Rutgers Appoints New Dean of School of Planning and Public Policy

For more than 30 years, Steven Darien has been part of the consulting and human resources field, including a term of more than 20 years as chairman and CEO of the Cabot Advisory Group LLC in New Jersey. Steven Darien also lends his expertise to other organizations, including Somerset Medical Center, where he sits on the Human Resources Board, and Rutgers University, where he sits on the Board of Overseers and is a trustee.

Rutgers has appointed a new dean at its Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. Piyushimita (Vonu) Thakuriah will take the position effective October 1, after finishing her current work with the University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom. She brings a focus on urban informatics and transport research to the school, and has been principal investigator on several projects funded by both American and European government organizations.

Vonu Thakuriah has also previously worked with multiple American universities and other higher education organizations. She served as a professor of urban planning and policy at the University of Illinois-Chicago. Additionally, she was a fellow of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation Academic Leadership Program of the Big Ten Academic Alliance.