Research Centers and Initiatives
The Bloustein School is host to several nationally recognized research centers and collaborative programs, established by the University’s Board of Governors. These specialized centers carry out large-scale projects and are supported by external funding, which maximize the school’s ability to perform in-depth research; extend its activities beyond the classroom through public service; and provide students with the opportunity to develop professional skills and experience.
The school serves as an intellectual focal point at Rutgers University for the examination of societal problems and solutions. Research undertakings are governed by a strong commitment to quality through the use of sound social science theory and methods and to full dissemination of results and peer review of findings. Research is carried out on a wide variety of challenging topics.
Many of these centers offer continuing education and training programs for government officials, nonprofit leaders, and career professionals, enabling the school to broaden its outreach endeavors.
Students at the Bloustein School have the opportunity to conduct hands-on research through appointments as researchers employed by the school’s centers and initiatives in such areas as community development, transportation, health, workforce development, green building and energy policy, and state and municipal government activities.
Featured Research
Heldrich Center Publishes Legislative Report on New Jersey’s Teacher Workforce
This report provides a high-level overview of New Jersey’s teacher workforce at the state and district levels. While research in this area is progressing, questions remain about the overall supply and demand of the teaching workforce and about the factors that influence teachers’ decisions to enter or remain in teaching positions.
Prof. Andrews and PhD Candidate Lina Moe: Make Room for Robots
Robot-human interactions are becoming more commonplace in urban spaces. Lina Moe and Clinton Andrews have developed a diagnostic that policymakers can use to find the best existing tools for governance and determine when new ones are needed.
Dr. Ignaccolo Receives Best Dissertation in Planning History Award
The 2026 Anthony Sutcliffe Dissertation Award was given to Dr. Carmelo Ignaccolo, Assistant Professor.
NJSPL Report: Historical Water Bodies, CSO, and Flood Vulnerability in NJ
As urban areas have developed in New Jersey, some water bodies such as ponds, streams, and wetlands have been filled in, developed over, or rerouted through stormwater systems. In some cases, this process may have increased local flooding.
Research Brief: Current, Future Coastal Flood Inundation of NJ Roadways
A new research brief by Jonathan Delura, Senior Research Specialist, Center for Urban Policy Research for the New Jersey Climate Change Research Center details a novel approach for estimating the extent and depth of roadway inundation using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) derived roadway surface elevations. A desktop analysis was conducted utilizing this approach to provide a first order assessment of coastal flooding impacts under current and future flood scenarios for New Jersey.
Smart and Von Hagen Discuss Safety Challenges of “Stroads” Using Route 1 as Example
According to Smart, that creates a design problem.
“Everything about it tells you you should drive fast,” he said. “It looks like a highway. But you also have a lot of driveways, so you’re driving very fast and braking very often.”
Research Centers
