Ron Hira (PhD ’02) was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor (effective September 2009) at the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Science Technology and Society/Public Policy Department. His SPP dissertation was “Electronic Commerce and Manufacturing Supply Chain Integration and Management: Approaches to Improve Government Policies.” Lean more about him.

Shannon R. Howard (current MPP student) was one of three winners for her paper “The Life and Death of the Millennium Challenge Corporation” at the seventh Graduate Research Conference held at Old Dominion University this past February. The paper will be published in the conference’s peer-reviewed International Topics Journal (May 2009).

Alison M. White (MPP ’05) will be awarded the SPP Distinguished Alumni Award at the George Mason University Alumni Association’s Celebration of Distinction event on April 30 in Dewberry Hall on the Fairfax Campus. White is director of community engagement and awareness at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting where she oversees federally funded, large-scale investments in television and radio outreach and community collaboration. She has been active in the SPP Alumni Chapter serving as vice president from 2006 to 2007, president from 2007 to 2008, and treasurer from 2008 to 2009. Her innovation and leadership have been instrumental in the success of such projects as Meet the SPP Authors and the 2008 SPP Alumni Chapter Signature Event.