The Rhode Island Foundation has announced the winners for this year’s innovation fellowships.  The program is aimed at sparking new ideas for the state. The award comes with a $300,000 grant.

This year’s two winners include John Haley, a scientist specializing in marine fisheries.  He’s working on a product to improve mussel aquaculture.  It’s a kind of cord that’s “pre-loaded” with mussel larvae to speed up the cultivation time for mussel farmers.

The other winners, are a husband and wife team, Daniel Kamil and Emily Steffian. The owners of the Cable Car Cinema in Providence plan to open up a multi-screen film and media center… to showcase independent film, and cinema studies.

The winners were selected from a pool of more than 350 applicants.

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Reporter John Bender was the general assignment reporter for The Public's Radio for several years. He is now a fill-in host when our regular hosts are out.