Kelly Witters, a graduate student at Montclair State University, has turned her childhood interest in horseshoe crabs into a multi-year research project as part of the university’s 4+1 combined Bachelor of Science and Master of Science program in Marine Biology and Coastal Sciences, according to a Mar. 11 announcement.
Witters’ work focuses on studying where and how horseshoe crabs spawn in Barnegat Bay. This research aims to help scientists better protect both the shorebirds that rely on horseshoe crab eggs and the habitats necessary for the species’ survival. “These shorebirds are important, but it’s just as important to know which areas need to be monitored and protected to support the horseshoe crabs,” Witters said. “If we lose the habitat and areas they use to breed and lay eggs, it will be hard to get that habitat back and keep the populations sustained.”
Montclair State University is recognized for providing students with early access to faculty-led projects, allowing them to build research skills from their first year through graduation. The university offers more combined programs than any other institution in New Jersey, giving students opportunities for accelerated graduate study and career preparation. More than half of Montclair State University’s students are from underrepresented minority groups, and it serves as New Jersey’s largest Hispanic-Serving Institution, emphasizing support for historically underrepresented communities, according to the official website.
Witters began her research alongside her twin sister Caitlin in Professor Paul Bologna’s lab during their freshman year. She later developed an independent project examining whether quieter lagoonal back-bay beaches serve as important spawning grounds for horseshoe crabs—a topic not fully explored in New Jersey before. Her fieldwork is timed with lunar cycles when spawning peaks; she collects data on egg densities across different sediment types. The findings have led to a peer-reviewed article co-authored with Bologna.
The university enrolls around 23,546 students across undergraduate and graduate programs according to its official website. Its campus spans multiple municipalities including Montclair, Little Falls, Clifton, and Bloomfield according to its official website. Montclair State University features a 252-acre suburban campus with an extensive academic complex that has grown since its origins in a single building according to its official website. It has also been ranked among the top 30 public institutions by the Wall Street Journal’s “Best Colleges” guide and recognized for value and social mobility among New Jersey public universities according to its official website.
Witters plans to continue her research through her master’s thesis while gaining teaching experience as a graduate assistant. “Being able to build my own research around the animal I loved in third grade really showed me what I want my life to look like,” she said.
Montclair State University focuses on delivering educational opportunities that integrate liberal arts, professional training, and research—preparing graduates for societal challenges through academic excellence, inclusive access, and community involvement according to its official website.
