Dr. Nicholas V. Longo has been named the inaugural director of the Rutgers Democracy Lab, effective February 1, according to an announcement from Jason Geary, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Rutgers–New Brunswick. In addition to his new role at the Lab, Dr. Longo will serve as a professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.
The Rutgers Democracy Lab was established in 2025 through a philanthropic gift with the aim of strengthening American democracy through education, dialogue across differences, and collaborative problem-solving. Dr. Longo’s career has focused on connecting academic theory with practical democratic engagement.
Dr. Longo is currently Chair and Professor of Global Studies at Providence College and serves as Co-Director of the Dialogue, Inclusion, and Democracy (DID) Lab. The DID Lab focuses on civil discourse, democratic skill-building, and inclusive public engagement by developing faculty learning communities, student dialogue fellowships, public dialogues, and reimagining campus spaces to foster healthier democratic cultures.
He previously led a national initiative at Campus Compact to boost student participation in public life and served as the first Director of the Wilks Leadership Institute at Miami University. Dr. Longo’s published works include “Why Community Matters” and “Creating Space for Democracy,” which lay out theoretical and practical approaches for deliberative pedagogy—a model that will be central to the work of the Rutgers Democracy Lab.
Dr. Longo has also secured more than $750,000 in grants from organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts and Arthur Vining Davis Foundations to support civic initiatives.
In 2025, he conducted a workshop for Scarlet Service Internship Summer Scholars at Rutgers and noted its potential in building civic-minded communities.
As Director of the Lab, Dr. Longo will oversee initiatives including creating a Think and Do Tank at Rutgers Democracy Lab, expanding “Talking Across Difference” workshops, and developing a Technology and Democracy Research Hub aimed at preparing students across disciplines to be active participants in democracy.
“His collaborative leadership style will ensure that the Lab engages every facet of the university—from the arts to STEM—to prepare all students for their roles as active democratic citizens,” said Provost Geary.