Ralph Bangs, Ph.D., is Associate Director of the Center on Race and Social Problems in the School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh. He is also Associate Editor of the new national and international journal, Race and Social Problems, which is published by Springer Press. His areas of expertise are race relations and public policy analysis. His current research is on improving education for African Americans, the Pittsburgh Promise, increasing local government contracting with minority and women-owned businesses, and reducing homicides and youth violence. His Ph.D. is from the University of Pittsburgh in public policy research and analysis.