Patrick Murray is director of the new Monmouth University Polling Institute.

Monmouth University has announced the appointment of Patrick Murray as the director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute effective August 1.

Prior to joining Monmouth University, Murray directed the Star-Ledger/Eagleton-Rutgers Poll and the Bloustein Center for Survey Research. Murray resides in Somerset, New Jersey.

As its initial endeavor, the Polling Institute will conduct statewide polls during the fall campaign in New Jersey. These poll results will be disseminated in partnership with the Gannett newspapers in the state and known as the Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey Poll.

During its first year, the Polling Institute will also conduct research focusing on quality of life issues in New Jersey, particularly in South Jersey and the Jersey Shore. The Institute plans to host a multi-disciplinary symposium in the spring to present these results.

The Monmouth University Polling Institute was founded in 2005. Its mission is to be a leading center for the study of public opinion by providing independent reports of the population’s views on important state and regional issues. The Institute will also work with government agencies and private/not-for-profit organizations to connect the general population to the policies that affect their daily lives. The Institute’s research capabilities include: large and small-scale survey projects; telephone, mail, and in-person interview designs; quantitative data analysis; and qualitative research techniques such as focus group facilitation and analysis.

Murray has more than twelve years of experience directing survey research studies. His work spans the areas of public policy, market research, and election polling. He has been a frequent commentator on New Jersey politics and public opinion, appearing on local television and radio as well as on national media outlets such as NPR’s "Talk of the Nation."

Murray’s research experience has focused on media and election polls, major needs assessments for state agencies and regional organizations, community evaluations for local municipal groups, and consumer studies for businesses and not-for-profits. He has presented research to the American Association for Public Opinion Research and the American Political Science Association. He also has taught graduate courses on survey research methods and worked for NBC News as a national election analyst.

Murray received his B.A. from Lafayette College and M.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University.

“I am very excited to be joining Monmouth University at the start of this important endeavor," Murray said. "We really want to distinguish ourselves by focusing on quality of life issues—issues that affect residents in their every day lives but may not always make the headlines. I see the role of the Polling Institute as an advocate for the public—not for any particular point of view, but to ensure that the voice of the people is engaged in the policy process through the use of sound research.”

Visit the Monmouth University Polling Institute Web site.