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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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.
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.
News
Planning students selected for prestigious Port Authority Leadership Fellow Program
Bloustein School MCRP candidates Bobby Johnson and Julia Kohn have been selected for the Port Authority Leadership Fellow Program. Over 200 master's candidates apply to the program each year, with only a few selected as finalists for the prestigious program. The...
Sherrill keeps her promise to take action against N.J.’s soaring electric rates. But is it enough?
It’s become a “tradition” of sorts in New Jersey, much to the chagrin of people who support building out the state’s clean energy infrastructure. On Tuesday, Gov. Mikie Sherrill proposed a record $60.7 billion plan that includes more than $1 billion in state subsidies...
Risk Analysis Celebrates Distinguished Prof. Greenberg
Michael Greenberg: Master Synthesizer of Risk, Public Health, and Public Policy by Joanna Burger & Karen W. Lowrie Michael Greenberg is an extraordinary researcher, teacher, and pioneer who has combined his broad knowledge and expertise in environmental...
School Tax Vote Sparks Affordability Debate in Montclair
Jeffrey Grayson was born and raised in Montclair. For the past 67 years, he has witnessed firsthand the changes in his community, the shift in demographics, the rise in housing prices and taxes, and an influx of new residents from New York City. According to Grayson,...
STEM Pathways are a Two-Way Street, Not a “Leaky Pipeline”
A new article in the Journal for STEM Education Research challenges the longstanding “leaky pipeline” narrative that has shaped U.S. education and workforce policy for decades. The article, “Reconceptualizing College STEM Pathways: Is ‘Leaving STEM’ the Problem?”, was...










