Research & Innovation

Using data science and research for innovative solutions to transform urban challenges into actionable insights.

"Data work is what we do."

Research Spotlight:
AI Report to NJ Governor

NJ AI Task Force Report to Governor Cover
In 2024, IDRIS leadership contributed expertise to the report to the Governor on Artificial Intelligence.

This comprehensive report, developed by a state-appointed Task Force including IDRIS Executive Director Dr. Fay Cobb Payton and Associate Professor Gregory Porumbescu, examines the potential societal impacts of emerging AI technologies, particularly Generative AI (GenAI).

The report provides findings and recommendations aimed at ensuring New Jersey leverages AI responsibly and ethically to improve government services, enhance equity, foster innovation, and create economic opportunities for its residents. Key areas addressed include safety and privacy considerations, workforce training, Al equity and literacy, and strategies for making New Jersey a hub for AI innovation.

See Report

Our Research & Innovation Themes

Highlighting themes that drive our research.

Regional Research Participation

NSF I-Corps Hub Northeast Region

IDRIS extends its research influence and commitment to innovation through active participation in significant regional initiatives. 

IDRIS Executive Director Dr. Fay Cobb Payton served as an Research and Evaluation Lead for the NSF I-Corps Hub Northeast Region.

I-Corps prepares scientists and engineers to extend their focus beyond the laboratory to increase the economic and societal impact of NSF-funded and other basic research projects.
See the I-Corps Impact Report

Dr. Fay Cobb Payton

Executive Director, Institute for Data, Research, and Innovation Science (IDRIS)
Learn More
NSF I-Corps Hub Northeast Region Logo

About the NSF I-Corps Hub Northeast Region 

The NSF I-Corps Hub Northeast Region supports researchers in transforming scientific discoveries into market-ready products and services that benefit society.

It offers free events, mentorship, and accelerator programs through a collaborative network of universities to help innovators assess and advance the feasibility of their ideas.

Learn More About NSF I-Corps Hub

Featured Research Publications & Conferences

Pengju Zhang

Pengju Zhang Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Research Focus: Local Government Fiscal Health

  • Zhang, Pengju, Jinah Yoo and Carolyn Abott. (working paper) The Bankruptcy of Special Districts in the United States: What, When, and Why?
  • Zhang, Pengju, and David Guo. (2024). Navigating local fiscal sustainability: topics and challenges. Local Government Studies, 50(6), 1094–1104. https://doi.org/10.1080/03003930.2024.2408629
  • Hayes, M. S., Rubin, J. S., and Zhang, Pengju. (2023). The state takeover of the Camden City District schools and students’ academic performance: A descriptive analysis. Journal of Urban Affairs, 47(4), 1348–1370. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2023.2216886.

Kihyun (Hannah) Kim Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Marketing

Research Focus: Customer relationship management and digital marketing strategies, with a focus on how data and technology shape customer behavior and firm outcomes

  • Xiaoru Gao, Chan Choi, Sunghoon Kim, Kihyun Hannah Kim, Madhavi Chakrabarty (2025), “How Does Brand-Generated Content Engage Consumers: A Study on Fashion Brands Instagram Data” Journal of Interactive Marketing, forthcoming.
  • Nita Umashankar, Kihyun Hannah Kim, Thomas Reutterer (2023), “Understanding Customer Participation Dynamics: The Case of the Subscription Box”, Journal of Marketing, 87(5), 719-35.
  • Ozum Zor, Kihyun Hannah Kim and Ashwani Monga (2022) “Tweets We Like Aren’t Alike: Time of Day Affects Engagement with Vice and Virtue Tweets”, Journal of Consumer Research, 49(3), 473-95.
  • Kihyun Hannah Kim and V. Kumar (2021) “Money or Friendship – Winning over Customers”, Management and Business Review, 1(2), 87-93.

Fay Cobb Payton Ph.D.

IDRIS Executive Director

Research Focus: Algorithm development and evaluation; healthcare systems, applications, and comorbidities; data curation and bias; innovation ecosystems; and STEM talent development and retention.

  • Hurd, T. Payton, F. and Hood, D. Targeting ML and AI Algorithms in Healthcare to Reduce Bias and Improve Population Health, The Milbank Quarterly, 2024. 
  • Payton, F.C. 3 Ways Apple Intelligence and Embedded AI Will Transform Daily Life, Forbes Online, 2024. 
  • Payton, F.C. When the Algorithm Hallucinates: Disinformation or Misinformation Results, Forbes Online, 2024. 
  • Payton, F.C. AI Strategy: Think Before You Leap, Triangle Business Journal, 2024. 
  • Payton, F.C. Without Small Data, AI in Health Care Contributes to Disparities, Scientific American, September 2023. 
  • Kar, A. K., He, W., Payton, F.C., Grover, V., et al., How Could Quantum Computing Shape Information Systems Research – An Editorial Perspective and Future Directions, International Journal of Information Management, 2024. 

Michele Norin M.A.

Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Rutgers

Research Focus: AI strategy and data research; Enterprise Systems; Digital transformation in higher education

  • “Artificial Intelligence and Research Data at Rutgers”, Nov. 2024, Research Town Hall, M.Norin
  • “Next-Generation ERPs: Real World Experiences and Advice on Selecting, Implementing, and Running Them”, Nov. 2023, Educause Pre-Conference Workshop, T.Bennett, K.Crawford, M.Norin, B.Rapin, & D.Seidl
  • “From Days to Months to Year: Higher Education, IT, and a Pandemic”, March 2021, Discussion Session for Global Leaders, M.Norin & JM.Gower

Anthony Mayo Ph.D.

Biomedical Informatics Co-Adjutant

Research Focus: Computational Models for Substance Use Disorder (SUDS)

  • Mayo, Anthony, “Trends in Substance-Related Emergency Department Visits and Treatment Outcome in Individuals with Substance Use Disorder in the United States”, Global Learning through Global Health: Advancing Common Goals, Together, December 4, 2019, Office of Global Health & Brain Health Institute, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
  • Mayo, Anthony, “Trends in Substance-Related Emergency Department Visits and Treatment Outcome in Individuals with Substance Use Disorder in the United States”, Computational Models in Disease: Applications and Implications, May 9, 2019, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
  • Frank E, Tu XM, Anderson B, Reynolds CF 3rd, Karp JF, Mayo A, Ritenour A, Kupfer DJ. Effects of positive and negative life events on time to depression onset: an analysis of additivity and timing. Psychol Med. 1996 May;26(3):613-24. doi: 10.1017/s0033291700035686. PMID: 8733219.
  • Stack JA, Paradis CF, Reynolds CF 3rd, Houck PR, Frank E, Anderson B, Mayo AL, Miller MD, Rifai AH, Perel JM, et al. Does recruitment method make a difference? Effects on protocol retention and treatment outcome in elderly depressed patients. Psychiatry Res. 1995 Jan 31;56(1):17-24. doi: 10.1016/0165-1781(94)02617-r. PMID: 7792338.

Alex Gimenez-Santana

Alex Gimenez-Santana M.Sc., Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Professional Practice

Research Focus: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for Public Safety, Crime Analysis, Neighborhood Effects on Crime, Community Responses to Prevent and Reduce Crime

  • Giménez-Santana, A., Tissandier, G., Santos, A., Zlaoui, K., Caplan, J. M., & Kennedy, L. W. (R&R). Evaluating the effect of enhanced LED street lighting on nighttime crime in Newark, NJ. Journal of Quantitative Criminology.
  • La Vigne, N., Giménez-Santana, A., Tissandier, G., & Santos, A. (2026). Widening the aperture of the opportunity lens: engaging local stakeholders in the interpretation of crime concentrations. Crime Science. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40163-026-00285-x
  • Dugato, M., Giménez-Santana, A., Santos, A., Caplan, J. M., & Kennedy, L. W. (2026). “Not all convenience stores are equal”. An analysis of the criminogenic role of corner Stores in Newark, NJ. Journal of Criminal Justice, 102, 102552. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102552

W-Evan Johnson

W. Evan Johnson Ph.D.

Professor of Medicine

Research Focus: Computational modeling and genomics for precision medicine in cancer, infection, and immunity, integrating multi-omics data and studying host-pathogen interactions.

  • Lopez K, Reiss R, Kaipilyawar V, VanValkenburg A, Wang X, Modi N, Hennig E, Wats A, Eichberg C, Nakiyingi L, Centner C, McCarthy K, Ellner JJ, Alland D, Dorman SE, Johnson WE, Xie YL, Salgame P. Development of a four-gene host signature for paucibacillary TB among symptomatic individuals with sputum Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra very low and trace results. Int J Infect Dis. 2026 Aug;169:108763. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2026.108763. Epub 2026 May 3. PubMed PMID: 42086105.
  • Quiles KR, Shao FZ, Johnson WE, Chen F. Epithelial remodeling and microbial dysbiosis in the lower respiratory tract of vitamin A-deficient mouse lungs. Sci Rep. 2026 Jan 10;16(1):4663. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-34926-z. PubMed PMID: 41513858; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12868735.
  • Mbabazi M, Kateete DP, Nakazzi F, Wandera JN, Mutesi N, Ocan M, Biraro IA, Abaasa A, Johnson WE, Wee B, Muwonge A. The impact of tuberculosis and its treatment on the lung and gut microbiota: a global systematic review, meta-analysis, and amplicon-based metagenomic meta-analysis. BMC Infect Dis. 2025 Dec 30;26(1):219. doi: 10.1186/s12879-025-12369-1. PubMed PMID: 41469598; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12860090.
  • Ruan QT, Lynch WB, Cole RH, Rieger MA, Baskin BM, Miracle SA, Beierle JA, Yao EJ, Cox JW, Kandola A, Richardson KT, Chen MM, Billups JC, Babbs RK, Ash PEA, Wolozin B, Szumlinski KK, Johnson WE, Dougherty JD, Bryant CD. The striatal heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein H1 mRNA targetome associated with methamphetamine administration and behavior. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2026 Jan 2;144:111598. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2025.111598. Epub 2025 Dec 24. PubMed PMID: 41453486; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12811841.
  • Delpech JC, Yeh H, Kalavai SV, You Y, Ruan Z, Touch N, Hersh S, Monguillon P, Johnson WE, Rau A, Madore C, Ikezu T, Ikezu S. Sex specific correction of maternal inflammation-induced behavioral abnormalities by the inhibition of colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor. Brain Behav Immun. 2026 Jan;131:106163. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2025.106163. Epub 2025 Nov 2. PubMed PMID: 41187794.
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Kimele Persaud

Kimele Persaud Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Psychology and MC² Lab Director

Research Focus: Employing computational cognitive models to understand semantic and episodic memory processes across development.

  • Hu, T. A., & Persaud, K. (2026). Evaluating emotion effects on episodic memory: what makes negative information memorable? Motivation and Emotion, 1-24.
  • Archer, K., Flores, V., & Persaud, K. (2026). Hidden in Plain Sight: Expectation Congruency and Encoding Context Influence Object-Feature Memory. In Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society.
  • Macias, C., & Persaud, K. (2025). Investigating the colour bizarreness effect in long-term memory. Memory, 34(1), 1-18.
  • Persaud, K., Macias, C., & Bonawitz, E. (2025). Expectation-[in] congruence differentially impacts recall and recognition of object features. Memory & Cognition, 54(1), 85-108.
  • Co-PI. Rutgers – Newark Chancellor Seed Grant: “Revolutionizing Earlier Alzheimer’s Detection: An Age-Agnostic,  Non-Invasive Cognitive Mapping and Topological Approach Unaffected by    Cultural and Educational Barriers.” Drs. Bernadette Fausto, Touseef Haider, and Kimele Persaud

David Troutt

David Troutt J.D.

Distinguished Professor

Research Focus: Tort law, Intellectual property, Civil rights, Racial and economic inequality