His scholarship and research examines and advances college access and success for minoritized student populations, including Black and Latinx students; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer students; and low-income students. Before moving to UGA, Means finished his PhD at North Carolina State University and worked for the Elon Academy, a college access program based at Elon University. Means is an author of numerous articles and has received funding from multiple agencies and organizations to support his scholarship. Means has also received several awards and recognitions for his contributions related to scholarship and social justice.