This week’s guest on the Heldrich Center’s Work Trends RU podcast is Rachel Korberg, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Families and Workers Fund. Rachel is also a member of the Heldrich Center’s National Advisory Board.
Topic
News
Report Release: R/ECON Forecast Summer 2025
R/ECON’s economic forecast for New Jersey as of mid-2025 continues to show a slowing trajectory. Annual GDP growth is projected at just 0.5% for 2025, significantly lower than prior forecasts and markedly below the national rate of 1.5%. The Garden State’s real estate market shows tentative signs of stabilization, though persistently elevated mortgage rates and high home prices continue to limit the strength of the rebound. Nationally, tariff increases are expected to put upward pressure on prices, with inflation projected to reach 3.7% in the second quarter of 2026.
New Publication from Payne: Digital Twin or Digital Kin?
The authors argue that questions around interoperability and profit and tensions with democratic deliberation and socially beneficial outcomes necessitate best-practice “digital kin” models. These models are inclusive of different urban realities and diverse communities, as well as more closely integrated across platforms locations for use in participatory planning to advance social equity outcomes.
Prof. Clint Andrews Receives IEEE PES Robert Noberini Award
“I have spent a career encouraging the transition to a cleaner, more affordable, and more secure energy system. This is a domain where engineering professionalism plays a mixed role. It helps us avoid costly errors, but it also slows down progress.” – Prof. Clinton Andrews
Heldrich Report Examines Effect of New Jersey TAG Program
A new report, Building a Comparison Group for Tuition Aid Grant Recipients Using the New Jersey Statewide Data System, examines the effect of the New Jersey Tuition Aid Grant program on college graduation.
NJSPL: Report of Child Well-Being in New Jersey
New Jersey has ranked 7th in the nation for overall child well-being, according to latest data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The foundation has released their 36th Kids Count Data Book, which assesses child well-being in all 50 states using key indicators organized into categories which include education, health, economic well-being, and family and community.
Elizabeth (Libby) Vinson (MPAP ’02) Named CEO of NJACP
“This feels like a full-circle moment,” said Vinson. “I have had the privilege of working with NJACP through efforts like the Coalition for a DSP Living Wage and the NJ Legislative Disability Caucus – experiences that deepened my commitment to the field. Now, in this role, I’m grateful for the opportunity to dive deeper into this meaningful work: lifting the voices of individuals with disabilities, their families, and the dedicated community-based providers who support them. I recognize the challenges facing the field and am committed to meeting this moment by listening, learning and leading, all with compassion and collaboration.”
From Fear to Freedom and Hope: Rafael Escalante (UG PP ’26)
“My goal was college,” said Escalante, who hopes to attend law school. “That was my dream in Venezuela, and my goal was to continue following on my dreams as much as I could.”
NJSPL: Mapping Corporate Landlords in New Jersey
Using parcel-level property tax data, we tracked changes in ownership from 2012 to 2022 to understand where corporate landlords are active, how they are acquiring properties, and what this might mean for housing access and stability.
Samuel and Colleagues Examine the Rise of AI Phobia
Contemporary public discourse surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) often exhibits a disproportionate level of fear and confusion relative to AI’s factually documented capabilities and implications. This study examines how the systematic use of alarmist and fear-inducing language by news media outlets contributes to negative public perceptions of AI.