Student Research Creates a Brighter Future

Adelaide Levenson '21 (right) works closely with mentor Mindy Levine, an associate professor in URI's Chemistry Department. Future gifts to URI help support student research.

The robust undergraduate student research program at the University of Rhode Island is essential to cultivate students' hands-on research skills, refine their professional demeanor and develop their portfolio.

Adelaide Levenson '21 is a perfect example. In just two years, this chemistry major participated in three research projects. She worked on the creation of flame-retardant textiles, studied supramolecular compounds' ability to capture pollutants from water and assisted in the development of devices that detect nutrients in contaminated seawater.

Now, her experiences, intelligence and enthusiasm for science have earned her an Undergraduate Research Initiative Award from the University and a National Science Foundation EPSCoR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) summer undergraduate research fellowship.

"URI provides the hands-on opportunities to get that extra knowledge I might not have otherwise gained by sitting in a classroom," Adelaide says. "And you can get such opportunities early on in your academic career."

URI's commitment to undergraduate research continues to expand, and with it, the need to find additional resources. Gifts made through one's estate provide a lasting impact that helps support students' goals and ambitions. Recently, two such gifts benefiting the URI Chemistry Department have been realized, and their impact will allow students, such as Adelaide, to continue their quest to be the leaders of tomorrow.

Both donors were URI alumni. One of them named the Chemistry Department as a beneficiary of a portion of his IRA. The other alumni donor had established a trust to care for his family and named the department as the surviving beneficiary. Both gifts, while very different in their structure, recognize the importance of URI's educational mission.

Supporting student research benefits the students, faculty and the broader community. In her short academic career at URI, Adelaide has proven herself to be a top-notch researcher, according to Mindy Levine, an associate professor in the Chemistry Department and Adelaide's mentor.

"Adelaide has made outstanding contributions in a variety of our research endeavors," Levine says. "She has run experiments, compiled data, analyzed results and drawn conclusions."

Adelaide has contributed to two scientific papers now in review by scientific journals and presented her research at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society at the end of March. She was also part of a special poster session with other winners of the prestigious Eli Lilly Travel Award.

Each gift to URI can have a positive effect not only on the students, but also on creating important breakthroughs in science, engineering or the humanities. A future gift is an investment in the future. Contact John F. Garcia at 401.874.2042 or jfgarcia@uri.edu to learn how to create a gift that meets your charitable goals.