UL Research Institutes Recognizes Continued Commitment to Safety Science Education by Renaming Education Office First Established in 2022

ULRI’s Office of Research Experiences & Education Renamed the Institute for Research Experiences & Education

EVANSTON, Ill. (Oct. 1, 2025) — Today, UL Research Institutes renamed its Office of Research Experiences & Education to the Institute for Research Experiences & Education — recognizing the wide-ranging expertise of the education research and programming teams that make up this institute, as well as ULRI’s continued commitment to the importance of education in its mission of working for a safer world.

“Education has always been a priority for UL Research Institutes,” said James J. Hudgens, Ph.D., ULRI president and CEO. “We must prepare for future safety challenges — not just current ones — so it’s essential to offer educational programs, research opportunities and career paths that support students who will become our next generation of safety scientists.”

Though new in name, ULRI’s Institute for Research Experiences & Education has long featured expert educators and educational researchers at its helm. In 2013, members of the institute conducted research on informal STEM learning that would go on to build the foundations of education programs within the organization. This tradition continues today as ULRI’s education experts continue to integrate learning and education sciences into all program design.  

In the manner that ULRI’s other world-class institutes research fire, chemical exposures, electrochemical safety, materials discovery and digital safety, the Institute for Research Experiences & Education relies on deep integration of educational research and practice to shape its resources and programs, and the education field as a whole. Embracing a model in which the expertise of educators and researchers inform each other, this institute engages educators and youth in rigorous educational experiences that build awareness, knowledge and skills, and critical thinking so everyone can see themselves as part of the safety sciences.

In 2015, before the Office of Research Experiences & Education was officially established, its team of former teachers and educational researchers developed Xplorlabs to help combat the loss of interest in STEM often seen in adolescence. Aligned with Next Generation Science Standards, Xplorlabs is a no-cost, online education platform that brings ULRI’s latest safety research on fire safety systems, fire forensics, thermal runaway and battery supply chains into the classroom through ULRI lab footage, online interactives, and hands-on investigations and engineering design challenges. A testament to the impact of these educational resources, earlier this year, Xplorlabs received two national awards and two finalist recognitions for education and leadership excellence in two short months.

Now, the institute is welcoming a new open-access standards education platform created in close collaboration with UL Standards & Engagement, a global leader in safety standards development. Similar to Xplorlabs, Standards Academy began with research and an educational gap at its core. According to a 2010 study by Harding and McPherson, 58% of employers expect new hires in engineering to have a knowledge of safety standards. However, the 2022 ULSE Next Generation Stakeholder Survey found only 15% of standards professionals were exposed to safety standards in college. Standards Academy will act as a supplemental resource between theoretical classroom learning and professional practice — offering case studies on ULSE safety standards that use an interruption model shown to help students engage in active learning, collaborative problem-solving and classroom conversations. Development of the platform was guided by listening tours and convenings with engineering faculty, administrators and standards education experts nationwide.

“Building a safer, more sustainable world is an ambitious goal, but as educators, we know it’s also an achievable one,” said Kelly Keena, Ph.D., vice president and executive director of ULRI’s Institute for Research Experiences & Education. “Our first research study to understand youth perceptions of STEM internships suggested that college students are drawn to STEM careers by altruism — a strong desire to be part of the solution to the most pressing issues in their communities. These safety challenges are complex and overwhelming but by reimagining the systems and structures students need to grow into these important industries, they can be tackled. At UL Research Institutes, we’re supporting educators and preparing students with the intention of bridging these gaps across the education continuum.”

About UL Research Institutes 

UL Research Institutes is a nonprofit research organization dedicated to advancing public safety through scientific discovery. Since 1894, our research has advanced our mission toward a safer, more secure and sustainable future. Focused on global risks from fire mitigation and air quality to safe energy storage and digital privacy, we conduct rigorous independent research, analyze safety data, and partner with experts to uncover and act on existing and emerging risks to human safety. Discover more at UL.org.

Media Contact
Allison Williams, APR
UL Research Institutes
Institute for Research Experiences & Education
1+775.287.5317

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