Bloustein School dean steps down from position

The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy has seen a change of leadership as of Thursday, announced Rutgers—New Brunswick Chancellor-Provost Francine Conway in an email sent to the Rutgers community.

Former Dean of the Bloustein School Piyushimita (Vonu) Thakuriah stepped down from the administrative position to resume her role as a distinguished professor and director of the Rutgers Urban and Civic Informatics Laboratory at the Bloustein School, Conway said, according to the email.

Stuart Shapiro, formerly the associate dean of faculty at the Bloustein School, has taken Thakuriah’s place as interim dean. He previously directed the school’s public policy program for seven years and has most recently taken the role of principal investigator for the New Jersey State Policy Lab, a state-funded space created by Rutgers to give policymakers research and recommendations for evidence-based initiatives.

“We are grateful to Dr. Thakuriah for her considerable achievements and contributions to the School throughout her term as dean and look forward to her continuing success on the faculty and in her field of professional and academic pursuit,” Conway said. “We wish the best of luck to Dean Thakuriah in her new endeavors and to Interim Dean Shapiro in his new responsibilities.”