Ying [Liu] explained her impressive career trajectory from the Harvard Education fellowship to the CDC prevention effectiveness fellowship and her current work for the biotech industry. It was really inspirational for us students to meet another successful alum in person. She made us believe that we can do it, too.
On-the-job training has exposed me to a wide range of research subjects and many different project teams. After I graduate from Pardee RAND Graduate School, I will be able draw on these rich experiences and rigorous research skills as I move forward in my career.
Erin L. Duffy
Student, cohort '15
Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
As a Pardee RAND student, you are part of the RAND community, which is an intellectual candy store. With fascinating classmates, outstanding minds of all disciplines, and the myriad of outside speakers, it is ideal for RAND to be located so close to the beach to provide some reprieve from the intellectual stimulation! The Friday afternoon Pardee RAND beach volleyball games were a great way to start the weekend.
Brook Stearns Lawson
Alum, cohort '05
Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
There are many things that I love about being at Pardee RAND: the academic and intellectual rigor, the opportunities to explore diverse research interests, immersion in the RAND culture of conducting objective and high-quality multidisciplinary research, the diverse experiences and backgrounds of colleagues, and, of course, the sunny and beautiful Los Angeles weather. Most importantly, I am excited to be acquiring cutting edge analytic skills that help me tackle complex challenges facing healthcare access in sub-Saharan Africa.
Adeyemi Okunogbe
Student, cohort '13
Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
Possibilities to work with professionals from different fields on a wide range of policy problems are abundant at Pardee RAND. I see this program as a chance to improve my research and analytical skills and to develop my ability to devise creative solutions to policy problems.
Gursel Rafiq oglu Aliyev
Student, cohort '13
Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
I can’t say that the academics was the only reason I came to Pardee RAND. There is lots to do there. Santa Monica was just a wonderful place to be as a student.
Abdul Ahad Tariq
Alum, cohort '10
Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
My previous economics background had provided me with the skills to be a good theoretician but not with the hands-on skills I needed to be a good analyst or practicing economist. Pardee RAND classes take you beyond the theory.
Angela Hawken
Alum, cohort '98
Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
I learned and then applied an incredible number of fundamental research methods that have provided me the breadth and depth necessary to tackle any opportunity, whether in academia, government, or private industry. Pardee RAND provided me the tools and the opportunities to learn and reinforce the skills necessary for success — I could not have made a better choice.
Stephen (Jamie) Gayton
Alum, cohort '06
Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
Pardee RAND gave me the opportunity to pursue my research interests in the short and the long term. Moreover, all students here have diverse and astonishing backgrounds that contribute to the richness of the program, and I learned so much from them.
Nelly Mejia
Alum, cohort '11
Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
I learned every day [on my] project team, mixing my own abilities using quantitative tools with the topic-specific knowledge of the others. Where else could that happen, but in a community of scholars, where curiosity and imagination thrive in amazing and unsuspected ways?
Arthur Brooks
Alum, cohort '96
Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
Pardee RAND students are intimately involved in real public policy research and often make substantial contributions to their projects. The curriculum and atmosphere are strongly interdisciplinary
Senior Principal Researcher, RAND
Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
An incredible diversity of research is done [at Pardee RAND]. This meant that, no matter what I wanted to know, I could find someone that was intelligent and knowledgeable on that subject. The Pardee RAND Graduate School experience is a sheer treat for the mind.
Richard Bowman
Alum, cohort '06
Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
Being surrounded by fellow students from diverse professional backgrounds coming from all over the globe creates a wonderful positive energy and is highly conducive for further learning and creative approaches/solutions to previously insurmountable problems.
Janice Blanchard
Alum, cohort '98
Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
Pardee RAND offers a unique opportunity for graduate students to gain hands-on experience in policy-relevant research while at the same time learning about research methods and policy analysis in small and engaging classes.
Senior Policy Researcher
Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
The project work offered me the chance to engage in a wide variety of public policy issues. In fact, I would say one of the most challenging aspects of student life was learning to focus one's intellectual curiosity into one to two policy areas of interest.
Christopher Lau
Cohort '10
Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
The curriculum is intense and interdisciplinary, difficult but incredibly rewarding. I was encouraged to think both creatively and practically; not only to solve problems, but to develop solutions that can be implemented in a real-world context.
Anne Boustead
Alum, cohort '11
Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
As part of the tuition reimbursement plan, students are required to work for pay as team-members on 'real-world' research projects with RAND research staff. This benefit is not to be understated because future policy analysts with Pardee RAND backbones will be poised to make a difference!
Senior Behavioral Scientist
Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
Through my OJT, I had the opportunity to work with public and private sector clients, be an active member of project teams, attend meetings and conferences, and to contribute to the writing of proposals and RAND publications. My OJT experience provided valuable professional opportunities and mentoring to complement the Pardee RAND academic curriculum.
Jennifer Hicks Curtis
Alum, cohort '96
Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
