The Pardee RAND Graduate School is unique in American higher education. It is the largest public policy Ph.D. program in the nation. It is also the only program based at an independent public policy research organization—the RAND Corporation. Faculty are largely drawn from the RAND Corporation and offer exceptional training and access to some of the world's leading policy practitioners. PRGS graduates leave with a Ph.D. in policy analysis and essentially two years of full-time work experience via their assistance on RAND research projects.
Students come to the Pardee RAND Graduate School because they want to make a difference in the world by helping to shape and lead public policy. Our graduates go on to jobs in government, in the private sector, at universities and other research organizations, and in the non-profit sector. One hundred percent of the 2009-2011 graduates found a job in the field of their choice.
The 2012 Haskins Lecture will be given by National Science Foundation director Subra Suresh. Prior to the lecture, PRGS associate dean Jeffrey Wasserman, faculty member Robert Lempert, and several students will brief Dr. Suresh on the school's and students' work.
In the spring 2012 issue of RAND Review, RAND president Michael Rich writes, "Since its founding in 1970, PRGS has trained generations of policy leaders. ... The school exhorts students and faculty to 'be the answer' in addressing policy challenges in our communities and around the world."
Violent crimes against individuals make headlines, but other types of criminal activity affect day-to-day life more than people may realize. For his On-the-Job Training, PRGS Student Alessandro Malchiodi (cohort '08) is working with RAND researchers to quantify the scope, size, and impact of counterfeiting and piracy in the European Union.
Taking probiotics can reduce the risk of developing the diarrhea that is a common side effect of taking antibiotics. PRGS professors Susanne Hempel, Jeremy Miles, and Paul Shekelle were coauthors of the report on the promising role of these helpful microorganisms.
As part of his On-the-Job Training, PRGS student Christopher McClaren (cohort '05) is working with the RAND Center for Health and Safety in the Workplace to explore ways to improve workplace safety.
PRGS is, of course, preparing future leaders in policy analysis. We're also proud to share the tools and techniques taught in our Ph.D. program with current leaders—including those in Congress—who are directly influencing policy worldwide.
Despite growing concern that junk food availability in schools has contributed to the childhood obesity epidemic, research by PRGS alumna Ashlesha Datar (cohort '99) shows that the availability does not significantly increase BMI or obesity among a group of fifth-graders.
Being honest about the uncertainties involved is the price of admission to any serious discussion about marijuana legalization, writes PRGS professor Beau Kilmer in the
Wall Street Journal. Kilmer and PRGS alumna Angela Hawken (cohort '98) are co-authors of the forthcoming book, Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know.
As part of their On-the-Job Training, PRGS Student Christopher Sharon (cohort '07) and David R. Johnson (cohort '08) are members of the RAND team that developed models and the planning tool for Louisiana's 2012 Coastal Master Plan.
Does Pay for Performance Work in Health Care? — Apr. 12, 2012
Medical pay-for-performance plans may improve patient outcomes, according to research by PRGS alum John Peabody (cohort '91) published last year in the journal Health Affairs. However, the improved performance may be as much due to careful measurement as to incentives.
The 2007 expansion of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) program increased employment among disabled veterans by 2 percentage points in 2007 and 2008, representing roughly 32,000 jobs each year, according to research by PRGS professor Paul Heaton.
RAND is working with the State of Yucatan, Mexico, to design and evaluate a non-contributory social security program for larger towns. As part of their On-the-Job Training, PRGS students Claudia Diaz (cohort '06), Sarah Outcault (cohort '07), and Alessandro Malchiodi (cohort '08) are working with the RAND Center for Latin American Social Policy on this effort.
Dr. Jonathan Fielding Presents Keynote Speech at L.A. Policy Symposium — Apr. 10, 2012
Jonathan Fielding, director of the L.A. County Department of Health, will be the keynote speaker at the 2012 PRGS-UCLA-USC-Pepperdine L.A. Policy Symposium, held at RAND on April 13.
Alumnus Authors Report on Independent Contractors — Apr. 6, 2012
Alumnus Philip J. Romero (cohort '83), a professor of administration at the University of Oregon, recently authored a report on the role and importance of independent contractors in California.
The Afghans will have better prospects for defeating their insurgency with continued improvement, of course, and the United States can contribute to that improvement while American forces remain, writes PRGS professor Christopher Paul.
Clinical decision support (CDS), which provides both targeted and general information to health care providers using electronic health records, helps to improve health outcomes. PRGS student Amber Smith (cohort '09) and her RAND colleagues developed a process for identifying and prioritizing the most promising targets for CDS.
As one of his On-the-Job Training projects, PRGS student Jim Burgdorf (cohort '06) is working with researchers in RAND Europe and the Drug Policy Research Center to analyze the illicit drug market in the European Union.
Most local public health and emergency management professionals rely on what they
perceive the legal environment to be rather than on an adequate understanding of the objective legal requirements, according to an article coauthored by student Helen Wu (cohort '07) in the
Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law.
Alumnus Encourages Culture of Islamic Entrepreneurship — Mar. 23, 2012
"There has never been a more opportune time to reinvigorate the age-old values of knowledge and innovation with a new set of interactions between East and the West," writes PRGS alumnus Athar Osama (cohort '99) in a New Straits Times commentary.
Eliminating Discretionary Use of Anesthesia Providers Could Save $1.1 Billion Annually — Mar. 22, 2012
Student Dan Waxman (cohort '10) coauthored a JAMA report that suggests the use of anesthesia providers to monitor sedation during screening colonoscopies and other outpatient gastroenterology procedures more than doubled from 2003 to 2009 in the United States, with most of the increase among low-risk patients who may not need this service.
Arguden Publishes Book on Governance and Strategic Leadership — Mar. 15, 2012
Yilmaz Arguden (cohort '80), chairman of ARGE Consulting in Turkey, recently published Keys to Governance: Strategic Leadership for Quality of Life. He and his book were featured in Turkey's Hurriyet Daily News
Student Co-Authors JAMA Commentary on Eliminating Waste in Health Care — Mar. 15, 2012
Rather than cutting costs, the U.S. should focus on reducing waste in health care spending, writes PRGS student Andrew Hackbarth (cohort '08) in the latest Journal of the American Medical Association. The opportunity for savings is immense: overtreatment, failures of care coordination, failures in execution of care processes, administrative complexity, pricing failures, and fraud and abuse account for at least 20% of current spending.
PRGS Selects New Academic Regalia — Mar. 13, 2012
After several weeks of researching, acquiring samples and polling our community (and a brief fashion show to boot!), PRGS is proud to announce our official custom academic regalia. Many prominent schools design their own distinctive regalia for their alumni in academic appointments to wear in commencement ceremonies, and PRGS is now part of that distinguished group.
Farewell, James Q. Wilson — Mar. 2, 2012
No one knew better than James Q. Wilson that from concentrated study and intellectual freedom come ideas that change the world. Wilson, who died March 2, 2012, at age 80, was a strong supporter of PRGS and a member of its Board of Governors. His personal and academic contributions to PRGS and RAND will be greatly missed.
Alumna Visits Campus for Breakfast Talk about Life After PRGS — Mar. 1, 2012
Kristi Raube (cohort '87) visited PRGS on March 1 to have breakfast with several students and talk about her career path as a self-described "reluctant academic." The Office of Career Services encourages alumni to come back and share insights into their experiences since graduating from PRGS.
How Do Actions and Working Conditions Relate to Outcomes for First-Year Principals in Urban School Districts? — Feb. 24, 2012
Principals new to their school face a variety of challenges that can influence their likelihood of improving their schools' performance and their likelihood of remaining the principal. PRGS student Susan Burkhauser (cohort '09) and her RAND coauthors present research on first-year principals' experiences, actions, working conditions, and outcomes. The research is intended to inform efforts to promote school improvement and principal retention.
IDSS Talk Focuses on Life Satisfaction in China — Feb. 21, 2012
As part of the PRGS International Development Speaker Series, USC professor Richard Easterlin discussed whether or not satisfaction with life has increased in China following the four-fold increase in per capita consumption since 1990. He provided thoughts on the extent to which the upper, middle, and lower income classes have participated in the change in life satisfaction.
Maui's "Smart Grid" Pilot Project Led by PRGS Alumnus— Feb. 15, 2012
PRGS alum Jay Griffin (cohort '04) heads the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute and is leading a "smart grid" pilot project with some Maui homeowners to reduce their electricity usage and costs. KHON2-TV interviewed him about the project. Be the Answer!
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