Kean University Kicks Off Research Days
Kean University's Research Days, an annual celebration of research and scholarship, has begun. Kean Ocean kicked off the three-day, in-person event on the Toms River campus on Monday, April 15. The website launched Tuesday, April 16, and presentations, panel discussions and symposiums continue April 16 and 17, at Kean in Union. A total of 1,253 students and 46 faculty are participating.
As New Jersey's urban research university, Kean has a growing research profile. The University is also seeking designation as an R2 research institution.
“Research Days is an opportunity for us to share Kean's commitment to research and academic excellence, while highlighting the work of our students and faculty,” said Kean President Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D. “We look forward to celebrating new discoveries and witnessing the breadth and scope of the important research and innovative creative work at Kean.”
Research Days events are open to the public. Attendees include school groups, Kean alumni, donors and prospective employers of Kean students. At Kean Ocean, the event drew local community members who consider Kean Ocean an information resource on coastal resilience and sustainability. A panel discussion was held on Protecting Human Environmental Health Through Industry and Scientific Research, and numerous student research projects focused on coastal issues.
Environmental justice, climate change and homelessness were among topics discussed during in-person presentations at the STEM Building on Kean's main campus in Union. The John S. Watson Institute for Urban Policy and Research presented research; faculty at the Department of Occupational Therapy and Theatre Conservatory shared a live performance exploring research on women and homelessness; and the Campus Planning and Facilities team led a discussion on designing the ideal chemical laboratory.
Kean students, including undergraduate researchers and doctoral students presenting their dissertations, take part in Kean's yearly Research Days. The last day of Research Days, Wednesday, April 17, will feature undergraduate poster presentations at Downs Hall in the morning and graduate poster presentations at the STEM Building.
"It's exciting to see the representation from so many disciplines and so many research topics, and how our students are thinking outside the box and addressing so many social, public health, and other important issues we are facing," said Kean Director of Student Research and Innovation Reenat Munshi.