Chad Hart is an extension economist and associate professor of economics at Iowa State University. Chad is a native of southwest Missouri, growing up on a rural homestead near Stark City, Missouri. He received his Ph.D. in economics and statistics in 1999 from Iowa State University. His work has concentrated on crop marketing, crop insurance, international trade agreements, and bioenergy policy. Chad is also a partner in FarmRisk, an Iowa firm that develops revenue insurance products for agriculture. 
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Pol Herrmann is the Bob and Kay Smith Professor of Entrepreneurship in the Department of Management at the Ivy College of Business at Iowa State University ISU). Pol has a Civil Engineering Degree from the Polytechnic National School in Quito, Ecuador; a Master’s degree in Engineering Management from Southern Management University in Dallas, Texas; and a Ph.D. degree in Strategic Management and International Business from the University of Kansas. In 20 years at ISU, he has mainly taught International Management and Strategic Management of Innovation. His research focuses on strategic leadership and innovation.
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“The New Arabs: U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East”
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Juan R. I. Cole is the Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University of Michigan. He received his B.A. in History and Literature of Religions from Northwestern University, his M.A. in Arabic Studies / History from American University in Cairo, and his Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from UCLA. Juan speaks Arabic and possesses skill in Persian, Urdu, and reads Turkish. 

“Jordan: People, Culture, Challenges”
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As a native from Jordan, Karim will share his experience growing up in the capital city of Amman. Jordan has historically been a strong ally of the US. Situated in the center of the Middle East’s many conflicts, bordering countries with significant turmoil, Jordan has accepted over one million refugees. Jordan’s economy and political topography has significantly changed. The presenter will first share the beauty of Jordan, its people and provide insights into how Jordan has survived in peace for so many years. He will provide his own personal view of the country’s significant challenges. Because of its strategic location, Jordan’s significance in today’s political scene is paramount to the future of the region.​