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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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.
EJB Talks: Irina Grafova on Medical Debt & Provider Burnout
Stuart Shapiro interviews Associate Professor Irina Grafova about her research on medical debt and its impact on family finances, as well as her work on provider burnout, particularly among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
EJB Talks: Mi Shih on Urban Development & Density
Stuart Shapiro interviews Professor Mi Shih, the director of the school’s nationally-ranked urban planning program, about her work on urban development globally, with a focus on Taiwan.
EJB Talks: Political Update with Stuart Shapiro and Amy Cobb
Stuart Shapiro welcomes back Amy Cobb MPAP ’18 for a political update in the final EJB Talks episode of the spring 2024 season. They discuss the potential consequences of Trump’s guilty verdict for falsifying business records in New York, particularly the consequences for the 2024 election.
EJB Talks with Alumnus Christopher Black PH ’09
Christopher Black EJB ’09 shares his story of pursuing a public health degree after struggling with organic chemistry. With guidance from mentor Dr. Dona Schneider, retired Bloustein School professor and associate dean, Chris took a few years to work and teach before getting an advanced degree in public health, focusing on epidemiology and biostatistics.
News
TECH UPDATES: Essential Technology Questions (and Answers) for Decision-Makers, Part 2
By Marc Pfeiffer (Published January 1, 2026 at ICMA.org) Practical guidance on auditing IT infrastructure, managing technology budgets, staffing IT roles, and adopting AI technologies This two-part series was written to address questions that elected and appointed...
NJSPL: Safer E-Biking and Understanding Micromobility
Safer E-Biking: What Parents, Youth, and Communities Should Know about Micromobility in New Jersey Leigh Ann Von Hagen, Hannah Younes, Sean Meehan, Julia Kohn As e-bikes and other micromobility devices like e-scooters and e-motorcycles become increasingly popular,...
Dean Shapiro: Two Key Steps to Get Rid of the Sludge
By Dean Stuart Shapiro There are two related steps that the administration could take to target sludge across the government. Cass Sunstein has defined “sludge” as the friction created by the unnecessary paperwork burdens inhibiting access to government programs....
HMN 2025: What are the promising strategies for providing health care to homeless people
Organizations aiming to help homeless people with either housing or health care can be more effective when they form partnerships with other service groups, a Rutgers study has found. “Our paper describes how homeless services and health care providers are working...
New Jersey’s business outlook for 2026: What you need to know
An array of issues Rutgers University economist James Hughes, dean emeritus of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, said a rise in unemployment nationally, mixed messaging from Washington, D.C., the increasing cost of electricity and...