Union County Review

Kean University has become a member of the ResearchwithNJ community portal, aiming to enhance its research activities and facilities' visibility. This portal, developed by the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology (CSIT), is designed to foster collaboration between research institutions in New Jersey and the broader business and entrepreneurial community.

The platform was created in partnership with Elsevier, a scientific publishing company based in Amsterdam. It consolidates information from eight leading research institutions in New Jersey into one centralized location. This allows businesses and entrepreneurs easy access to data about ongoing research projects and researchers while promoting collaboration among faculty members.

"Joining the ResearchwithNJ portal is an exciting step for Kean as a research university," stated Kean President Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D. "Inclusion in this platform enhances the visibility of our university, our faculty and their academic and research activities. This is another way of showing the world the incredible work being done at Kean and our University's unlimited potential."

The initial group from Kean includes 183 faculty members conducting research in STEM and social science fields. The portal aggregates various resources such as publications, grants, and global collaborations.

Keith Bostian, Ph.D., Associate Provost for Science and Technology at Kean University and CEO of the Institute for Life Science Entrepreneurship based at Kean, commented on how the website will extend Kean's research reach: "Kean University faculty are eager to expand their research capacity and projects, and the opportunity to promote their academic work and intellectual property will support this effort."

Each researcher from Kean can create a personalized profile on the platform. Further instructions regarding engagement with this resource will be provided soon.

Research topics on ResearchwithNJ align with the 17 U.N. Sustainable Goals like good health, clean energy, and climate action. Bostian mentioned plans to expand beyond the initial 183 researchers after testing results are evaluated.

Derrick Swinton, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Research at The Dorothy and George Hennings College of Science, Mathematics, and Technology at Kean manages the site alongside Bostian. He noted that student researchers also benefit from this initiative: "Students gain valuable experience by collaborating with their faculty mentors on research projects."

The portal supports objectives set by newly established offices at Kean focused on science technology commercialization efforts aimed at fostering partnerships with businesses.

Judith Sheft from CSIT expressed confidence that managing this portal aligns well with their mission due to strong connections within both startup communities as well as academic institutions statewide: "We anticipate this expansion of ReseachwithNJ...will help strengthen connections between New Jersey's research universities & industry."