Rashawn Ray is Vice-President and Executive Director of the AIR Opportunity Fund at the American Institutes for Research, a 10-year, $225M initiative focused on addressing long-standing challenges in education, workforce development, public safety, and community health. The Fund works in partnership with communities and organizations to create evidence-informed, locally driven solutions that expand opportunity and improve lives.

In addition to his leadership at AIR, Dr. Ray is also a Professor at the University of Maryland and a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. His research examines the underlying causes of racial and social inequities, with a focus on criminal justice reform, health policy, and wealth disparities. As the founding Executive Director of the Lab for Applied Social Science Research (LASSR), he developed a virtual reality training program for law enforcement and led implicit bias trainings for thousands of police officers, military personnel, and corporate leaders.

His academic contributions are extensive, including three books and over 50 academic articles and book chapters in leading journals such as American Journal of Sociology, Science Advances, Social Science Research, and Du Bois Review. His academic work has been supported by major institutions, including the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Ford Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. He also served as Co-editor of Contexts Magazine: Sociology for the Public, which garnered over one million website views annually.

Beyond academia, Dr. Ray is a sought-after expert who regularly testifies before federal and state lawmakers, providing critical insights that shape policies on racial equity, public safety, and justice. His extensive media presence includes writing over 50 op-eds for top-tier outlets such as The Washington Post, New York Times, and POLITICO, and he has been featured as a key commentator on major networks like CNN, Fox, MSNBC, BBC, CBS, and NPR. Dr. Ray’s work and expertise continue to reach a wide audience, influencing public discourse on some of today’s most pressing social issues.

Dr. Ray’s expertise extends to several high-impact advisory roles, including:

• National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Board Subcommittee on Law Enforcement – Advises the President of the United States on law enforcement and AI.
• Maryland Governor’s Task Force on Bias in Property Valuation – Focuses on reducing bias in property assessments.
• Legacy Renovation Scholars Committee, National Civil Rights Museum – Supports initiatives to preserve African American history.
• Meta Global Policy Council – Provides strategic advice on global policy issues.

His significant contributions to sociology and public policy have earned Dr. Ray numerous prestigious awards, including:

• Andrew Carnegie Fellowship
• AAAS Mani L. Bhaumik Award for Public Engagement with Science
• Public Understanding of Sociology Award, American Sociological Association
• Morris Rosenberg Award for Outstanding Sociological Achievement, DC Sociological Society
• Outstanding Young Alumni Award, Indiana University

Dr. Ray earned his Ph.D. and master’s degree in sociology from Indiana University and his bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Memphis. He also served as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Research Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, and was a member of the National Advisory Committee for the RWJF Health Policy Research Scholars Program.