Welcome and Opening Remarks

It is with great excitement that I welcome you to Kean Research Days 2025!

This annual event is a celebration of innovation, inquiry, and discovery, bringing together scholars, researchers, students, and industry professionals from a wide range of disciplines. This year is a little sweeter given our newly achieved R2 status!

Over the course of three days, you will have the opportunity to watch Kean “sharks” compete for $30,000, engage with groundbreaking research, participate in thought-provoking discussions, connect with students in the creative and performing arts, and talk with like-minded individuals who share a passion for advancing knowledge.

Our program features dynamic panel discussions, interactive workshops, creative works, and two poster sessions showcasing Cougar’s cutting-edge research. Whether you are presenting your work, seeking collaboration, or simply eager to learn, Kean Research Days 2025 is designed to inspire and enrich your academic and professional journey.

We encourage you to take full advantage of the networking opportunities available, ask questions, and share your insights. Your participation contributes to the vibrant intellectual community that makes this event so special. Thank you for choosing to be a part of this event. I look forward to sharing an engaging and enlightening experience! 

Sincerely,

Sue Porterfield, Ed.D.

Vice President for Research

Kean University

2025 – A Milestone Year for Research at Kean

This year will mark a significant milestone for us as we celebrate our 17th annual Research Days. From a modest beginning in 2009, with just 90 students and faculty participants, to nearly 1,300 students registered to present at Research Days 2025, we have certainly come a long way.

What makes this year even more special is Kean’s recent achievement: the highly coveted R2 designation from the Carnegie Classification of Higher Education. Kean's extraordinary transition from a traditional teaching university into a vibrant urban research university is definitely worth taking a note of. The growth that we have seen would not have been possible without the tireless work of our faculty and the unwavering curiosity and passion of our student researchers. I am extremely grateful to our research community at Kean for helping us achieve this significant transformation. 

Campus research activity is on the rise. Kean students are eager to push boundaries and explore the unknown. We at the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF) are dedicated to nurturing their research interest and supporting their contribution to the ever-growing research landscape at Kean. Together, we are building something extraordinary, and the future of research here at Kean is more promising than ever.

Respectfully,

Reenat Munshi 

Director of Student Research & Innovation 

Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships | CURF