EJB Talks
Join our faculty and staff experts, as well as some of our alumni and students, as we talk about topics within the disciplines of public policy, urban planning, public health, health administration, and informatics.
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From Public Health Research to Real-World Impact
This week on EJB Talks we talk to Melinda Rushing, a new faculty member in the school’s health administration program, and her winding journey from social work to public health and how her passion for research, particularly around sickle cell disease and healthcare access, shaped her academic journey.
Inside, Outside, & In Between: Leading In Government
This week on EJB Talks, Bloustein School Young Alumni honoree and Advisory Board Member Sara Meyers MPP ’09 shares her unconventional path into public policy, beginning with a background in music and German before being inspired by political events to pursue change from within government.
Clint Andrews–The Critical Role of University Research
This week on EJB Talks, Dean Stuart Shapiro speaks with Bloustein School alumna and Bloustein Advisory Board member, Leah Furey Bruder, MCRP ’06 about her journey into urban planning and her experiences working in municipal and redevelopment planning. Leah explains how her background in international studies shifted to local planning after working on community development in Camden, NJ. She discusses her work in Cherry Hill, her time as an in-house municipal planner in Evesham Township, and her decision to start her own firm to focus on impactful projects.
Leah Furey Bruder–Community Centered Urban Planning
This week on EJB Talks, Dean Stuart Shapiro speaks with Bloustein School alumna and Bloustein Advisory Board member, Leah Furey Bruder, MCRP ’06 about her journey into urban planning and her experiences working in municipal and redevelopment planning. Leah explains how her background in international studies shifted to local planning after working on community development in Camden, NJ. She discusses her work in Cherry Hill, her time as an in-house municipal planner in Evesham Township, and her decision to start her own firm to focus on impactful projects.
Healthcare, Policy, and the Opioid Crisis: Bridging Gaps in Access
This week on EJB Talks Assistant Professor Zoe Lindenfeld talks to Dean Stuart Shapiro about her research on substance use disorders, particularly the opioid crisis, and its ties to healthcare access and policy. She explains how her interest in the field was sparked by the opioid epidemic’s emergence as a public health crisis.
Navigating New Jersey’s Economic Outlook
In our first episode of EJB Talks for 2025, Stuart Shapiro and Will Irving discuss Will’s current role with the Rutgers Economic Advisory Service (R/ECON) as well as the latest economic forecast for New Jersey, which predicts a sharper economic slowdown compared to the national trend.
“Rutgers Then and Now:” A Discussion with the Authors
Stuart Shapiro discusses the new book by University Professor and Bloustein School Dean Emeritus James W. Hughes and Distinguished Professor David Listokin, “Rutgers Then and Now.” If you missed the book release event held on Thursday, December 12, this podcast is your chance to hear more about the events that led to the creation of the book.
The Virtues of Public Service with Bob Gordon
As a former New Jersey legislator and BPU Commissioner, Stuart Shapiro asks Senior Policy Fellow Bob Gordon about his path to public service. Bob talks about his early days as a policy analyst and how he discovered he wanted to be less behind the scenes and move into the policymaking side.
Election Aftermath: The Path Forward for Democracy
In a special post-election episode of EJB Talks, Dean Stuart Shapiro and Elizabeth Matto, Director of the Eagleton Institute of Politics, offer post-election insights on the impact of Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential win.
Communicating Environmental Issues to the Public
Alumnus Kati Angarone RU ’98, MPAP ’04, discusses her career journey from studying natural resource management to her pivotal roles at NJDEP, including her work on climate policy, watershed and land management, and local environmental initiatives.
News
TECH UPDATES: “Hey AI, Write a Report on Innovation in Local Government”
By Marc Pfeiffer (Published June 1, 2025 at ICMA.org) A gamechanger for local governments, tasking an AI chatbot with research and writing projects saves you time and trouble, at least for the first draft. The original plan for this month’s article was to write about...
Bloustein School announces faculty promotions
The Bloustein School is pleased to announce the recent promotion of several school faculty. Amy E. Underhill Abruzzi, Ph.D, MPH, MLS, CPH, MCHES, Anita Franzione, DrPH, and Alexandra Lopez, M.A. have all been promoted to Full Professor of Teaching. “These promotions...
MPI Grad Students Present MOMCare with AI
On Friday, May 16th, NJ Big Data Alliance held the 12th Annual NJBDA Symposium titled "Empowered by AI: Innovation and the Rise of the Augmented Workforce." The paper titled "MOMCare: An AI Chatbot for Postpartum Depression Counselling" was presented. And, the...
Samuel Researches Gambling Harm Reduction in Online Spaces
Abstract Objectives Globally, there has been a rapid increase in the availability of online gambling. As online gambling has increased in popularity, there has been a corresponding increase in online communities that discuss gambling. The movement of gambling and...
Studio: Newark’s EWR Transit-Oriented Community
View StoryMap There have been six previous Bloustein School studios that addressed the proposed 2023 PATH station addition to the EWR airport in Newark, NJ. In February 2017, the Port Authority of NY and NJ approved a $1.7 billion PATH extension to the Newark Liberty...
Upcoming Events
Philly Alumni Mixer
Wicked Wolf Philadelphia 1214-1216 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, United StatesReconnect with Bloustein friends and colleagues at Wicked Wolf Philadelphia. Enjoy some apps and a free drink while you network with Bloustein Alumni from the area!! Join us for an […]
Virtual Information Session: Doctor of Health Administration
VirtualYou are invited to join us at one our upcoming spring 2025 virtual informational sessions to learn more about the new Doctor of Health Administration (MHA) degree offered by the […]
2025 New Jersey Planning & Redevelopment Conference
VirtualConvening virtually on June 11–12, and in person at the Hyatt Regency New Brunswick on June 13. New Jersey Future and New Jersey Chapter of the American Planning Association are proud to present […]