As the New Jersey State Policy Lab (NJSPL) reaches its fourth anniversary, it is my honor to serve as the Executive Director, working with an incredible team of dedicated professionals to better understand and investigate policy issues impacting the state. The NJSPL was created as the result of a grant from the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) in April 2021. In celebration of our fourth birthday, we are all excited to announce the release of our first official annual report, which represents a mere snapshot the wealth of work, research, and collaboration we have accomplished.
An important goal for the NJSPL has been the broad dissemination of our research findings, which we distribute widely in blogs, reports, articles, press releases, and posts on social media. Our team additionally compiles weekly policy updates, highlighting key legislation proposed and passed into law in New Jersey. From the very beginning, one of our key objectives has been to establish a network of scholars and research centers within state institutions of higher education in order to coordinate state policy research and facilitate collaboration. Since our inception, we have funded over 50 research projects, published more than 40 policy reports, and worked with over 170 researchers, faculty, and associates across 20+ centers, schools, and universities in the Garden State.
As a result of these efforts and the broad reach of our efforts, I am immensely proud of the work that our team and our affiliated researchers are doing to better understand issues impacting New Jersey. We are and forever more committed to making the world a better place. We would like to sincerely thank all those who have contributed to our crucial body of work. Together, we’re making a difference.
Best,
Dr. Elizabeth A. Cooner
Executive Director, New Jersey State Policy Lab