Laura Peck, a new Associate Professor of Public Policy and Principal Faculty Fellow at the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, discussed her career path and research focus in the latest episode of EJB Talks, hosted by Dean Stuart Shapiro. Peck described her progression from undergraduate activism to policy analysis, earning a PhD, working at Arizona State University, and spending over ten years at Abt Associates.
During the conversation, Peck highlighted how her experiences have shaped her commitment to careful and policy-relevant research. She spoke specifically about evaluating the federal Health Profession Opportunity Grant (HPOG) program. Peck explained that her central research question goes beyond simply determining if programs work. “The real question of my research isn’t just whether programs work, but really how and for whom they work,” she said.
Returning to academia at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Peck looks forward to teaching students about practical aspects of public programs. She aims to equip them with tools to assess which initiatives are effective, what needs improvement, and how decisions can be made in government and nonprofit sectors. “Her goal is to give them the tools to figure out what’s working, what needs fixing, and how to make smart decisions about public programs in government and nonprofit spaces,” according to Peck.
Dean Stuart Shapiro has led the Bloustein School since 2023. The school operates as part of Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey (source). It has achieved national recognition for its graduate urban planning program—ranked third—and its undergraduate public health program—ranked fourth (source). The institution also advances social impact through research centers focused on areas such as community development, transportation, health, workforce development, and energy policy (source).
Since its establishment in 2013 of a Hall of Fame and annual achievement awards dating back to 1994, the Bloustein School has recognized distinguished alumni (source). Its mission includes fostering socially inclusive and sustainable communities at multiple levels (source).
The full interview with Laura Peck is available on Spotify.