormack continues work to teach year-round inclusivity at CCRI
March 20, 2024
While February is known for the celebration of Black History Month and June is synonymous with Pride Month, among others, Suzanne McCormack works every day to ensure her students understand the importance of inclusivity and diversity while integrating such topics into her teachings throughout the year.
Read More
Budding artist and Promise scholar uses newfound ability to earn South Coast grant
March 19, 2024
Jonathan Colombo, a second-year Rhode Island Promise scholar and Fine Arts major with a concentration in Art, was recently named the South Coast Artists' 2024 Youth Grant Award of Merit recipient – one of several grants awarded annually to motivated high school and college students under the age of 21 to explore their artistic potential beyond the everyday classroom setting.
Read More
Former Student Ambassador and Class of '18 grad De La Cruz earns prestigious Emerging Leader Award
March 18, 2024
Mileiry “Milly” De La Cruz, a Class of 2018 alumna and former Student Ambassador at CCRI, is the recipient of this year’s American Council on Education (ACE) Women’s Network Massachusetts Emerging Leader Award for her hard work and dedication to serving students.
Read More
Renowned director Pitts-Wiley joins CCRI Players for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
February 28, 2024
The CCRI Players are collaborating with director Jonathan Pitts-Wiley this week for a special production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a novel written by Ken Kesey that was later adapted into the historic 1975 film starring Jack Nicholson that went on to win all five major Academy Awards the year it was released.
Read More
Secretary of Education Cardona visits CCRI to advocate for more statewide CTE training
February 21, 2024
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona visited the Community College of Rhode Island’s Warwick Campus today to discuss the need for more career pathways and career and technical education (CTE) programming and apprenticeships, especially in Latino communities, as part of Joe Biden’s President Joe Biden's Investing in America Tour, aimed to demonstrate how President Biden is delivering for underrepresented or minoritized communities across the country.
Read More
CCRI teams with city of Providence to host the 2024 Pell Lecture Series
February 14, 2024
CCRI is teaming with Providence Mayor Brett P. Smiley and the Providence Department of Art, Culture and Tourism to host for the first time the 2024 Pell Lecture Series, set to take place Thursday, March 7 at the Liston Auditorium in Providence.
Read More
CCRI appoints new CIO, Director of Enterprise Applications to IT division
February 12, 2024
The college has announced the hiring of James Bradley as the new Chief Information Officer and Rajeev Jayadeva as its Director of Enterprise Applications.
Read More
Black History Month 2024
February 05, 2024
February marks Black History Month, a time to celebrate the contributions of Black Americans in this country and acknowledge the lasting achievements of the people of the African diaspora who have shaped American history.
Read More
Upcoming Events
Mar.
18
March 18, 2024 All Day
Flanagan Campus
Mar.
23
March 23, 2024 All Day
Apr.
18
April 18, 2024 3:00 PM - June 27, 2024 3:30 PM
Woonsocket Education Center (WOC)
Apr.
26
April 26, 2024 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Knight Campus
Apr.
28
April 28, 2024 3:00 PM - 5:30 PM
East Providence High School
Apr.
28
April 28, 2024 8:00 PM - 8:21 PM
Online
Apr.
29
April 29, 2024 All Day
Apr.
29
April 29, 2024 All Day
Apr.
29
April 29, 2024 All Day
Woonsocket Education Center (WOC)
Apr.
30
April 30, 2024 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Knight Campus