Welcome from the Dean of SSNS

Explore a complex world. Discover who you can become. 

Welcome to the Feinstein School of Social and Natural Sciences at Roger Williams University. 

Choosing a college is about more than deciding what to study. It is about finding a community that will take your interests seriously, challenge you to grow, and help you discover possibilities you have not yet imagined. It is also the beginning of a deeply personal journey: understanding what matters to you, recognizing your strengths, and deciding how you want to contribute to the world.

At SSNS, we believe your education should make room for all of that.

My career in clinical practice, teaching, research, and academic leadership has shaped a conviction that guides my work as dean: meaningful education connects knowledge with experience—and helps people become more capable of shaping their own futures. That is the spirit I want every student to experience here.

Learn to see the connections.

The world does not organize itself into academic departments. Human health, coastal ecosystems, community well-being, and emerging technologies are interconnected. Understanding them requires both deep knowledge and the ability to see beyond a single perspective.

At SSNS, we encourage systems thinking: looking at how things interact, recognizing patterns, and considering how a change in one place can affect people and environments elsewhere. Protecting a coastal ecosystem, for example, raises questions about biology and chemistry, but also about data, human behavior, and the communities whose livelihoods depend on the water.

These connections make learning exciting. They also invite you to approach complexity with curiosity rather than retreat from it. Whether your interests begin with the human mind, a living cell, a mathematical pattern, or the forces shaping our universe, you will find opportunities to explore how your questions connect with larger ones.

Build the capability to meet what comes next.

Your generation will help address consequential questions about health, environmental sustainability, technology, and how people live together. Our responsibility is to help you develop the knowledge, judgment, and adaptability to participate thoughtfully in that work.

For me, capability means being able to put what you know into action—even when a situation is unfamiliar. It means asking good questions, evaluating evidence, working with others, and recognizing when you need a different approach. Adaptability means learning from experience and being willing to revise your thinking as your understanding grows.

Research, fieldwork, internships, and close collaboration with faculty give that growth a practical foundation. You can investigate questions, encounter unexpected results, explain your discoveries, and learn from the process. Along the way, you begin to understand both your field and yourself: what engages you, where your strengths lie, and what you want to explore next.

Become more fully yourself.

I want your SSNS education to prepare you for meaningful work and further study. I also want it to help you build a life that reflects your interests, values, and aspirations.

Personal transformation does not mean becoming someone else’s version of successful. It means discovering abilities you have not yet recognized, testing your assumptions, finding your voice, and developing the confidence to make thoughtful choices. You do not need to arrive with every answer—or a perfectly mapped-out future. Bring your curiosity and a willingness to grow.

To families considering RWU, I recognize that choosing a college is an act of trust. As an educator and a parent, I value an environment where students are challenged academically, supported personally, and encouraged to become increasingly independent. Through faculty mentorship and a connected learning community, we strive to make those experiences mutually reinforcing. 

This is the SSNS way: connect ideas, learn through discovery, develop the capability to act, and grow into the person you aspire to be. I invite you to explore our programs, meet our community, and imagine the questions you could pursue here. Your perspective has something to contribute—and your next chapter holds possibilities worth discovering.

Warmly, 

Paul R. Geisler, EdD, AT Ret
Dean, Feinstein School of Social and Natural Sciences
Roger Williams University