Department of Public Policy
Department of
Public Policy
Overview
Public policy explores the intersection of policy, technology, society, and the natural world. Analysis of these intersections plays a critical role in being able to address the many environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges facing society today and in the future. The programs and coursework in the Department of Public Policy allow you to combine your interests in science, technology, government, economics, and other social science fields and obtain the skills and knowledge needed to analyze and, ultimately, advocate for policy change in government or private organizations.
Latest News
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January 13, 2023
![close up of the blue flame of a gas burner on a stove.]()
RIT professor weighs in on federally debated gas stove ban
WROC-TV talks to Eric Hittinger, associate professor of public policy, about a hypothetical ban on gas stoves.
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November 21, 2022
![overhead view of electric vehicle parking under solar panels.]()
How to design clean energy subsidies that work – without wasting money on free riders
Essay by Eric Hittinger, associate professor of public policy; Eric Williams, professor of sustainability; Qing Miao, associate professor of public policy; and Ph.D. student Tiruwork B. Tibebu, published by The Conversation.
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October 12, 2022
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Meet the CO2 battery cozying up with a wind energy giant
The Verge talks to Eric Hittinger, associate professor in the Department of Public Policy, about battery types that complement wind power.
Alumni Outcomes
- Director, Social Research Center, Public Policy Consultant,
- American University Central Asia, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
- Project Manager, Armenia Sustainable Energy Finance Project, International Finance Corporation
- Consultant to World Bank on Energy Issues
- Energy Sector Analyst, Dragon Capital, Ukraine
- Project Manager, Energy Solutions, Oakland, CA
- Ph.D. in Communications at the University at Buffalo
- Information Technology Risk and Audit Management Associate, Royal Bank of Scotland, Stamford, CT
- Fulbright Visiting Scientist – Mechanical Engineering, Energy Studies Institute – National University of Singapore
- Spacecraft Vehicle Engineer, The Boeing Company, Washington, DC
- Energy Efficiency Analyst, Integral Analytics, Cincinnati, OH
- Program Manager, ENERGY STAR Appliance Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Ph.D. University of California – Davis, Transportation Policy
- Ed.D. Executive Leadership, St. John Fisher College, Rochester, NY
- Associate Staff Member, Dynamis, Washington, DC
- Program Analyst, Department of Veterans Affairs, Rochester, NY
- Dockets Analyst, Bloomberg, Skillman, NJ
- Assistant Director Research Relations, Rochester Institute of Technology
- Project Manager, Magna Powertrain, Troy, MI
- Training & Support for Deaf in Developing Countries, The Nippon Foundation, Tokyo, Japan
- Assistant Director, Public Safety Initiatives Center, City of Rochester & RIT Collaborative
- Ph.D. Candidate in Energy and Environmental Policy at University of Delaware
- Project HOPE Director, DEAF, Inc., Boston, MA
- Researcher, Data Analyst, GIS Specialist, Energy & Environmental Research Associates
- Senior Crime Research Specialist, Rochester Police Department
- International Program Manager, Center for Energy & Resource Development, American University at Kosovo, Rochester Institute of Technology
- Program Coordinator, Huther-Doyle Memorial Institute, Rochester, NY
- Ph.D., Water Resources Engineering, SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry
- Energy Efficiency & Conservation Advisor, U. S. Department of State, Washington, DC
- Research Assistant, United States Senate, Washington, DC
Undergraduate Programs
The undergraduate major provides you with the opportunity to integrate your interests in science, technology, government, economics, and other social science fields. Along with quantitative and qualitative training in policy analysis, you will take courses that deepen your understanding of the ethical, political, and social dimensions of policy issues. Through an interdisciplinary core and customizable concentration, you will develop strong policy analysis skills along with expertise in a chosen specialty area such as biotechnology policy, computer crime policy, energy policy, environmental policy, or information and telecommunications policy.
Graduate Programs
Our innovative graduate program emphasizes analysis of engineering, science, and technology policy and draws on coursework from a variety of relevant disciplines. Building on RIT’s strength as a technological university, you’ll interact directly with faculty members and researchers who are working on scientific developments and technological innovations that drive new public policy considerations.