CURF Peer Advisers

CURF Peer Advisors (CPAs) serve as ambassadors for CURF and guides for Research Recruits and other undergraduate student researchers. CPAs help students find research projects, serve as a liaison between student researchers and faculty mentors, plan programming and serve as a resource for their peer group, and help with the annual Research Days event. CPAs also serve as ambassadors for campus recruitment events to promote the benefits of CURF to students, faculty, alumni, and potential donors.

Eligibility: CURF Peer Advisors must be third or fourth year students in good academic standing with a GPA of 3.0 or above. Applicants should have completed one full year of a faculty-mentored research or creative project.

CPAs must participate in mandatory staff training twice a year; fall and spring semesters.

Eligible candidates should contact CURF for an application.

Ijeoma Bernadette Akpu

Ijeoma Akpu is a senior at Kean University majoring in Environmental Biology. She began her college journey at Union County College in 2014 where she experienced her first research project. She transferred from Union County College to Kean University in Fall 2017 where she continued her research journey. So far, she worked in New Jersey City University on Protein/DNA Extraction research, tested soil from the New Jersey Pine Barrens to see which method of restoration was most effective and traveled to China to collect soil samples for her current research project. She is currently a student ambassador and secretary of the Earth Science club. She is also a member of Tri-beta Honor Society, STEMpact research program, LSAMP research program and the McNair Scholars program. Her short term goal is graduate from Kean with a 3.85 GPA and to get into a PhD program (for Neuroscience). Her long term goal is to obtain her PhD and then apply for medical school to become a pediatric neurologist. She aspires to apply her neurological research from her PhD program to pediatric patients all around the world to ease the lives of people suffering from neurological disorders. Ijeoma is also a CURF Peer Adviser and mentors 5 young researchers. She hopes to inspire and motivate them to reach for the stars and never give up on their passions.

Orella Chichester

Orella Chichester is a senior at Kean University, majoring in both Communication and English. She is an adept writer with experience in both online writing and content creating. During the 2017-2018 academic year, Orella served as a research recruit and conducted research on colorism in Harlem Renaissance fiction. Her familiarity with the program helps her to better assist current research recruits with their research needs. Upon the completion of her undergraduate degrees, Orella plans to attend graduate school to pursue a degree in either Communication or Writing Studies.

Jason Wang

Jason Wang is a senior at Kean University majoring in Sustainability Science with a minor in Economics. He aims to obtain a Master's degree in his major which will help him along his journey to better the world's understanding of the environment. He has done research with Dr. Mu on the sustainability of liquid vs bar soap and on the benefits of compost which was funded through SpF. Currently, Jason is working as a CURF peer adviser and mentors a handful of young Kean researchers helping them to develop their own understanding and responsibility of research. When asked about the position, he replied "I wish I had a research veteran guiding me through my research, as it can be a bit overwhelming. I just hope I can be of some help to my fellow students." During his free time he enjoys going outdoors, music, and hanging with friends; especially when all three are combined. He likes to go with the flow and see how things turn out; just because he knows life doesn't always go your way.  He is eager to learn more and apply his knowledge in future projects as well as pass on his experiences.

Shivani Sankar

Shivani Sankar is senior at Kean University who achieved her Associate’s Degree in Biology at Ocean County College under the Kean-Ocean program and is now pursuing a B.S. in Environmental Biology. She plans on continuing on to graduate school in which she aspires to achieve both a Masters and Ph.D. degree concentrated in Environmental and Marine Biology studies. From a young age, she has always known she wanted to have a career in field research and her undergraduate years spent at Kean have helped guide her toward achieving her goals. She involves herself in campus life as being a member of the Earth Science Club, as well as being a CURF Peer Advisor who mentors a team of five Kean undergraduate researchers. Shivani is also a part of the Ronald E. McNair Scholars program. It was through this program that she was able to begin her undergraduate research project; conducted with her mentor Dr. Daniela Shebitz (Ph.D.) on studying fire adapted plant diversity in the Pine Barrens and Red Hill areas of NJ. She looks forward to continuing expanding her research experience as a part of the LSAMP program during her last year at Kean and hopes to provide her team of mentees with insightful research tips, tricks, support and knowledge gained throughout her experiences as an undergraduate researcher alike.