Rutgers University–New Brunswick has a range of faculty experts available to discuss the transfer of power between President Trump and President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President elect Kamala Harris on topics including: executive power, the presidency, COVID-19, climate change, the economy, social justice, healthcare, gun violence, women in presidential cabinets and others. For interviews, please reach out to the listed contacts.
Additional current events experts can be found here.
John J. Farmer, Jr., Executive Power, The Presidency
Expert on American politics, redistricting, law, national security and community protection for vulnerable populations. Director of Rutgers’ Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers’ Miller Center for Community Protection and Resilience and university professor of law.
Contact: Gabriella Morrone, 732-570-2163, gmorrone@eagleton.rutgers.edu
David Greenberg, The Presidency, Political History Expert on American political and cultural history, including the presidency, campaigns and elections, political parties, political ideas, public policy and a contributing editor to Politico. Professor of History and of Journalism & Media Studies.
Contact: David Greenberg, 646-504-5071, davidgr@rutgers.edu
Ross Baker, The Presidency, U.S. Senate Expert in American government, U.S. legislative politics, Congressional issues and the presidency. Distinguished Professor in political science; can speak to key senate races.
Contact: Ross Baker, 609-933-5445, rosbaker@polisci.rutgers.edu
John Weingart, The Presidency
Expert on American politics and government including history of relevant past elections and the administrative functioning and inclusion of the public in government operations. Associate director of Rutgers’ Eagleton Institute of Politics and director of the Eagleton Center on the American Governor.
Contact: Gabriella Morrone, 732-570-2163, gmorrone@eagleton.rutgers.edu
Ashley Koning, Public Opinion
Expert on American public opinion, polling trends and mass political behavior. Director of Rutgers’ Eagleton Center for Public Polling and Eagleton assistant research professor.
Contact: Gabriella Morrone, 732-570-2163, gmorrone@eagleton.rutgers.edu
Saladin Ambar, The Presidency
Expert on race and American politics, the president and American governors. Eagleton associate professor of political science, senior scholar at the Eagleton Center on the American Governor.
Contact: Saladin Ambar, saladin.ambar@eagleton.rutgers.edu, 732-809-7561
Debbie Walsh, Women in Presidential Cabinets, First Woman in Federal Executive Office
Expert on the modern history of women in politics, progress in political representation, women and the political parties, and campaign messaging for women candidates. Director of the Center for American Women and Politics, a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers.
Contact: Daniel DeSimone, 760-703-0948, ddesimone@eagleton.rutgers.edu
Jean Sinzdak, Women in Presidential Cabinets, First Woman in Federal Executive Office
Expert on milestones in women’s political history, candidate recruitment and training, and state legislatures. Associate director of the Center for American Women and Politics, a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers.
Contact: Daniel DeSimone, 760-703-0948, ddesimone@eagleton.rutgers.edu
Kelly Dittmar, Women in Presidential Cabinets, First Woman in Federal Executive Office
Expert on gender and campaigning, women and institutions of government, current data and analysis on women’s representation, and women voters. Director of Research and Scholar of the Center for American Women and Politics, a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers.
Contact: Daniel DeSimone, 760-703-0948, ddesimone@eagleton.rutgers.edu
James W. Hughes, Economy
Expert on the economy, demographics, housing markets and real estate development; can speak to economic trends as they relate to the COVID-19 recession, as well as the presidential candidate’s jobs and economic plans.
Contact: Megan Schumann, 848-445-1907 megan.schumann@rutgers.edu
Catherine Lee, Immigration
Expert on immigration, including social relations and inequalities related to race and ethnicity.
Contact: Neal Buccino, 732-668-8439, neal.buccino@rutgers.edu
Perry Halkitis, COVID-19
Dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health; available to comment on various topics as they relate to public health and the COVID-19 pandemic including a second wave, prevention, health disparities, social determents and pandemic fatigue.
Contact: Michelle Edelstein, 732-427-6232, mse46@sph.rutgers.edu
Alan Robock, Climate Change
Expert in climate change, global warming, geoengineering, the effects of volcanic eruptions on climate and the effects of nuclear war on climate.
Contact: Alan Robock, 848-932-5751, robock@rutgers.edu
Derrick Darby, Social Justice
Expert on social justice; can speak on voting rights, racial inequality, reparations, K-12 achievement gap and politics of hip hop. Founding director of the Rutgers Social Justice Solutions Research Collaboratory.
Contact: Neal Buccino, 732-668-8439, neal.buccino@rutgers.edu
Michael Gusmano, Healthcare
Expert in health politics and policy, implementation of the Affordable Care Act, proposals for universal coverage, and health systems in the United States and other countries.
Contact: Michelle Edelstein, 732-427-6232, mse46@sph.rutgers.edu
Leslie Kantor, Women’s Health
Expert on sexual and reproductive health, women’s health and access to care.
Contact: Michelle Edelstein, 732-427-6232, mse46@sph.rutgers.edu.
Michael D. Anestis. Gun Violence
Expert on gun violence prevention, suicide prevention and firearm purchase surges during COVID-19. Executive Director of the New Jersey Center on Gun Violence Research
Contact: Patrice Harley, 732-235-3237, ps42@sph.rutgers.edu
