Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy

06/09/2026

We invite you to visit "We Mean Something to Each Other: Life in Memorial Homes," a public exhibition celebrating the history and legacy of Memorial Homes, a New Brunswick public housing development that was the heart of a vibrant, close-knit community.

📅 On View: July 11–29, 2026

Nearly 25 years after its demolition, this exhibition brings Memorial Homes back into view through the eyes of the people who lived there. Developed in dialogue with former residents, it is the culmination of two linked courses offered in spring 2026 at Mason Gross School of the Arts and Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy.

The exhibition features:
🎯 Planning research by Bloustein graduate students
🎯 Original artworks by Mason Gross graduate art students
🎯 Artifacts and oral histories from community members
🎯 Photography by Ben Gest and Phil Buehler

🗓 Opening Reception: Saturday, July 11 | 1–4 PM
Food and refreshments will be served.

📅 On View: July 11–29, 2026

🕐 Gallery Hours:
Mon–Wed & Sat: 10:30 AM–6 PM
Thurs–Fri: 10:30 AM–7 PM

📍 Mason Gross Galleries | 33 Livingston Avenue | New Brunswick, NJ

Free and open to the public. Wheelchair accessible.

Rutgers University—New Brunswick Rutgers University Rutgers University Alumni Association

06/06/2026

You asked, we listened! 🎉 We've added a final virtual info session for spring 2026 for our Public Informatics program — and you won't want to miss it.

📅 Wednesday, June 10 | 12:00 noon EDT

Learn everything about our Master of Public Informatics and Graduate Certificate in Urban & Public Informatics — curriculum, scholarships, career support, and more. Program faculty and staff will be there to answer your questions live.

✅ GRE waived for all 2026 applications
✅ Scholarships available
✅ Fall 2026 deadline: July 1 (domestic) | International students: join us for info on 2027 admission!

🔗 Register → go.rutgers.edu/gradinfo

📌 You can also get a jump start on your application by visiting: go.rutgers.edu/join-mpi

See you there! 👋

06/05/2026

Long-term is more than an statistic, it's a .

Bloustein School Distinguished Professor Carl Van Horn, director of the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, puts it plainly. Outside of losing a loved one, long-term unemployment is one of the most devastating experiences a person can face, with serious consequences for both and .

Read more:

President Trump says he is weighing proposals for the US government to partner with major AI companies, and will soon discuss the idea with their executives (Bloomberg)

06/05/2026

Congratulations to professor Kathe Newman, who was recently named Chair Governing Board of the Urban Affairs Association.

Kathe's research explores , what it is, why it happens, and what it means and has explored , , , , and .

https://bit.ly/4xf6eju

During the Annual Board Meeting, the officers for 2026-2027 were announced.

06/04/2026

Samsung is leaving its Englewood Cliffs, NJ headquarters with 1,200 employees headed to Texas. Bloustein School professor James Hughes didn't mince words: "This is a tough deal for New Jersey. New Jersey has to confront this." Even top schools and transit access "was not enough to keep them."

Taxes in Texas are significantly different from In New Jersey. How much does that factor into company decisions on where to do business?

06/03/2026

Standard and don't capture the full picture, especially for vulnerable residents in low-income . A recent study by Rutgers University—New Brunswick researchers used wearable devices and indoor sensors to reveal stark disparities in real-world exposure to extreme heat and PM2.5 pollution across different groups in Elizabeth, NJ, with seniors and youth facing the highest risks. https://bit.ly/4uhDX9b

Current methods for assessing exposure to extreme heat and air pollution depend mostly on readings from regulatory monitoring stations. We hypothesize that this does not accurately represent the di...

06/03/2026

🙌 CONGRATULATIONS 🙌 to Bloustein School PhD candidates Bridget Fisher and Lina Moe, who were among the inaugural cohort of Rutgers Democracy Lab at the Eagleton Institute of Politics Democracy Summer Research Fellows!

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We are excited to announce the launch of our inaugural Democracy Summer Research Fellowship!

The fellowship funds 25 projects led by doctoral students from Rutgers–New Brunswick, Camden, and Newark from 15 academic disciplines selected from a competitive applicant pool. Fellowships support dissertation or co-authored research projects on deliberative dialogue, artificial intelligence (AI), democratic innovation, or topics aligned with the Rutgers Democracy Lab’s mission to strengthen American democracy.

Read more about each of the fellows and their projects by visiting the link in our bio.

06/02/2026

Interested in a career in ?

Join us for our final Public Policy virtual information session for spring 2026 on ▶️ THURSDAY, June 25 @ 9:00 AM EDT (NJ local time) to learn more about the Rutgers-Bloustein School's Master of Public Policy (MPP) and Master of Public Affairs and Politics (MPAP) degree programs or the Graduate Certificate in Public Policy!

🚩 To register, visit go.rutgers.edu/gradinfo.

The application deadline for domestic applicants for fall 2026 admission is August 1, 2026.

International students welcome -- find out more about applying for Spring 2027 admission!

➡️ The GRE is WAIVED for all 2026 applications. Scholarships available. ⬅️

We are excited to share helpful information about the Bloustein School, the curriculum for our master's degrees in Public Policy, as well as our Graduate Certificate, how to apply, career services support for students, and scholarship opportunities. Program faculty and staff will be on hand to answer questions.

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

🚩 To register, visit go.rutgers.edu/gradinfo.

All sessions will be held virtually via Zoom.

06/02/2026

More than 250 transportation professionals, planners, engineers, students, municipal leaders, and advocates from across New Jersey came together for the 2026 New Jersey Department of Transportation Complete Streets Summit, themed “Every Journey Safer.” Hosted by the New Jersey Bicycle and Pedestrian Resource Center, the event focused on creating safer, more connected, and more inclusive transportation networks for all road users.

Highlights included keynote remarks from transportation leader Veronica O. Davis, discussions on Complete Streets implementation, safety action planning, transit-oriented development, inclusive mobility, and connected greenway networks. NJDOT Commissioner Priya Jain also reinforced New Jersey’s commitment to Vision Zero and the goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2040.

The Summit also celebrated organizations and municipalities making significant contributions to safer transportation, including Union County Connects, Hudson County Complete Streets, the Nikhil Badlani Foundation, and the municipalities of Dunellen, Passaic, Hoboken, Pennsville, and Trenton. The day concluded with a collaborative discussion on shaping New Jersey’s next statewide Active Transportation Plan and advancing a safer future for everyone who travels on our streets.

On Tuesday, April 21, 2026, the NJDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Resource Center hosted the eighth New Jersey Complete Streets Summit. This year’s event, centered on the theme “Every Journey Safer,” was a resounding success, bringing together more than 250 planners, engineers, students, municipal ...

06/01/2026

Massachusetts renters are being squeezed. More than half are spending at least a third of their income on rent, with teachers, nurses, and restaurant workers being priced out of the communities they serve.

Tram Hoang, senior associate at PolicyLink and Bloustein School Associate Professor Mark Paul co-authored an op-ed for the Boston Globe, making a compelling case for why rent control is the solution Massachusetts needs right now. They argue that rent control is the fastest, most cost-effective tool available to stabilize housing costs with no lengthy construction timelines and no public expenditure required.

Read:

It would help tenants stay in their homes and strengthen neighborhood ties.