Will Payne and Jermaine Toney have been approved as associate professors with tenure by the Rutgers Board of Governors, according to an announcement from the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy on April 27.
The promotions highlight ongoing efforts at the Bloustein School to support faculty research and recognize academic achievement. The school is part of Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey, according to the official website.
Payne’s research uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to examine how geospatial technologies relate to urban inequality. He studies how location-based services interact with patterns of segregation in American cities, looking at how residents use information systems such as Zagat Survey, Nextdoor, Yelp, Foursquare, and Google Maps. Payne also develops open-source tools for spatial data visualization and computational research.
Toney focuses his work on finance, family dynamics, health disparities, and socioeconomic stratification. His current projects include examining intergenerational transmission of socioeconomic status and measuring racial wealth gaps. Toney was awarded a National Bureau of Economic Research Fellowship for Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Economic Outcomes for 2023-2024.
The Bloustein School operates several research centers dedicated to community development, transportation policy, health issues, workforce development initiatives and energy policy according to its official website according to the official website. The school has earned national recognition for its programs; its graduate urban planning program ranks third nationally while its undergraduate public health program is ranked fourth according to the official website.
Stuart Shapiro became dean of the Edward J. Bloustein School in 2023 according to the official website. The school aims to foster just, socially inclusive communities that are environmentally sustainable at local through global levels according to the official website. Distinguished alumni are recognized through a Hall of Fame established in 2013 as well as annual achievement awards dating back three decades according to the official website.