Roger Williams University Undergraduate Research Programs Explained

Roger Williams University undergraduate research gives students across every major a chance to work directly with faculty on real projects, from coral reef ecology to constitutional law, long before they graduate. The university treats research not as an extra credential but as a core part of the classroom experience, and it backs that approach with dedicated staff, internal funding, and a growing list of external partnerships. Students who search for “RWU UAR” are often looking for this broader research ecosystem rather than a single named program, since Roger Williams University does not currently operate anything officially called UAR. What follows is a clear breakdown of the actual programs, funding sources, and pathways that make up undergraduate research at RWU, along with practical guidance on how a student gets started.

What Undergraduate Research Opportunities Does Roger Williams University Offer?

Roger Williams University organizes its research activity into five broad areas, and undergraduates participate in all of them. Marine and biological research covers biology, marine science, and related legal and policy work, much of it externally funded through federal and state agencies. Sustainability and environmental research spans architecture, engineering, construction management, business, law, and policy, reflecting RWU’s cross-disciplinary approach to environmental problems. Innovation and technology research includes open educational resources, cybersecurity, maker spaces, and virtual learning tools. Law and justice studies research addresses topics such as constitutional law, national security, interrogation practices, and gun violence reduction, with several projects funded by the U.S. Department of Justice and state or local police agencies. Public humanities and arts research documents underrepresented histories in the region, including projects like the “Hidden Truths: Stories of Race and Place” lecture series and the Rhode Island Slave History Medallion Project.

Each of these areas publishes recent student and faculty work through RWU’s institutional repository, so prospective students can review actual papers and projects before choosing a focus.

How Do RWU Students Get Involved in Faculty Research?

Most RWU students start doing research by building a relationship with a faculty member in their department, often through a class, a lab, or a direct request to join an ongoing project. Roger Williams University profiles many of its active researchers publicly, which gives students a concrete sense of who is working on what. Dr. Koty Sharp, an Associate Professor of Biology and Marine Biology and director of the RWU Center for Economic and Environmental Development, leads the Coral Microbial Ecology Lab and runs coral microbiome and shellfish aquaculture research funded by both the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Dr. Lillian Jeznach, an Associate Professor of Engineering, studies water quality and is currently assessing microplastic contamination in Narragansett Bay with the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program. Dr. Ahmet Emin Akosman, an Associate Professor of Engineering, works on ultrafast optics and terahertz biosensors for early cancer detection with support from NIH RI-INBRE, the NASA RI Consortium, and NSF RI EPSCoR.

Once a student has a faculty mentor and a project outline, the next step is usually funding. RWU’s Provost’s Fund for Student Research provides internal support for exactly this stage, helping students cover costs like lab materials, travel to conferences, or small-scale field work before they pursue larger external awards. Students working with human participants also need to route their project through the Human Subjects Review Board, which reviews research involving people to protect participants and ensure the study meets ethical standards.

What Is the RI NSF EPSCoR SURF Program at RWU?

The Rhode Island NSF EPSCoR Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, known as SURF, is a state-wide summer research program that Roger Williams University now leads as its institutional home. On October 30, 2024, RWU announced that it had joined a multi-institution partnership receiving an $8 million grant from the National Science Foundation to expand STEM workforce development, research, and collaborative innovation across Rhode Island. That grant established the Rhode Island Inclusive Network of Excellence in Science and Technology, a partnership that includes RWU, Brown University, the Narragansett Indian Tribe, and other Rhode Island institutions.

SURF itself predates this grant and has funded generations of Rhode Island college students to continue research over the summer months across disciplines including biology, marine biology, mathematics, engineering, and psychology. With RWU now serving as the program’s official home, the university plays a larger coordinating role in connecting undergraduates across the state to paid summer research positions, while continuing to send its own students through the fellowship each year.

What Fellowships Are Available to RWU Undergraduates?

Roger Williams University runs a dedicated Fellowships Team that helps undergraduates identify and apply for external fellowships, which are awards funded by organizations outside the university rather than by RWU itself. These awards can support research, study abroad, graduate school preparation, or postgraduate scholarships, and they are organized on RWU’s site in a few practical ways: by year of study (first-year students through recent graduates), by opportunity type (research funding, study abroad, graduate preparation, postgraduate scholarships), by academic field (arts and humanities, social sciences, or STEM), and by fellowships that specifically support diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Because every external fellowship has its own deadlines, eligibility rules, and application requirements, and because some require an official institutional endorsement from RWU before a student can even apply, the Fellowships Team recommends that students start planning well before a deadline. Students and faculty advisors can reach the team directly at fellowships@rwu.edu to talk through which opportunities fit a given student’s goals and how the endorsement process works.

What Is the Student Academic Showcase and Honors (SASH) Event?

The Student Academic Showcase and Honors, known on campus as SASH, is RWU’s annual public event where undergraduate and graduate students present their research to the university community. In April 2026, RWU held the 13th annual SASH, bringing together hundreds of students to present work connecting academic research to real-world issues affecting communities and careers. SASH functions as both a capstone moment for students finishing a research project and a recruiting tool for younger students who want to see what undergraduate research at RWU actually looks like before committing to a project of their own.

What Is the Blue Fellows Program?

The Blue Fellows Program is a Roger Williams University fellowship initiative focused on ocean innovation and the blue economy, meaning the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth. In June 2026, RWU announced it was expanding the program for its second year, growing from seven fellows to 10 and adding new partnerships to support ocean-focused research. The program gives students hands-on experience with marine and coastal research problems while connecting them to organizations working in Rhode Island’s ocean economy, which is a significant part of the state’s identity given RWU’s waterfront location in Bristol.

How Can a Student Get Started With Research at RWU?

A student who wants to start undergraduate research at RWU generally follows a similar sequence regardless of major. First, identify a faculty member whose work matches an area of interest, often through a class, a department website, or a direct conversation during office hours. Second, discuss project scope and expectations with that faculty member, since most undergraduate research at RWU happens under direct faculty mentorship rather than as an independent solo project. Third, look into internal funding through the Provost’s Fund for Student Research if the project needs materials, travel, or other support before it qualifies for external money. Fourth, if the project involves human participants, submit the required application to the Human Subjects Review Board before collecting any data. Fifth, once the project has momentum, consider applying to a structured program like SURF or the Blue Fellows Program, or an external fellowship through the Fellowships Team, depending on the discipline and the student’s year in school.

Students can also reach the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, which works alongside the Office of Institutional Advancement to help faculty and staff secure external foundation and government grants, for guidance on larger, externally funded projects.

Conclusion

Roger Williams University undergraduate research is not a single branded program but a network of faculty mentorship, internal funding, state and federal partnerships, and public showcases that together give students real research experience across nearly every discipline. Whether a student is drawn to coral reef biology, constitutional law, or public humanities work, the path into that research runs through a faculty relationship first and formal funding or fellowships second. Students who start early, reach out to the Fellowships Team, and keep an eye on events like SASH tend to get the most out of what RWU actually offers, which is considerably more substantial than the vague “UAR” label circulating online.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is “RWU UAR” an official Roger Williams University program?
No. Roger Williams University does not list a program called “UAR” on its official website. The term appears mainly in low-quality online articles with inconsistent definitions. Students searching for it are usually looking for RWU’s broader undergraduate research ecosystem, which includes fellowships, the SURF program, and faculty-led research across five focus areas.

How do I find a research mentor at Roger Williams University?
Most students find a mentor through their major department, often by taking a class with a faculty member whose research interests them or by asking directly during office hours. RWU also publicizes many active faculty researchers on its research page, giving students a starting point for outreach before a formal project begins.

What is the RI NSF EPSCoR SURF program?
SURF is a Rhode Island-wide summer research fellowship for undergraduates, funded through the National Science Foundation’s EPSCoR program. Roger Williams University became its official institutional home in October 2024 as part of an $8 million NSF grant supporting a broader state research partnership called RII-NEST.

Can first-year students at RWU do research or apply for fellowships?
Yes. RWU’s Fellowships Team organizes opportunities by year of study, and first-year students are explicitly listed among eligible applicants. While some larger fellowships favor upperclassmen, first-year and sophomore students can begin building faculty relationships and pursuing internal funding early.

Does Roger Williams University fund undergraduate research financially?
Yes. The Provost’s Fund for Student Research provides internal funding for undergraduate projects, and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs helps students and faculty pursue external grants. Many fellowships coordinated through the Fellowships Team also provide direct financial support for research and related travel.