At Bryant, learning is never confined to the classroom. Now in its 13th year, Research and Engagement Day (REDay) transforms campus into a living lab of ideas, providing a forum for the university community to share their big questions, explorations, and insights and spark conversations that will lead to even greater breakthroughs.
“REDay reflects the heart of our academic mission: to foster a campus culture that values curiosity, collaboration, and belonging,” noted Wendy Samter, Ph.D., associate provost and head of the REDay committee. “Each presentation and conversation helps to create a community where knowledge is pursued not only for its own sake, but for the positive impact it can have in the world.”
A celebration of innovation, curiosity, and partnership, REDay 2025 featured presentations, workshops, and interactive activities that highlighted the rigorous research happening every day at Bryant.
“REDay is an important day for all of us because it brings faculty, students, and staff together to share knowledge and challenge ideas in an environment of intellectual curiosity and growth,” declared Bryant President Ross Gittell, Ph.D., in his opening remarks. “Every year, we all leave REDay exposed to new ideas and learning new things.”
Gittell also welcomed participants in the Belonging Institute, which brought 170 students from five Rhode Island high schools — Cranston High School East, Times2 STEM Academy, Blackstone Valley Prep, Central High School, and Johnston High School — to campus to share in the spirit of discovery. “Throughout the day, they will see firsthand what happens on a college campus and how creative ideas are explored, researched, and challenged,” he noted.
Here are a few scenes from Bryant's REDay 2025:
Coding the future: Bryant partnered with startup accelerator SiliconXL for the university’s first artificial intelligence (AI) Hack-A-Thon. Students from across the university and nearly every major — assisted by software developers and entrepreneurs from SiliconXL and Bryant faculty and staff — competed in teams to explore AI-assisted coding and create apps for a range of potential businesses. In just a few hours, they accomplished what normally could have taken weeks of work and developed prototypes for a blockchain-backed certification verification site, a resource for volunteers that charts community health needs, and other high-impact projects.
Propelled by discovery: “I was able to succeed through hope, hustle, and help,” noted astrophysicist, former NASA space science education lead, and acclaimed author and television host Hakeem Oluseyi, Ph.D., in his keynote address. Oluseyi, the first member of his family to graduate high school, shared how resilience and a love of discovery propelled his journey from childhood poverty to the forefront of space science — and praised the people who assisted him along the way. He’s now determined to pay that forward, he said, and suggested that we can save the world one transformative education at a time.
Down to a science: An afternoon poster session brought students from the Tupper campus to the Business Entrepreneurship Leadership Center. Biology major Ethan Hall ’25 shared his research on the hidden epidemic fueling Alzheimer’s disease. Determining if there was a link between type 3 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease and if metabolic dysfunction was the root of the chronic disease crisis, his findings showed that poor diets — high sugar and processed foods — increased the risk of type 2 diabetes, which leads to type 3, and obesity-induced inflammation accelerates Alzheimer's progression.
Banging the gong on free trade: The Avedis Zildjian Co. has been making cymbals, drumsticks, and percussion mallets for more than 400 years and, today, the company has tapped Bryant’s Global Supply Chain Management students to ensure its legacy endures well into the data-driven future. During a capstone presentation on REDay, Alexis Diamantes ’25, Nico Dunn ’25, Jessica Gaskin ’25, Alexis Klein ’25, Andrew Smetana ’25, and Kelvyn Strong ’25 discussed their research into Zildjian’s vendor network, including data cleanup, analysis, and visualization, and outlined strategies for consolidating suppliers and reducing tariffs. “You’re showing the oldest company in the U.S. how to do business,” said Management Professor Chris Roethlein, Ph.D.
The Roto goes global: Abuzz with conversation, Bryant’s International Hub featured a station devoted to guessing international foods, a trivia table where students had created pamphlets on France-based landmarks, and other interactive offerings. Additionally, students from Associate Professor of Communication and Language Studies Cedric Joseph Oliva Ph.D.’s “Italian Culture, History, and Gastronomy” course, which brought students to Italy, presented posters on the confluence of culture and politics, including how global conflicts impacted Italian cuisines to how the trading of salt influenced Italian cooking over time.
Offshore drivers: Logistics and economics play a role in companies’ decisions whether to “offshore,” or move certain operations outside of the U.S., according to a literature review conducted by Vamsi Praneeth Gonugunta ’25MSBA. Detailing his study on the computer and electronics industry, Gonugunta said key factors include geographic distance, logistical capacity, competitiveness, and stability, as well as the “cultural distance” between the home country and the offshore location.
Putting fitness to the test: In the Exercise and Movement Science Lab, Aman Sohi ’25MBA assessed his balance, coordination, and neuromuscular control by completing the Y Balance Test. Students who visited the lab tested their physical capabilities by measuring balance, lower body strength, upper body strength, vertical jump, and flexibility. Through the measurements, students found out what they should prioritize during workouts. Additionally, individuals could complete a bioelectrical impedance analysis to measure body composition. “It will also give you measurements for how many calories you should take in for the day and total body water,” said Exercise and Movement Science Program Director Jason Sawyer, Ph.D.
International perspectives in practice: MBA students brought back more than saris and dhotis from their 2025 Global Immersion Experience (GIE) trip to India. Clad in traditional garb, grad students detailed their visits to Google India and free-trade Global Capacity Centers as well as sharing photos of elephant rides and the Taj Majal. The trip was an opportunity to compare Indian and American approaches to urbanization, healthcare, digital transformation in business, and other themes.
A side of beef: The day concluded with an examination of the historical evolution, cultural significance, and rhetorical strategies of diss tracks led by Visiting Assistant Professor of History, Literature, and the Arts Danielle Macon, Ph.D., and Lecturer of History, Literature, and the Arts Carrie Kell. From chronicling the epic lyrical dustups between Lil’ Kim and Foxy Brown to navigating the East Coast/West Coast Feud to annotating Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s war of words, the pair helped the audience better understand and contextualize rap’s key battles.
