Warwick campus adds digital forensics, nursing labs
President Kelli J. Armstrong, Sen. Jack Reed, and Warwick Mayor Joe Solomon were on hand for a ceremonial ribbon cutting Oct. 8 to celebrate the opening of two new labs at Salve Regina’s Center for Adult Education in Warwick. The advanced practice nursing and digital forensics labs support the University’s graduate programs in nursing, administration of justice and cybersecurity.
“We ask every student at Salve to become their best selves, and to use what they learn in the classroom to serve their communities,” Armstrong said. “The cutting of this ribbon marks a great advancement forward in our ability to provide the best environment and technologies for our students to learn in our Center for Adult Education.”
The digital forensics lab features 18 business class desktops loaded with proprietary software to aid students in digital forensic analysis of mobile devices. Students learn and simulate malware attacks, virus inception and detection, key-logging attacks and more. The lab leverages Salve Regina’s academic partnership with Cellebrite software, the industry gold standard for mobile forensics.
The advanced practice nursing lab simulates a clinical environment. Utilizing the new Nursing Anne Simulator, a realistic female simulator operated via a touchscreen device, students develop confidence by practicing patient-care scenarios. Educators can vary vital signs and patient characteristics, including spontaneous breathing and blinking eyes, as well as limb movements and internal sounds.
“Salve is stepping up the game by giving students access to two sophisticated laboratories,” Reed said. “This will emphasize hands-on learning for people who are looking for new jobs or trying to enhance their skills on the job, allowing them to become more productive and more creative for our economy and our state. This is the key to our future: education, innovation and giving Rhode Island the best skilled workforce in the country.”
Visitors received a tour of the Warwick campus from Dr. Tobias Stapleton, dean of graduate studies and continuing education. Dr. Sharon Stager, director of the graduate nursing programs, gave a demonstration in the nursing lab. The demonstration of the digital lab was led by Jeffrey Mace, an adjunct faculty member who is also a sergeant in the East Providence Police Department and a member of the Rhode Island State Police’s internet crimes against children and joint cyber task force.
