Michael J. Economides is a Professor at the Cullen College of Engineering, University of Houston, the Managing Partner of a petroleum engineering and petroleum strategy consulting firm, and Editor-in-Chief of Energy Tribune. Publications include the authoring or co-authoring of 14 professional textbooks and books, including “The Color Of Oil,” and over 200 journal papers and articles. Economides does a wide range of industrial consulting, including major retainers by national oil companies at the country level and by Fortune 500 companies, and has written extensively in wide circulation media in a broad range of issues associated with energy, energy economics and geopolitical issues. He also appears regularly as a guest and expert commentator on national and international television programs.

Donna D’Aleo is a PhD candidate in World Politics at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC, from where she earned her MA magna cum laude in World Politics. She did her undergraduate work in Russian Studies at Mercyhurst College. She was also a research assistant at the Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies in Washington DC. D’Aleo is a specialist on Russia and the former Soviet Union.