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Event Venue

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES

Fall 2006 Speaker Program
Guest Speaker: Dr. Ron Hira, Assistant Professor of
Public Policy at Rochester Institute of Technology

Below you'll find the bio and abstract. The talk is scheduled for Thu, Oct.12th, 2006, 6-8pm, in Keller Engineering Lab (number 6 on the attached map link), entrance on Fulton by the bridge. Suggested parking - Mount Vernon Lot (number 14 on the attached map link). If attendant present - identify yourself as IEEE member; if attendant not present - just drive in and park.

http://www.gvsu.edu/tour/grcampus.pdf
Agenda:
6-6:30 social time, pizza/soft drinks
6:30-7:30 "Outsourcing America" - Presentation 7:30-8:00 Q&A as needed
Dr. Ron Hira, is an Assistant Professor of Public Policy at Rochester Institute of Technology where he specializes in engineering workforce issues and technology policy. Ron is author of the book Outsourcing America, published by the American Management Association. Outsourcing America has been named a finalist in the best business book category for this year's Benjamin Franklin Awards presented by the Publishers Marketing Association.
In 2006 he received the IEEE-USA President's Special Citation Award "for furthering public understanding of an economic trend that has profound implications for the engineering profession through his book Outsourcing America."
Professor Hira is a recognized expert on offshore outsourcing and has testified before the US Congress twice on its implications. He has given over 80 invited talks on offshore outsourcing at universities, to policymakers, as well as to the general public. Ron is frequently quoted and interviewed in many major newspapers and magazines, and on television and radio. Previously Ron worked as a control systems engineer and program manager with Sensytech, NIST, and George Mason University (GMU). Dr. Hira has been a consultant to the U.S. Department of Treasury Executive Institute, Rand Corporation, National Research Council, Enterprise Integration Inc, Deloitte & Touche, General Motors and Newport News Shipbuilding.
Dr. Hira completed his Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Columbia University's Center for Science, Policy, and Outcomes. He holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy from GMU, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering also from GMU, and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Carnegie-Mellon University. Ron is a licensed professional engineer and is Vice President for Career Activities of IEEE-USA, the largest engineering professional society in America. In 2004, he was awarded the Citation of Honor from IEEE-USA for his work on behalf of the engineering profession. Ron participated on the Council on Foreign Relations' "Research Roundtable on Technology, Innovation and America's Primacy" and the Council on Competitiveness' "National Innovation Initiative."
ABSTRACT - Outsourcing America - Book Discussion

The outsourcing of high-wage high-skilled jobs to low cost countries is just beginning to kick into high gear as a recent announcement by IBM to shift nearly 20% of its overall workforce to India illustrates. Many have argued that outsourcing benefits America by providing consumers with lower priced goods and services. But these lower prices come with real costs and risks.

Scores of Americans will lose their jobs and millions more will experience declining wages as companies compete workers across borders. But there are other profound effects even beyond jobs.

How will outsourcing affect America's technological leadership, so crucial for creating the next generation of high-skilled high-wage jobs and maintaining national and homeland security. Will America lose its capacity to innovate and are we creating future competitors? Do we expect to be able to lose significant shares of our high-technology economy, such as electronic design and software programming, yet still create breakthroughs in nanotechnology and biotechnology? The simple solutions promoted by companies and their media spokespeople like NY Times' Thomas Friedman will do little to stem the flow of technology and jobs overseas and will do even less for engineers faced with training their foreign replacements.

These changes in firm behavior will have significant impacts on American engineers and the US innovation system. This talk will cover why companies are moving work overseas; how much is being outsourced; the types of jobs being outsourced; and, the impacts on developed and developing countries. It will also explore how engineers can adapt to the global technology labor market and the policy debates on outsourcing.

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Event	Venue

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
Fall 2006 Speaker Program Guest Speaker: Dr. Ron Hira, Assistant Professor of Public Policy at Rochester Institute of Technology	Below you'll find the bio and abstract. The talk is scheduled for Thu, Oct.12th, 2006, 6-8pm, in Keller Engineering Lab (number 6 on the attached map link), entrance on Fulton by the bridge. Suggested parking - Mount Vernon Lot (number 14 on the attached map link). If attendant present - identify yourself as IEEE member; if attendant not present - just drive in and park. http://www.gvsu.edu/tour/grcampus.pdf Agenda: 6-6:30 social time, pizza/soft drinks 6:30-7:30 "Outsourcing America" - Presentation 7:30-8:00 Q&A as needed Dr. Ron Hira, is an Assistant Professor of Public Policy at Rochester Institute of Technology where he specializes in engineering workforce issues and technology policy. Ron is author of the book Outsourcing America, published by the American Management Association. Outsourcing America has been named a finalist in the best business book category for this year's Benjamin Franklin Awards presented by the Publishers Marketing Association. In 2006 he received the IEEE-USA President's Special Citation Award "for furthering public understanding of an economic trend that has profound implications for the engineering profession through his book Outsourcing America." Professor Hira is a recognized expert on offshore outsourcing and has testified before the US Congress twice on its implications. He has given over 80 invited talks on offshore outsourcing at universities, to policymakers, as well as to the general public. Ron is frequently quoted and interviewed in many major newspapers and magazines, and on television and radio. Previously Ron worked as a control systems engineer and program manager with Sensytech, NIST, and George Mason University (GMU). Dr. Hira has been a consultant to the U.S. Department of Treasury Executive Institute, Rand Corporation, National Research Council, Enterprise Integration Inc, Deloitte & Touche, General Motors and Newport News Shipbuilding. Dr. Hira completed his Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Columbia University's Center for Science, Policy, and Outcomes. He holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy from GMU, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering also from GMU, and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Carnegie-Mellon University. Ron is a licensed professional engineer and is Vice President for Career Activities of IEEE-USA, the largest engineering professional society in America. In 2004, he was awarded the Citation of Honor from IEEE-USA for his work on behalf of the engineering profession. Ron participated on the Council on Foreign Relations' "Research Roundtable on Technology, Innovation and America's Primacy" and the Council on Competitiveness' "National Innovation Initiative." ABSTRACT - Outsourcing America - Book Discussion The outsourcing of high-wage high-skilled jobs to low cost countries is just beginning to kick into high gear as a recent announcement by IBM to shift nearly 20% of its overall workforce to India illustrates. Many have argued that outsourcing benefits America by providing consumers with lower priced goods and services. But these lower prices come with real costs and risks. Scores of Americans will lose their jobs and millions more will experience declining wages as companies compete workers across borders. But there are other profound effects even beyond jobs. How will outsourcing affect America's technological leadership, so crucial for creating the next generation of high-skilled high-wage jobs and maintaining national and homeland security. Will America lose its capacity to innovate and are we creating future competitors? Do we expect to be able to lose significant shares of our high-technology economy, such as electronic design and software programming, yet still create breakthroughs in nanotechnology and biotechnology? The simple solutions promoted by companies and their media spokespeople like NY Times' Thomas Friedman will do little to stem the flow of technology and jobs overseas and will do even less for engineers faced with training their foreign replacements. These changes in firm behavior will have significant impacts on American engineers and the US innovation system. This talk will cover why companies are moving work overseas; how much is being outsourced; the types of jobs being outsourced; and, the impacts on developed and developing countries. It will also explore how engineers can adapt to the global technology labor market and the policy debates on outsourcing.