KINGSTON, R.I. – Dec. 21, 2023 – The Champlin Foundation awarded the University of Rhode Island $500,000 to purchase classroom equipment and technology that will benefit students in multiple departments.

The Champlin Foundation, one of the oldest philanthropic organizations in Rhode Island, has funded projects at URI for more than 30 years that cumulatively total more than $17 million. This year they supported three interdisciplinary proposals submitted by an array of URI colleges and programs, including chemistry, communicative disorders, physical therapy, and various departments in the College of Engineering including: chemical; electrical, computer and biomedical; and mechanical, industrial and systems engineering.

“We are delighted that The Champlin Foundation continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to the education happening at URI,” said Barbara Wolfe, URI provost and vice president for academic affairs. “Our students require cutting-edge technology to compete in today’s job market, and advanced technology fuels discovery and learning. The Champlin Foundation’s support inspires our students and faculty and encourages economic growth within the state.”

Projects funded this year:

Real-time Corrosion Simulator and Educational Laboratory: $147,333 will enable URI to develop a cutting-edge laboratory for hundreds of chemistry and engineering students to gain authentic experiences to understand the process of corrosion as it relates to a variety of industries and the ways to mitigate it.

Principal Investigators: Primary PIs Justin Pratt, Department of Chemistry, and Hanan Mogawer, Department of Chemistry; and Arijit Bose, Department of Chemical Engineering

Neuro-Learning Center: $218,579 to purchase equipment that will support close to 600 undergraduate and graduate students so they have the knowledge and skills for advanced study and careers in neuroscience, medicine, rehabilitation services, and biomedical engineering. The equipment to be purchased represents cutting-edge advancements in technology to enable students to understand a variety of issues through non-invasive techniques and record and stimulate specific brain regions.

Principal Investigators: Alisa Baron (Primary PI), Department of Communicative Disorders; Mariusz Furmanek (Primary PI), Department of Physical Therapy; Mark Hartman and Nicole Logan, Department of Kinesiology; Ellen McGough, Department of Physical Therapy; and Kunal Mankodiya, Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering.

Simulator and Educational Laboratory for Advanced Electric Transportation (ET) Technologies: $134,088 will be applied to the development of a simulator laboratory where almost 700 engineering students a year will design and validate ET technologies using real components in a virtual environment. This mixed reality lab offers the advantages of flexibility, accessibility, low risk, and cost-effectiveness.

Principal Investigators: Yeonho Jeong (Primary PI), Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering; Yu Bi, Yan Sun, Hui Lin, Department of Electrical, Computer and  Biomedical Engineering; and Manbir Sodhi, Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering.