Blog Posts by Pardee RAND Faculty

Should We Fear an AI Arms Race?
Feb 8, 2016
Andrew J. Lohn @andrewjlohn, Andrew Parasiliti, et al.
Prof. William Welser notes that Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak, and others have signed a letter calling for a ban on the application of artificial intelligence to advanced weapons systems. AI weapons are not without risks, Welser writes, but the benefits are substantial and the risks can be mitigated with more moderate regulation than a ban.
North Korea Rocket Launch: Why Did Kim Fire a Missile Now?
Feb 8, 2016
Bruce W. Bennett @bwbennett
Kim Jong-un is probably seeking clear successes before his important Seventh Party Congress in May, when he wants to appear to be the all-powerful leader of North Korea, writes Prof. (and alum) Bruce Bennett (cohort '75).
A Unique Identifier Could Protect Patient Privacy
Feb 3, 2016
Michael D. Greenberg
The policy debate about unique patient identifier numbers should determine the best approach for reconciling two goals: optimizing the privacy and security of health information and making record matching as close to perfect as is practical, writes Prof. Michael Greenberg.
What to Do About Informal Employment in Developing Countries
Jan 22, 2016
Shanthi Nataraj @ShanthiNataraj
The staying power of informal employment in developing countries is a concern, because informal employees (e.g., day laborers) tend to receive lower wages, fewer benefits, and fewer legal protections. Prof. Shanthi Nataraj asks, How can policymakers improve conditions for informal workers?
Battered by War, Syrian Refugee Kids Need to Be Taught
Jan 15, 2016
Shelly Culbertson @SC_Culbertson, Louay Constant
More than 700,000 Syrian refugee children are not receiving formal education. Management of the Syrian refugee education crisis must take a longer view that recognizes the protracted nature of the problem, writes Prof. Louay Constant.
Modifying the ACA's Family Subsidy Rules to Help Ensure Affordability
Jan 12, 2016
Amado Cordova, Sarah A. Nowak, et al.
The ACA encourages workers to retain employer coverage by restricting their eligibility for marketplace subsidies. Modifying the policy could help 700,000 people gain coverage and lower spending for 1.6 million who are insured but face high health care costs, writes Prof. Sarah Nowak.
Charlie Sheen and the Enduring Stigma Attached to HIV
Dec 29, 2015
Sarah MacCarthy
HIV-related stigma and discrimination remains pervasive despite strides that have been made in fighting the disease, writes Prof. Sarah MacCarthy. Charlie Sheen reported paying more than $10 million in bribes to keep his HIV status secret before going public recently to put an end to the extortion.
Paris Gets the (Decision) Science Right
Dec 18, 2015
Steven W. Popper
The framework for the Paris negotiations is in sync with what science tells us about how to make effective public policy decisions. This alone makes them historic and may provide a model for both local and global action on more than climate alone, writes Prof. Steven Popper.
COP21: Ambition and Momentum
Dec 17, 2015
Robert J. Lempert @RobertLempert, Debra Knopman, et al.
Negotiators in Paris last week achieved a historic breakthrough by adopting a fundamentally different, and likely more effective, institutional framework to address climate change, write alum Jordan Fischbach (cohort '04) and Prof. Rob Lempert. The framework builds on two concepts missing from past attempts to forge a global treaty: voluntary participation and adaptive policymaking.
Saving Lives After Tragedy
Dec 14, 2015
Mahshid Abir, Christopher Nelson
Natural and man-made mass-casualty incidents are a growing threat, writes Prof. Chris Nelson. Evaluating successes and shortcomings after each crisis can contribute to the design and implementation of robust and resilient response systems and ensure the best possible outcomes for individuals and impacted communities.
Building Interoperability for European Defense
Nov 9, 2015
Christopher G. Pernin, Jakub P. Hlavka
To make the most out of declining defense budgets, the U.S. needs to engage European forces to build interoperability that would enable joint operations to deter and defeat potential adversaries, even with little advance notice. But building interoperable units has often proved difficult even among the friendliest of nations, write student Jakub Hlavka (cohort '14) and Prof. Chris Pernin.
Gun Violence: Where Is the Research That Might Save Lives?
Nov 5, 2015
Jeffrey Wasserman
Gun violence is an important public health problem that accounts for more than 33,000 deaths each year in the United States but in 1996, Congress stripped the CDC of funding for any research that could be associated with gun control advocacy. The lack of CDC funding has deterred researchers, writes Prof. (and alum) Jeffrey Wasserman (cohort '85).
Standardized Tests Can Be Smarter
Nov 2, 2015
Laura S. Hamilton @HamiltonLauraS, Brian M. Stecher
Capping the amount of time students spend testing is a reasonable response to unchecked growth. However, a better response would be to systematically review testing programs, focusing on tests that offer the most value, write Profs. Laura Hamilton and Brian Stecher.
Zero Interest, Greater Inequality?
Nov 2, 2015
Charles Wolf, Jr.
Low interest rates mandated by the Federal Reserve may have had and possibly continue to have adverse effects on income inequality. Those who argue for continuing near-zero short-term interest rate policy should be cognizant of this, writes Prof. Charles Wolf.
How Will China Respond to Future U.S. Freedom of Navigation Ops?
Oct 29, 2015
Timothy R. Heath
On October 27, the USS Lassen carried out the first freedom of navigation patrol to challenge China's territorial claims in the South China Sea. In assessing China's potential response to follow-on operations, the extremes of either complete inaction or a military attack can be ruled out, writes Prof. Timothy Heath.
Sniping: Homeless Youths' High-Risk Smoking Practice
Oct 29, 2015
Joan S. Tucker, William G. Shadel @william_shadel
Any intervention to help homeless youth quit smoking must also address “sniping,” writes Prof. Joan Tucker. This high-risk activity involves scavenging cigarette butts and filters to make a “new” cigarette.
When Public Trust in Corporations Is Shaken
Oct 28, 2015
Douglas Yeung @DouglasCYeung
The Volkswagen scandal comes at a time when the public's trust in both the automotive industry and tech companies is at risk. The level of public trust in an individual organization could end up burnishing — or infecting — an entire industry or new technology.
How to Overcome the Risks of Artificial Intelligence
Oct 22, 2015
Andrew J. Lohn @andrewjlohn, Andrew Parasiliti, et al.
The warnings and promises of artificial intelligence aren't new, but advances in technology make them more pressing.
The Shared Savings Model: An Innovative Way to Attack Rapidly Rising College Costs
Oct 22, 2015
Trey Miller, Van L. Davis
The challenge facing policymakers is how to lessen the college cost pressure felt by families while incentivizing institutions to innovate to reduce cost and improve quality. What if cost savings from increased productivity were quantified and a portion returned to institutions?
Social Engineering Explained: The Human Element in Cyberattacks
Oct 20, 2015
The human element is the most unpredictable factor in cybersecurity. A social engineer aims to make people do what they want or give the social engineer information, often without the person considering the negative consequences.
If We Keep Cutting Defense Spending, We Must Do Less
Oct 19, 2015
David Ochmanek
The United States is underinvesting in defense and other instruments of national influence just when they are most needed. Improving defenses needn't require Cold War levels of expenditure but Americans should look realistically at the demands being placed on their forces and generate the revenues to meet those demands.
Rethinking Student Discipline and Zero Tolerance
Oct 14, 2015
Joie D. Acosta, Matthew Chinman, et al.
Restorative practices are an alternative to zero-tolerance school discipline policies. Rather than mandating prescribed punishments for specific misbehaviors, this more tailored approach aims to empower students.
Do Young 'Elites' Favor Income Redistribution?
Oct 8, 2015
Michael Pollard, Katherine Grace Carman @KGCarman
Young “elites” — employed Americans who are 40 or younger, with high household incomes and graduate degrees — and especially Democratic elites have a strong preference for income redistribution.
Bridging the Global Age Gap
Oct 8, 2015
Krishna B. Kumar @kbkumar_
The Trans-Pacific Partnership offers hope for balancing the world's rapidly aging with its jobless youth. As long-term care for the elderly becomes a pressing need in many developed countries, services such as monitoring and reminding people to take their medications could be provided remotely from countries with an abundance of younger workers.
Tools for Coping with a Military Spouse's Drinking
Oct 5, 2015
Karen Chan Osilla
Partners Connect, a research study and web program, aims to help military spouses concerned about a loved one's drinking. Spouses can access free online communication tools and tips for taking care of themselves and their spouses.

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