Faculty Research & Creative Works
The Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Rutgers–Camden is composed of a diverse group, including Pulitzer Prize winners, respected computer scientists, historians, and biologists. Their wide-ranging interests span social justice, Sartre, seeds, and source code. With expertise in diverse research methodologies, they aim to educate, inspire, and make impactful contributions using their innovative methods.
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Faculty Research Projects
PAY IT FORWARD
Nathan Link, Criminal Justice Graduate Director, with a $1.5M Arnold Ventures grant, seeks to reform Philadelphia’s criminal justice system.
AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT
Assistant Professor Julianne Griepenburg’s lab, with a $250k NSF grant, explores laser-gold nanoparticle interactions for precise cellular and molecular reactions.
Through Children’s Eyes
The Childhood Studies department secured an $800k grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, strengthening global leadership in rethinking race and justice through childhood studies.
In the Media
Rutgers–Camden faculty are prominently featured in various news outlets on a regular basis. They contribute to global, national, regional, and state media by providing expert commentary and receiving media coverage for their research and accomplishments. Our faculty members are recognized as authors of articles and op-eds, as well as respected authorities in their respective areas of research.
Recent Journal Publications by Faculty
Graduate program faculty actively contribute to leading academic journals worldwide, making significant contributions to the ongoing scholarly discourse in their respective fields. Explore a sample of their recent works.
Application of explainable artificial intelligence in medical health: A systematic review of interpretability methods
Authors: Shahab S. Band, Atefeh Yarahmadi, Chung-Chian Hsu, Meghdad Biyari, Mehdi Sookhak, Rasoul Ameri, Iman Dehzangi, Anthony Theodore Chronopoulos, Huey-Wen Liang
Journal: Informatics in Medicine Unlocked, 2023
Iman Dehzangi, an Assistant Professor, leads a comprehensive study that explores the applications of explainable AI (XAI) in healthcare. This systematic review aims to enhance transparency and interpretability in decision-making systems by examining various methods of XAI. The research critically evaluates previous studies on the interpretability of AI and ML algorithms in medical systems, providing valuable insights for future developments.
Finding Meaning in Education Bolsters Academic Self-Efficacy
Authors: Ethan Trieu, Andrew A Abeyta
Journal: International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 2023
Andrew Abeyta, Assistant Professor of Psychology, delves into the influence of college meaning on students’ academic self-efficacy. Through two studies involving undergraduate students, the research reveals a positive association between college meaning and academic self-efficacy. Study 2 demonstrates that reflecting on the significance of college strengthens students’ belief in their ability to succeed academically. These findings emphasize the importance of recognizing and fostering meaning in education for positive student outcomes.
Improving pain assessment in mice and rats with advanced videography and computational approaches
Authors: Nathan T Fried, Alexander Chamessian, Mark J Zylka, Ishmail Abdus-Saboor
Journal: Pain, 2020
Nathan Fried, Assistant Teaching Professor in Biology, addresses the challenges of accurately measuring pain in both humans and rodents. The article acknowledges the subjective nature of pain, which poses difficulties in objective assessment. The research emphasizes the need for innovative methods, such as advanced videography and computational approaches, to improve pain assessment in clinical and laboratory settings.
Shared cIS-regulatory modules control expression of the tandem paralogs midline and H15 in the follicular epithelium
Authors: CA Stevens, HL Stott, SV Desai, N Yakoby
Journal: Development, 2023
Nir Yakoby, Professor of Biology, investigates the regulation of follicular epithelium patterning using midline (MID) and its paralog H15. Through the deletion of cis-regulatory modules (CRMs), the research unveils the shared control of these paralogs in posterior fate determination. Surprisingly, the elimination of one CRM abolishes H15 expression, highlighting the coordinated gene regulation in the follicular epithelium.
Unhappy Metros: Panel Evidence
Authors: Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn
Journal: Applied Research in Quality of Life, 2023
Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn, Associate Professor of Policy, investigates the impact of urbanicity on life satisfaction using longitudinal data from the US Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID). The study’s findings reinforce previous research, indicating that residents of metropolitan areas tend to report lower levels of happiness compared to those in nonmetropolitan areas. This research sheds light on the significant influence of urbanicity on overall well-being.
Recent Books by Faculty
The faculty of our graduate program has contributed significantly to the field through their published works. Their extensive range of books covers various subjects and provides valuable insights to students and scholars alike. Here is a small sample of the diverse and impactful publications authored by Rutgers-Camden faculty members, showcasing their expertise and commitment to advancing knowledge in their fields.
We Must Not Think of Ourselves
By Lauren Grodstein, Professor and Graduate Director of Creative Writing
Lauren Grodstein, director of the MFA program, is a celebrated author known for her highly regarded works, including “Our Short History” and “The Explanation for Everything.” Her writing has been featured in prestigious publications such as The New York Times, Elle, and The Washington Post, and translated into multiple languages. Grodstein’s upcoming novel, “We Must Not Think of Ourselves,” set in the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II, tells a powerful story of love and defiance inspired by the real-life efforts to preserve the truth of that era.
“We Must Not Think of Ourselves” follows Adam Paskow, a prisoner in the Warsaw Ghetto, who joins a secret group of archivists working to preserve the stories of those trapped inside. Amidst their confinement, Adam falls in love with Sala Wiskoff, his flatmate. As they navigate their relationship, they face unimaginable choices and the looming possibility of escape. Inspired by the Oneg Shabbat project, Lauren Grodstein’s novel offers a poignant exploration of endurance and sacrifice in a time of darkness.
Community Benefits: Developers, Negotiations, and Accountability
By Jovanna Rosen, Assistant Professor of Public Affairs and Public Administration
Jovanna P. Rosen is an Assistant Professor of Public Policy at Rutgers-University Camden, specializing in community development, environmental justice, and urban inequality. Her research focuses on understanding urban inequality drivers and strategies for equitable and sustainable cities. Rosen investigates the impacts of inequality on low-income residents and explores policies for inclusive urban environments.
In her book, “Community Benefits,” Rosen examines leveraging development projects for local benefits, addressing limited benefits and negative impacts. Through case studies in cities like Los Angeles, Atlanta, Seattle, and Milwaukee, she explores beneficiaries, benefit delivery, and accountability. Rosen highlights the importance of effective negotiation, community participation, partnerships, and oversight for equitable urban development. “Community Benefits” offers insights and recommendations for positive community outcomes.
The Persian Mirror: Reflections of the Safavid Empire in Early Modern France
By Susan Mokhberi, Assistant Professor of History
Susan Mokhberi, an Assistant Professor of History at Rutgers-Camden University, specializes in early modern European diplomatic and cultural history, with a focus on East-West encounters. She received the prestigious Iran World Book Award in 2022. Holding a Ph.D. in early modern European history from UCLA, Susan offers captivating courses on the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Louis XIV’s France, and Europe’s connections to the wider world. Through her research and teaching, she contributes significantly to our understanding of historical dynamics and intercultural interactions.
Winner of the Iran World Book Award in 2022, Susan Mokhberi’s “The Persian Mirror: France’s Preoccupation with Persia in the Seventeenth Century” explores France’s fascination with Persia during that era. This remarkable work uncovers the profound interest of French intellectuals, diplomats, and ordinary Parisians in Persia, challenging prevailing notions of orientalism and the exotic. By analyzing travel accounts, fairy tales, and the visit of the Persian ambassador to Paris and Versailles in 1715, Mokhberi provides a fresh perspective on early modern Europeans’ complex responses to Asia, shedding light on historical dynamics and intercultural interactions.