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Featured Pardee RAND Research

Pardee RAND students and faculty — and even some alumni — contribute to RAND research. This page features selected reports and projects to which the Pardee RAND community has contributed.

  • Water line repair in a city street

    Pittsburgh's Options to Address Lead in Its Water

    Jul 18, 2017

    Pittsburgh is struggling to improve its aging water system. Student Michele Abbott (cohort '14) and alum/professor Jordan Fischbach (cohort '04) review the history and recent developments related to the use of lead pipes and the policy options for lead remediation currently being weighed by local decisionmakers.

  • Soldiers provide perimeter security outside a village where troops search for a weapons cache in the Spin Boldak district in Afghanistan's Kandahar province, March 3, 2013

    How to Bolster Recruitment of Women in the Military

    Jun 28, 2017

    As ground combat jobs are transitioning to include women, efforts to improve the recruitment process are expanding. Having more female recruiters would help, as would outreach materials that counter stereotypes and highlight the roles women fill in the military, according to research by student Christina Steiner (cohort '09) and professors Doug Yeung, Chaitra Hardison, and Lawrence Hanser.

  • The Santa Monica Pier in California, illuminated at night with a reflection on shoreline

    The Effects of Travel and Tourism on California's Economy

    Jun 27, 2017

    California's travel and tourism industry employs a diverse workforce that makes a meaningful contribution to the state's economy. Student Olena Bogdan (cohort '12) and professor Ed Keating find that, for some, the industry offers a stable career path with good wages and wage growth. For others, it's a launching point into other industries.

  • A middle-aged woman working in an office

    'Principal Pipelines' Can Be an Affordable Way to Improve Schools

    Jun 20, 2017

    Improving school leadership by better selecting, training, and evaluating principals can be an affordable way to reduce turnover and improve schools, according to research by Melody Harvey (cohort '12) and professor Susan Gates.

  • Girl playing hopscotch, seen from above

    Reforms to the U.S. Child Welfare System Could Save $12 Billion and Improve Outcomes

    May 23, 2017

    The United States could improve long-term outcomes and reduce child welfare system costs by $12.3 billion by striking a better balance between programs to prevent child maltreatment and those that offer services for kids who have already suffered from abuse, according to research by students Ifeanyi Edochie and Lauren Davis (both cohort '15) and professor Jeanne Ringel.

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    Inching Toward Reform: Trump's Deregulation and Its Implementation

    May 19, 2017

    How well does President Donald Trump's plans for a regulation roll-back address the concerns of those who have long supported regulatory reform, and how can agencies best tackle the challenges and opportunities of implementation?

  • Reserve Officers Training Corps, Clemson University

    Strategic Planning Tools for the Army Senior ROTC Program

    May 5, 2017

    Researchers created a program evaluation tool and a selection evaluation tool to help the Army evaluate existing ROTC programs and explore new market opportunities, keep up with changes in the college student population, and meet both near-term officer production goals as well as longer-term strategic objectives.

  • Man using credit card and smartphone

    Prototype Tool Designed to Help Law Enforcement Use Data from Mobile Applications

    May 1, 2017

    Student Bonnie Triezenberg (cohort '14) worked with alumni Anne Boustead ('11) and Steven Isley ('10) and professor Ed Balkovich to document a prototype tool called MIKE (the Mobile Information and Knowledge Ecosystem) that can help interested stakeholders — law enforcement, commercial enterprises, regulators, legislators, and the public (including advocacy groups) — better understand the mobile app ecosystem and the relationships among the data, its sources, and applicable legal constraints.

  • Girl pointing to her meal choice on a restaurant menu

    Just Right: Combatting Childhood Obesity Through Portion Size

    Mar 27, 2017

    Single-serving guidelines can help kids avoid eating too much when eating out. Student Cameron Wright (cohort '12) and professor Deborah Cohen created this infographic summarizing right-sized portions for kids.

  • An oil and gas worker operates a drilling rig

    Wages, Employment, and STEM Education in Appalachia

    Mar 22, 2017

    Student Nicholas Broten (cohort '15) coauthored an ongoing assessment of employment and wages in energy and advanced manufacturing industries in the Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia region. The report captures trends about which counties might have greater demand for educating or employing local talent in STEM careers.

  • Flowchart diagram

    Testing the Scenario Hypothesis via an Experimental Comparison

    Mar 16, 2017

    Alumni Jordan Fischbach (cohort '04) and Zhimin Mao (cohort '11), along with professor Robert Lempert and other RAND researchers, undertook an experimental comparison of scenarios and forecasts to see which was most useful in a complex decision environment. The results offer lessons for designing decision support tools.

  • Baotu Spring in Jinan City, Shandong, China

    RAND Releases Evaluation of the Jinan City Water Ecological Development Implementation Plan

    Mar 9, 2017

    The Jinan Municipal Water Resources Bureau, with support from the Shandong Provincial Department of Water Resources, asked RAND to evaluate potential effects of demand and climate uncertainties on investments recently undertaken according to the Jinan City Water Ecological Development Implementation Plan. The RAND research team, led by David Groves and Debra Knopman, also assessed the potential of new investments and management strategies to help Jinan meet its long-term water resources goals.

  • Soldier reunited with his daughter on a sunny day

    Assessing the Needs of Massachusetts' Veterans

    Mar 7, 2017

    As part of the overarching Massachusetts Veterans project, student Erin Duffy (cohort '15) worked with professor Terri Tanielian and other researchers to assess the needs of the state's veterans to help inform investments in services and guide efforts to remedy barriers to access.

  • American soldier with daughter, surrounded by American flags

    Supporting Massachusetts' Veterans: A Needs Assessment

    Mar 7, 2017

    There are still pockets of unmet need for Massachusetts veterans. Better understanding these needs will help the state target investments and guide efforts to remedy barriers to access.

  • Teacher talking to his university students

    Does Texas Need to Expand its Graduate Degree Production?

    Mar 3, 2017

    In an assessment of the Lone Star State's higher education system, RAND experts found opportunities to increase competitiveness through continued research, increased funding, a greater emphasis on institutional support, program accreditation, and more.

  • U.S. Army sergeant helps direct an M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle off a flatbed on Tapa Army Base, Estonia, June 4, 2015

    What It Takes to Deter Russian Aggression in the Baltics

    Mar 1, 2017

    The United States and NATO face several challenges in deterring Russia in the Baltics. Solving these is vital to achieving core U.S. objectives in Europe. The first step, says professor David Shlapak, is to ensure that NATO can stay in the game and deny Moscow an easy strategic victory.

  • First Army Deputy Commanding General for Support, Maj. Gen. Paul Benenati, greets Bruce McDonald, a civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army from Michigan, at the Central Region CASA conference on Rock Island Arsenal, Ill., on Aug. 12, 2015

    Assessment of the Civilian Acquisition Workforce Personnel Demonstration Project

    Feb 15, 2017

    Student Cameron Wright (cohort '12), alum Lindsay Daugherty (cohort '05), and professor Laura Werber joined forces with RAND colleagues to assess DoD's AcqDemo, finding several aspects of the program that are performing well but also areas that could be improved.

  • An illustration of autonomous cars on a road

    Realizing Autonomous Vehicle Safety

    Feb 14, 2017

    Autonomous vehicles hold enormous promise for transportation safety, said professor Nidhi Kalra in her testimony to Congress. But feasible, sound methods of testing need to be developed. In the meantime, policymakers should work to foster the development of self-driving vehicles while lowering their risks.

  • Venezuelan soldiers patrol during a military operation to destroy clandestine drug laboratories in Zulia, Venezuela, near the border with Colombia, December 6, 2014

    How to Counter Transnational Criminal Networks

    Jan 27, 2017

    Transnational criminal networks have expanded their global reach. In some cases, they have even converged with terrorist groups. Research by alum Gregory Midgette (cohort '09) and RAND colleagues examines how these networks threaten U.S. interests and what can be done to combat them.

  • Crew Chief Pfc. James Dennis performs a torque check on the main rotor head of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter

    Helping Soldiers Use Army Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities in Civilian Jobs

    Jan 24, 2017

    Some veterans struggle to find jobs after they leave the Army. Alum Michael Shanley (cohort '79) helped to identify a broad range of high-quality civilian jobs that match Army KSAs.

  • Man using stethoscope to diagnose options in a chart

    Oregon's Options for Financing Health Care

    Jan 19, 2017

    Federal health care reform had just begun in 2013 when Oregon authorized a study to improve how the state pays for health care. A comparison of the projected impacts and feasibility of four options—developed by alum Jodi Liu (cohort '12), professors Chapin White and Christine Eibner, and several RAND colleagues—can help Oregon's stakeholders choose the option that best suits their needs.

  • African American soldier sitting in a chair, holding a prescription

    Preventing, Identifying, and Treating Prescription Drug Misuse Among Service Members

    Jan 4, 2017

    Prescription drug misuse is of critical concern for the military because of its potential impact on the health and well-being of personnel, military readiness, and associated health care costs. Alumni Janice Blanchard (cohort '98) and Jennifer Walters (cohort '11) worked with RAND colleagues to offer ideas for addressing the problem.

  • A principal and teachers meeting in the school library

    Improving School Leadership Under the Every Student Succeeds Act

    Dec 13, 2016

    School leadership is acknowledged as a valid target of educational-improvement activities in the Every Student Succeeds Act, allowing funds to be spent on strengthening it. An updated analysis by students Aziza Arifkhanova, Andriy Bega, Emilio Chavez-Herrerias, Eugene Han and RAND colleagues provides education policymakers with guidance on the use of research-based school leadership programs.

  • Kid with menu

    Changes to Kids' Menus May Help Curb Childhood Obesity

    Dec 5, 2016

    Most kids' menu items at the top 200 U.S. restaurant chains exceed the calorie counts recommended by nutrition experts, according to research by student Cameron Wright (cohort '12) and professor Deborah Cohen. The restaurant industry can embrace calorie guidelines to promote children's health and reduce childhood obesity.

  • Two students in their graduation robes walking up steps

    One-Stop Social Services Efforts May Improve Community College Outcomes

    Nov 30, 2016

    Students participating in programs that provide a comprehensive range of support services are more likely to persist in attending community college, according to research by alum Lindsay Daugherty (cohort '05).