2026 Working Teams
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Team 1: Supporting Undergraduate Research Goals and Experiences (SURGE)
The objective of this project is to transform undergraduate research practices at Emerging Research Institutions by developing a sustainable, highly effective STEM teaching and learning model. To achieve this, Molloy’s Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research Committee’s three-part, pioneering model includes re-envisioning research environments for students by increasing exposure and opportunity; developing and implementing faculty learning communities to enhance and sustain evidence-based research experiences for all undergraduates; and examining and assessing transformation process by developing metrics and best practices. Visit Molloy University’s website.
Team Members
Molloy University
- Michael Marino – Principal Investigator
- Audrey Cohan – Senior Dean for Research, Scholarship, and Graduate Studies
- Melissa Gebba – Co-Principal Investigator
- Li Li – Co-Principal Investigator
- Jamie Vitrano – Co-Principal Investigator
- Michael Morrisey – Program Manager
- Deborah Waldron – Associate Director of Grants and Sponsored Programs
- Kristin Altmann – Grants and Research Specialist
Penn State University
- ChanMin Kim – Principal Investigator, Faculty Subject Matter Expert (SME)
- Camelia Kantor – STAIR Principal Investigator
- Jialing Wang – Research Project Manager
- Evan Fonash – Project Coordinator
- Mary McMonagle – Proposal Budget SME
- Jennifer Hoffman – Project Research Administration SME
- Laura Castro – Graphic Designer
Team 2: NJ Research Integrity and Security Consortium (NJ-RISC)
While research in the United States has traditionally benefited from foreign-born researchers and international collaborations, current national security and economic policies recognize the increasing threat posed by malign foreign actors to our federally-funded research enterprise. To address this pressing national need, Kean University, Montclair State University, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology propose forming a statewide Research Security community of practice in New Jersey called the NJ Research Integrity and Security Consortium (NJ-RISC).
Visit Kean University’s website, Montclair State University’s website, New Jersey Institute of Technology’s website.
Team Members
Kean University
- Nathan Rigel – Principal Investigator
- Sherrie Calish – Research Administrator
Montclair State University
- Kimberly Blatt – Co-Principal Investigator
New Jersey Institute of Technology
- Robert Rasmussen – Co-Principal Investigator
Penn State University
- Camelia Kantor – STAIR Principal Investigator
- Jialing Wang – Research Project Manager
- Evan Fonash – Project Coordinator
- Melissa Gensimore – Project Research Administration SME
- Michelle Smith – Proposal Budget SME
- Laura Castro – Graphic Designer