ANN ARBOR—Unless Congress comes to an agreement, major federal spending cuts will happen March 1. The University of Michigan has experts available to discuss how the budget sequester will affect the country on various issues.

James Duderstadt, president emeritus and University Professor of Science and Engineering, can discuss the sequester’s effects on students and individual states, as well as the U.S. R&D enterprise, which is estimated to drive more than 50 percent of the nation’s economic growth. Duderstadt, chairman of the National Research Council’s Policy and Global Affairs Committee, says these are all issues of great concern. He can be reached at jjd@umich.edu or through his administrative assistant, Chris Grant, at (734) 647-7300.

Stephen Forrest, U-M Vice President for Research, can talk about the likely impact of the sequester on University of Michigan research. The spending cuts could cost the U-M research budget up to $40 million this year, harming graduate students, research scientists and others whose jobs rely on the funding. Contact Forrest at (734) 936-2680 or stevefor@umich.edu.

Justin Wolfers, professor of public policy and economics, explores the value of questions probing voters’ expectations, can discuss labor economics, macroeconomics, political economy and economics of the family. Contact Wolfers at (734) 615-6846 or jwolfers@umich.edu.

Michael Traugott, professor of communication studies and senior research scientist at the ISR Center for Political Studies, is an authority on political communication, public opinion, media polling and campaign surveys. Contact Traugott at (734) 647-0421 or mtrau@umich.edu.

Jose Bauermeister, assistant professor of health behavior and health education at the School of Public Health, can talk about the impact of funding cuts on HIV prevention programs. He is an expert on HIV/AIDS prevention, sexuality-related health disparities, LGBT health and interpersonal factors associated with adolescent and young adult well-being. Contact Bauermeister at (734) 615-8414 or jbauerme@umich.edu.

Eden Wells, clinical associate professor of epidemiology at the School of Public Health, can offer insight into various health threats, should funding for programs that focus on preparedness be cut. Wells has research interests in emerging infectious disease threats, including preparedness planning for pandemic influenza events. She formerly was with the Bureau of Epidemiology at the Michigan Department of Community Health, and she organized and facilitated the Michigan Pandemic Influenza Coordinating Committee during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. Contact Wells at (734) 763-6880 or ewells@umich.edu.

Peter Jacobson, director of the Center for Law, Ethics and Health at the School of Public Health, can discuss overall implications of the sequester on public health. Jacobson, an attorney, is a professor of health management and policy. His research focuses on the relationship between law and health care delivery, law and public health systems, public health ethics, and health care safety net services. Contact Jacobson at (734) 936-0928 or pdj@umich.edu.