Ron Hira is an expert on outsourcing (including offshore outsourcing), technology policy, high skill immigration, and research and development policy.

He is a licensed professional engineer, a research associate with the Economic Policy Institute and the co-author of Outsourcing America (AMACOM Books 2005).

Hira teaches courses on technological innovation, communications and public policy. He has appeared on “Lou Dobbs Tonight” and “NOW with Bill Moyers,” and his expertise has been cited in numerous publications including The New York Times and Time magazine. He has participated in countless conferences related to science/technology workforce issues and has twice testified before congress on national economic policy.

Hira completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Center for Science Policy & Outcomes at Columbia University and holds a Ph.D. in public policy from George Mason University, a master’s in electrical engineering from George Mason University and a B.S. in electrical engineering from Carnegie-Mellon University.

M. Ann Howard is a professor of public policy and urban and community studies, director of RIT's University-Community Partnership and former chair of the Department of Public Policy. She also currently serves as senior associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts.

Her areas of expertise include environmental policy, the Great Lakes and community service-learning. Howard is also an expert in asset-based community development and the role of the citizen in environmental decision-making, with an emphasis on democratic process and practice.

Prior to joining RIT, Howard served as director of planning for Monroe County, NY and as director of policy and planning for the City of Camden, NJ. She holds a bachelor's in human ecology from Cornell University and a J.D. from Rutgers University.

William Johnson, Jr., is a political scientist who has spent the bulk of his career in social service and local government. He served as mayor of the City of Rochester, N.Y., from 1994 to 2005.

His expertise includes local and state government, especially local government consolidation, urban issues which focus on the revitalization of distressed communities, and smart growth and land-use policies.

Prior to serving as mayor, Johnson was the President/CEO of the Urban League of Rochester (1972-1993) and a political science professor at Mott Community College in Michigan (1967-71). Johnson has been a Monroe Community College trustee (1976-82), chairman of the board of directors for Partners for Livable Communities in Washington, D.C. (2002-05) and Chairman of the New York State Employment and Training Council (1979-83). He is currently the chairperson of the Center for Community Progress in Washington, D.C.

Johnson earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Howard University, Washington, D.C. (1965, 1967) and holds doctorates of humane letters and laws from: Keuka College (1990), St. John Fisher College (1998), Rochester Institute of Technology (1999) and the University of Rochester (2006).

James Winebrake conducts research to determine the environmental impacts of transportation and energy use in society. He applies quantitative models to assess environmental impacts primarily related to air quality and global climate change.

Winebrake is an expert on energy technology, global warming, transportation and energy and environmental policy.

At RIT, he is dean of the College of Liberal Arts and co-director of the Lab for Environmental Computing and Decision Making. Winebrake is also director of the National Parks Service's University-National Park Energy Partnership Program.

Winebrake is the author of The Alternative Energy Reference Book and Dynamic Modeling of Environmental Systems, as well as numerous articles on transportation, energy and the environment.

Winebrake earned his B.S. in Physics from Lafayette College, his M.S. in Technology and Policy from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his Ph.D. in Energy Management and Policy from the University of Pennsylvania.