The fifth-floor rotunda of the Rhode Island Convention Center was alive with discussion of molecules, oceanography, politics and even toys Thursday at "Expanding Rhode Island's Research and Development Capacity Through Collaboration," a one-day forum presented by Rhode Island's Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research and the Rhode Island Science and Technology Advisory Council.
The forum included a discussion with Kathie Olsen, deputy director and chief operating officer of the National Science Foundation, and a brief visit by Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., as well as presentations from researchers at Brown, peer institutions and from Rhode Island industry leaders.
During Kennedy's appearance at the conference, the congressman talked about his work in Congress to bring research money to Rhode Island.
"Brown is the second-largest recipient of grant money in the nation from the National Institute of Mental Health," Kennedy told the audience.
Kennedy also discussed Brown's earlier program in association with NASA called "Mission to Planet Earth" and stressed the need for NASA to continue and expand its work in the life sciences. "We ought to be using space for understanding our own planet," he said. "Not putting more people on the moon."
Kennedy also praised URI's program in environmental science and oceanography, pledging to keep advocating for increased funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from his seat on the House appropriations committee.
The forum's first session of the day focused on the need for collaboration - particularly in such a small state as Rhode Island - and how Rhode Island's approach to collaboration is leading the way for the nation.
The second session focused on helping researchers take a targeted approach to communicating their projects. "It's not just about getting media clips, but rather getting that message to the congressional delegation in Washington and local legislators here in Rhode Island," said Andy Cutler, spokesman for the event.
The third session of the conference demonstrated the benefits of collaboration in action, as researchers from Brown and URI presented their joint work.
Brown Professor of Orthopaedics Joseph Crisco described his work with other faculty on College Hill and in hospital affiliates of Alpert Medical School, as well as with those in industry.
Crisco described a project in which researchers are examining enhancing occupational and physical therapy for children with brain conditions such as cerebral palsy - a collaboration including Khipra Nichols, associate professor of industrial design at the Rhode Island School of Design, and Karen Kerman, clinical assistant professor of clinical neuroscience at Brown.
To create these toys, which had to be specially designed for research purposes, Nichols and Crisco co-taught an industrial design engineering course where students had to come up with ideas for toys. One such toy is a remote-controlled car specially designed for children who do not have the fine motor control necessary to operate a traditional remote-controlled car.
Students in the course frequently visited Meeting Street School, where students were treated to a showcase of the toys and given time to try them out. "Rhode Island has unique resources for this project, including Meeting Street and Hasbro Children's Hospital," Crisco said in his presentation.
Jeff Seemann, co-chair of both the Rhode Island STAC and the Rhode Island EPSCoR committee, spoke to The Herald about recent collaboration between Brown and the URI.
"We've had a lot of success with Brown and URI getting together. I don't think it's happened historically, but we've had a lot of success with it happening now," said Seemann, who is dean of the College of the Environment and Life Sciences at URI.
The Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research is a nationwide program run by the National Science Foundation. It aims to improve research infrastructure in states that have historically received low amounts of NSF research and development
funding.
