Bloustein School Information Technology Services Office

The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy has a modern computing infrastructure that includes workstation class computers that facilitate advanced data processing and analytics and utilize advanced software for statistical work and geoprocessing. The building contains a high-speed data network that includes a 10Gb collapsed backbone and 1Gb connectivity to workstations to facilitate the expeditious transmission of large data sets to and from our facility. There is also enhanced security that includes layered defenses, strong endpoint protection, and a state-of-the-art firewall that shields the environment while providing secure remote access. The building also has a high-speed wireless network that provides robust connectivity for all classrooms and conference rooms and a robust backend that includes numerous physical and virtual servers providing services such as file, print, web, geoprocessing, room management, digital signage management, database applications, custom research applications, and an online learning-management system.

The Bloustein School maintains state-of-the-art computer labs that are used for both instruction and research. The school's computing facilities include a main instructional computer lab with an adjoining general access lab, a smaller "information gateway" for student research, and two dedicated studio classrooms. Students also have access to two collaborative workstations designed for group-based projects and one dedicated project room that is designed for group-based work. The workstations used in the computing labs are upgraded every two years. Students attending the school have access to 91 high-powered workstation class computers, over 8 TB of online storage, a printer/scanner facility that includes three scanners and two color laser printers, four networked black-and-white laser printers, two Hewlett Packard Design Jet Z5200 large-format printers, and one Contex Large Format Scanner. Students also have access to advanced software such as Adobe Creative Suite, ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS City Engine, Atlas ti, AutoCAD, Autodesk Ecotect Analysis, Community Viz, DesignBuilder, Eviews, Google Earth Pro, McTrans Highway Capacity Software, Nvivo, Qualtrics Online Survey Software, Rhino 3D Modeling Software, Sketch up Pro, SPSS, and STATA.

The facilities in the Civic Square Building, where the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy resides, provide an ideal site for conducting research as well as holding conferences and seminars. These facilities include a 154-seat auditorium with advanced audio-visual technology for presentations and special events and for recording such events. There is a nine-screen video wall in the lobby of the building that is used for communication purposes and to simultaneously display the events going on in the auditorium. There is also a large number of classrooms equipped with advanced audio-visual technology, conference rooms equipped with audio-visual equipment and smart boards, and a recording room dedicated to the creation of distance-learning materials and self-paced instruction

The Bloustein School community receives support from a staff of highly experienced and knowledgeable IT personnel. The staff consists of a director, a system administrator, a desktop support person, and an instructional technology specialist.   

For more information on information technology at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, please see the Information Technology Services website:
http://bloustein.rutgers.edu/its.