Asking Big Questions about Happiness & Place

Posted October 14, 2025October 14, 2025 in Faculty, Public Administration MPA & EMPA, Public Affairs/Community Development, Stories

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When Public Affairs doctoral candidate Giovi Romero Sarubbi asked Dr. Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn about his work, the Associate Professor of Public Policy in the Department of Public Policy and Administration described a career focused on happiness, and the role of place in shaping quality of life. His research brings together questions of subjective well-being, redistribution preferences, urban and rural divides, cultural values, religion, and social data science. Much of his scholarship examines the urban–rural happiness gradient and the ways geography and social context influence life satisfaction. His current projects extend to Latin America, where he is studying cultural and policy factors that affect happiness and overall quality of life.

From Methods to Meaning

Dr. Okulicz-Kozaryn teaches across data science, public affairs, and public administration, with courses including Data Management, Quantitative Methods I and II, Research Methods, Urban and Regional Economic Development, and Introduction to Geographic Information Systems. He places a strong emphasis on Python and coding, while connecting technical skills to questions of policy and well-being. Teaching and research are, for him, valuable pursuits in themselves, and he appreciates the chance to work closely with students as they build their own expertise.

Preparing Students for a Changing Field

When asked what advice he would give to students pursuing a career in public administration, Dr. Okulicz-Kozaryn emphasizes that the field is changing quickly. To succeed, he encourages students to combine policy knowledge with high-tech, marketable skills such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data science.

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Linking Data, Policy, and Community Impact

In addition to his work on happiness and well-being, Dr. Okulicz-Kozaryn has contributed to projects that use data science to improve outcomes for Camden residents. Through the Rutgers–Camden Urban Innovation Fund, he served as a faculty guide for the Camden Health Equity Data Visualization Initiative, an interdisciplinary effort that is creating a platform to provide real-time, accessible health data. By working alongside graduate students in data science and prevention science, as well as the Camden Coalition of Health Providers, the project demonstrates how research can both advance scholarship and directly serve the city.

Preparing Students for a Changing Field

For students eager to follow conversations that shape global policy and culture, Dr. Okulicz-Kozaryn recommends reading widely. Among the publications he points to are The Economist, The Atlantic, and WIRED, each offering different perspectives on issues that inform his teaching and research.