Overview Mission Statement Programs of Study Faciities
Administration Faculty Special Events
Degrees, Majors, Minors and Certificates
In the School of Social and Natural Sciences (SSNS) at Roger Williams University, undergraduates are empowered to pursue a rich curriculum in the natural and behavioral sciences while also engaging with the arts, humanities, social sciences, criminal justice, and professional programs. This interdisciplinary access enables students to explore their interests broadly and deeply.
Through the university’s core curriculum, students can fulfill general education requirements within their chosen fields while also immersing themselves in a diverse array of courses and programs they might not encounter within their major alone. At RWU, we intentionally cap class sizes to foster more personal, engaging learning environments. Our commitment to student-centered education ensures excellence in instruction, meaningful achievement, and a supportive academic experience.
Our academic programs emphasize analytical thinking, problem-solving, and research-skills that prepare SSNS graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing world where adaptability, collaboration, and intellectual agility are essential. Faculty and students form a vibrant academic community grounded in the core values of a liberal education: curiosity, dialogue, appreciation of diverse perspectives, and the pursuit of knowledge.
SSNS also collaborates closely within departments and schools across the university to expand opportunities for interdisciplinary learning and experiential education-hallmarks of the Roger Williams experience. Our students graduate not only with expertise in their fields, but with the vision and versatility to lead, innovate, and make a meaningful impact in their communities and beyond. RWU students achieve, in the fullest sense of the term, a well-rounded education; one that compels them to keep learning.
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At the School of Social and Natural Sciences (SSNS) at Roger Williams University, undergraduates are empowered to pursue a rich curriculum in the natural and behavioral sciences while also engaging with the arts, humanities, social sciences, criminal justice, and professional programs such as Architecture and Engineering. This interdisciplinary access enables students to explore their interests broadly and deeply. Through the university’s core curriculum, students can fulfill general education requirements within their chosen fields while also immersing themselves in a diverse array of courses and programs they might not encounter within their major alone. At RWU, we intentionally cap class sizes to foster more personal, engaging learning environments. Our commitment to student-centered education ensures excellence in instruction, meaningful achievement, and a supportive academic experience.
Our academic programs emphasize analytical thinking, problem-solving, and research-skills that prepare SSNS graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing world where adaptability, collaboration, and intellectual agility are essential. Faculty and students form a vibrant academic community grounded in the core values of a liberal education: curiosity, dialogue, appreciation of diverse perspectives, and the pursuit of knowledge. SSNS also collaborates closely within departments and across the university to expand opportunities for interdisciplinary learning and experiential education-hallmarks of the Roger Williams experience. Our students graduate not only with expertise in their fields, but with the vision and versatility to lead, innovate, and make a meaningful impact in their communities and beyond.
Academic programs in the School of Social and Natural Sciences (SSNS) emphasize rigorous analytical thinking, evidence-based problem-solving, and hands-on research. These foundational skills prepare graduates to thrive in a world that increasingly demands scientific literacy, intellectual agility, and collaborative solutions to complex challenges. Whether studying biology, chemistry, environmental science, psychology, public health, sustainability, data science, or food science, students engage with real-world issues through interdisciplinary inquiry and applied learning. In addition to building technical and scientific expertise, SSNS students develop strong communication skills-learning to read critically, write clearly, and speak with purpose and precision. They learn to assess data, question assumptions, and evaluate the ethical, historical, and social contexts of scientific knowledge. Students also explore how science intersects with society, policy, and the environment-past, present, and future.
Through collaboration with other schools across the university, SSNS students can combine their scientific studies with coursework in the arts and humanities. This integrated approach fosters creativity, cultural understanding, and ethical reflection alongside scientific inquiry, empowering students to think holistically and act responsibly in an interconnected world. The SSNS curriculum spans the natural and behavioral sciences while encouraging interdisciplinary exploration. As a result, students graduate with not only deep disciplinary knowledge, but also the curiosity, confidence, and competence to lead, innovate, and make meaningful contributions in their fields and communities.
With more than 35 majors and 14 minors to choose from, SSNS students have the flexibility to tailor their academic paths to meet their personal goals and interests. Many students pursue double majors by applying coursework from their General Education toward a second field of study. In addition to traditional majors, qualified students may design individualized majors or undertake directed independent studies. Cross-disciplinary programs further promote the exchange of knowledge and skills across academic boundaries, equipping students with a broad and versatile education. SSNS students also benefit from opportunities to expand their portfolios by enrolling in courses from other Roger Williams University schools, including the Cummings School of Architecture, Art and Historic Preservation; the Mario J. Gabelli School of Business; the School of Engineering, Computing and Construction Management; and the School of Justice Studies. Pre-professional and interdisciplinary pathways offer additional avenues for growth. Students preparing for law school may pursue joint programs that combine coursework in SSNS and the School of Justice Studies. Those interested in medical, dental, veterinary, or other health professions can follow tailored pre-health tracks designed to prepare them for graduate study, and they can acquire first-hand experience in working diagnostic and animal care facilities. Students interested in teaching science at the secondary level can pair a major in Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Marine Biology, Physics, or Mathematics with a major in Secondary Education to earn teaching certification.
With such a broad array compelling academic options, SSNS graduates emerge with multi-disciplinary perspectives and a competitive set of skills-an advantage in any professional landscape. Whether entering the workforce or pursuing graduate study, SSNS students are exceptionally well-prepared to meet the challenges ahead. All majors offered through SSNS lead to a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree.
The academic departments within the School of Social and Natural Sciences are housed in several campus buildings, thoughtfully grouped to meet their specific needs. These facilities include laboratories, lecture halls, seminar rooms, and classrooms equipped with computers and audio-visual technology. Administrative offices are located in the GHH building, which also contains many faculty offices, with additional faculty spaces distributed across campus.
The Marine and Natural Sciences Building (MNS), a two-level bayside facility, serves as the home for the College’s science and mathematics programs. This state-of-the-art complex features advanced laboratories, including an open seawater lab and fish and invertebrate (including corals) husbandry facilities. Access to Mt. Hope Bay, RWU’s own living laboratory, is facilitated by the learning platform, which is home to shellfish grow-out facilities, and docking for the institution’s 31’ research vessel, The InVinceble Spirit, which has capacity to hold an entire laboratory section for course-based field and research activities. The learning platform supports operations on the FerryCliffe experimental shellfish farm, which hosts local shellfish farmers who collaborate with RWU scientists to improve cultivation strategies and increase productivity. Renovations completed in 2025 significantly enhanced our hands-on approach to teaching sciences by reconfiguring the laboratory to promote engagement and collaboration in the lab.
MNS is also home to the Center for Economic and Environmental Development (CEED), which supports a variety of ongoing programs and special events aligned with the university’s marine and coastal mission:
- Shellfish & Aquaculture Training - Hands-on instruction in shellfish farming is offered through the Luther H. Blount Shellfish Hatchery and FerryCliffe Shellfish Farm. This includes the annual Applied Shellfish Farming course, which covers all aspects of shellfish cultivation, from broodstock development to marketing.
- Aquatic Diagnostics Lab Activities - The Aquatic Diagnostic Lab engages students in disease diagnostics for fish and shellfish throughout the academic year and summer sessions.
- Wet Lab Research Events - Under the direction of Dr. Andy Rhyne, CEED hosts workshops and research sessions in the Wet Lab. Topics include coral propagation, larval nutrition, and sustainable aquarium practices.
- Blue@RWU / Blue Innovation Symposium - Held annually in February, this major multi-day symposium explores topics related to the “blue economy.” The event features keynote speakers, faculty and student research posters, networking receptions, and expert panels. The inaugural event on February 10, 2025, highlighted marine technology innovations and marked the launch of the Blue Solutions Institute.
Brian Wysor, Ph.D., Interim Dean
Annika Hagley, Ph.D., Associate Dean
Anne-Marie Cerda - Manager of Operations
Professors:
Garrett Berman - Psychology
Loren Byrne - Environmental Science, Biology
Sean Colin - Biology, Marine Biology, Environmental Science
Jacquline Cottle - Public Health
Frank DiCataldo - Psychology
Avelina Espinosa - Biology
Frank Eyetsemitan, Ph.D. - Psychology
Lonnie Guralnick - Biology
Alejandro Leguízamo - Psychology
MaryBeth MacPhee - Public Health
Marcia Marston - Biology
Clifford B. Murphy - Chemistry
Stephen K. O’Shea - Chemistry
Judith Platania - Psychology (Emeritus)
Andrew Rhyne - Marine Biology
Lauren Rossi - Chemistry
Scott Rutherford - Environmental Science
Timothy Scott - Biology, Marine Biology, Aquaculture & Aquarium Science
David Taylor - Biology, Marine Biology
Laura Butkovsky Turner - Psychology
Adria Updike - Physics
Cliff J. Timpson - Chemistry (Emeritus)
Yajni Warnapala - Mathematics
Kerri Warren - Biology/Public Health
Paul Webb - Biology, Marine Biology
Donald Whitworth - Psychology (Emeritus)
Brian Wysor - Biology, Marine Biology
Matt Zaitchik - Psychology
Associate Professors:
Hum Nath Bhandari - Mathematics
Kelly Brooks - Psychology
Bonita G. Cade - Psychology
Christopher Burtner - Biology
Selby Conrad - Psychology
Victoria Heimer-McGinn - Psychology
Hasala Gallolu Kankanamalage - Mathematics
Jennifer Kreft Pearce - Physics
Galit Sharon - Biology, Aquaculture & Aquarium Science
Koty Sharp - Biology, Marine Biology, Aquaculture & Aquarium Science
Roxanna Smolowitz - Biology (Honorary Retiree)
Erin Tooley - Psychology/Public Health
Assistant Professors:
Hisham Abdelrahman, Biology, Aquaculture & Aquarium Science
Scott Benson - Psychology
Jacob bueno de Mesquita - Public Health
David Carnevale - Chemistry
Rebecca Distefano - Psychology
Robert Holmberg - Biology, Marine Biology, Aquaculture & Aquarium Science
Charles Nicholson - Environmental Science, Biology
Joel Singley - Environmental Science
Jane Thibeault - Chemistry
Lecturers:
Yoon Chung, Mathematics
Kyle Gamache - Psychology
Alyson Hildum - Mathematics
Evgeniya Stakeva - Mathematics
Jessica Thomas - Physics
The Professor John Howard Birss, Jr. Memorial Lectureship and Professor John Howard Birss, Jr. Endowed Library Fund, were established by Roger Williams University alumnus Robert Blais ‘70, to honor Professor John Howard Birss, Jr., mentor and life-long friend of Mr. Blais. Professor Birss studied in the New York public school system and completed his academic work at New York University, Harvard University, and Columbia University. An English instructor at Rutgers University and later a professor of English and American Literature, Birss was a noted Herman Melville scholar and one of the founders of the Melville Society. He was also a bibliographer and collector of letters as well as inscribed and rare first edition books. His extensive collection included a wide variety of material on Melville, Hart Crane, Edgar Allan Poe and Walt Whitman.
The library funds are allocated for the purchase of reference and research books for the library and expand holdings in the Humanities area. The Professor John Howard Birss, Jr. Memorial Lectureship is an annual event that features an important work of literature. Past works honored have included Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, and Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass.
Degrees, Majors, Minors and Certificates
Bachelor of Arts
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Anthropology + Sociology, B.A.
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Aquaculture and Aquarium Science, B.A.
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Biology, B.A.
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Chemistry, B.A.
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Chemistry, Environmental Concentration, B.A.
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Data Science, B.A.
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Environmental Science, B.A.
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International Relations, B.A.
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Marine Biology, B.A.
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Political Science, B.A.
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Psychology, B.A.
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Public Health, B.A.
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Public Health, Health Policy and Administration, B.A.
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Sustainability Studies. B.A.
Bachelor of Science
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Applied Mathematics, B.S.
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Biochemistry, B.S.
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Biology, B.S.
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Chemistry and Pharmacy, B.S./Pharm.D
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Chemistry, B.S.
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Chemistry, Environmental Concentration, B.S.
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Data Science, B.S.
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Environmental Science, B.S.
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Marine Biology, B.S.
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Mathematics, B.S.
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Physics, B.S.
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Public Health, B.S.
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Secondary Education/Chemistry B.S.
Bachelor Plus Programs
Minor
Undergraduate Certificate
Master of Arts
Other Programs
