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.

Ethics in Scientific Research
Jun 5, 2019
An analysis by student Carlos Ignacio Gutierrez, Prof. Tepring Piquado, and several RAND colleagues examines how ethics are created, monitored, and enforced, finds which ethical principles are common across scientific disciplines, explores how these ethics might vary geographically, and discusses how emerging topics are shaping future ethics.
Facts vs. Opinions: How the News Is Changing in the Digital Age
May 14, 2019
Technology has transformed how people get information. But it has also affected the way that information is produced, shared, and disseminated. Students Steven Davenport (cohort '15), Shawn Smith ('17), and Mahlet Tebeka ('17) worked with professors Jennifer Kavanagh and William Marcellino to investigate how much the presentation of news has actually changed over the last three decades.
Spending Estimates Under Medicare for All
Apr 10, 2019
Under a Medicare for All plan similar to some proposals being discussed in Congress, alum Jodi Liu (cohort '12) and Prof. Christine Eibner calculate that total health expenditures would be an estimated 1.8 percent higher in 2019, relative to the status quo. While this is a small change in national spending, the federal government's health spending would increase substantially, rising by an estimated 221 percent.
Principal Pipelines Benefit Students and Reduce Principal Turnover
Apr 8, 2019
Six urban districts implemented principal pipelines, a strategic approach to the hiring, preparation, evaluation, and support of school leaders. Student Emilio R. Chavez-Herrerias (cohort '14) found that the efforts were feasible, affordable, and effective. The schools not only outperformed comparison schools in both math and reading, but they also improved principal retention.
Alum Examines Why Women Leave the Coast Guard, and What Could Encourage Them to Stay
Mar 29, 2019
Women leave the Coast Guard at higher rates than men. Through focus groups, alum David Schulker (cohort '07) uncovered concerns about work environment, career issues, and personal life matters. More inclusive personnel policies could help the Coast Guard address these concerns and retain more women.
Seismic Safety Upgrades May Cost California Hospitals Billions
Mar 28, 2019
David Catt (cohort '16) worked with alum Daniel Waxman ('10) and several professors to estimate the cost to California hospitals of seismic retrofitting. The upgrades could cost between $34 billion and $143 billion statewide, but a third of hospitals are already in some form of financial distress.
How Has the Israel-China Relationship Evolved?
Mar 21, 2019
Since the early 2000s, relations between China and Israel have expanded in areas like diplomacy, trade, investment, construction, educational partnerships, scientific cooperation, and tourism. Alum Shira Efron (cohort '11) and student Emily Haskel ('16) examine what challenges the relationship poses for Israel and the United States.
Experiences of Medicaid Programs and Health Centers in Implementing Telehealth
Mar 8, 2019
Safety-net providers underuse telehealth due to a range of policy, organizational, and logistical barriers. Examining the use of telehealth by federal programs in seven states, researchers identified common themes and considerations for policymakers.
Decision Support Tool for the San Francisco Bay-Delta Levees Investment Strategy
Mar 7, 2019
The Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta faces complex and varied flood risks. Possible investments to mitigate these risks are numerous, and they will affect Delta risks differently. A decision support tool developed by alum David Groves (cohort '01) and student James Syme ('18) aided the Delta Stewardship Council in developing a Delta Levees Investment Strategy.
Rural Physicians Perspectives on the Medicare Quality Payment Program
Mar 5, 2019
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently launched its Quality Payment Program (QPP), which changes how physicians are paid under Medicare. Student Nabeel Qureshi (cohort '18) and colleagues interviewed rural physicians to determine if their practices could successfully participate and how the program could be modified to support small rural practices.
North Korea's Expanding Nuclear Program Drives a Complex Set of Problems
Jan 11, 2019
North Korean provocations and threats have created an unstable environment on the Korean Peninsula. The U.S. and its allies must attend to four interconnected problems. Failure to prepare will increase the chance of miscalculation and constrain options to reduce the likelihood or gravity of future conflicts.
Holistic Representation Can Reduce Incarceration and Save Taxpayer Dollars
Jan 11, 2019
Alum Maya Buenaventura (cohort '14) and Prof. James Anderson found that a public defense model that seeks to address the underlying challenges and needs of poor offenders prevented more than 1 million days of incarceration over 10 years, without reducing public safety.
Estimating Future Water Demand for San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District
Dec 28, 2018
Water resources management is becoming increasingly challenging in Southern California. Alum David Groves (cohort '01) and student David Catt ('16) evaluated the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District’s first step in a comprehensive effort to assess its demand projections.
Expanding Enrollment Without the Individual Mandate
Dec 27, 2018
Recent changes to the Affordable Care Act, including the elimination of the individual mandate penalty, may reduce enrollment in the individual market. But research by alum Jodi Liu (cohort '12) and Prof. Christine Eibner finds that, even with these changes, options exist for increasing health coverage.
Monitoring Wage Loss for Injured Workers in California
Dec 27, 2018
Nicholas Broten (cohort '15) and RAND colleagues compared earnings losses for California workers who suffered a workplace injury or illness in 2014-15 against previous trends. They found that earnings have increased slightly but remain lower than the pre-recession average.
Challenges to the Integration of Syrian Refugees
Dec 18, 2018
The successful resettlement of Syrian refugees is dependent on political commitment coupled with public support and community engagement, according to research by student Gabriela Armenta (cohort '15) and alum Mahal Woldetsadik ('13). Social and economic policies to address the crisis require a combined effort in planning, implementing, monitoring, and assessing initiatives, and sharing data with stakeholders.
What Does the Emerging Era of International Competition Look Like?
Dec 17, 2018
There is a general expectation of a new era of strategic competition, characterized by growing rivalry in the political, economic, and military spheres. But Tim McDonald (cohort '16), Prof. Michael Mazarr, and RAND colleagues found there is no consensus on what that means or what forms it could take. Theory and history can shed light on the coming era.
Win-Win Solutions for Syrian Refugees—and Their Hosts
Dec 13, 2018
Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan have generously received the majority of Syrian refugees. Many are working, but their sheer numbers have strained local labor markets, public services, and social harmony. Gursel Aliyev (cohort '13) worked with professors Krishna Kumar and Kathryn Bouskill to explore which policies might help create new economic opportunities for both the refugees and host-nation workers.
The Welcome Baby Program: An Implementation and Outcomes Evaluation
Dec 11, 2018
Findings from an evaluation of First 5 LA's Welcome Baby universal home visiting program showed significant variation across sites, but generally positive responses from participants. Melissa Felician (cohort '13), Maya Buenaventura ('14), and Lauren Davis ('15) contributed to the evaluation.
Assessing Online Campaigns Countering Violent Extremism
Dec 10, 2018
Efforts to counter violent extremism online have grown, but measuring their impact is complicated. An assessment of one such campaign by Kurt Klein (cohort '16) finds that individuals searching for violent jihadist or far-right content clicked on ads that offered alternative narratives at a rate on par with industry standards.
Evaluation of Los Angeles County's Mental Health Community Engagement Campaign
Nov 14, 2018
A community engagement campaign sought to increase awareness of mental health access as a civil rights issue and to increase civic engagement. Student Lauren Davis (cohort '15) and colleagues found that youth who took part showed increased supportive and understanding attitudes toward mental illness, and empowerment and mobilization toward activism around mental health issues.
Evaluating Savings Associated with LA County's Mental Health Programs
Oct 30, 2018
Los Angeles used its Mental Health Services Act funds to expand access to Full Service Partnership programs. Student Gulrez Azhar (cohort '14) and colleagues estimated that, over a five-year period, program outcomes were associated with $82.9 million cost savings, a 24 percent reduction in government spending.
Universities Are Improving Training of Future School Principals
Oct 30, 2018
Student Rachel Perera worked with Prof. Susan Gates and RAND colleagues to evaluate the University Principal Preparation Initiative, in which seven universities are beginning to change their principal preparation programs to better reflect the real-world demands of the job.
How to Solve the Water Crisis in Gaza
Sep 26, 2018
Gaza has long had water and sanitation challenges, but today it's in a state of emergency. Research by alumni Shira Efron (cohort '11) and Jordan Fischbach ('04), student Rouslan Karimov ('15), and Prof. Melinda Moore finds that the crisis could be resolved through infrastructure investment, but political complications and other barriers remain.
Alumni Evaluate Health Care Payment Reform Pilot
Aug 31, 2018
California's Global Payment Program seeks to improve health care for the state's uninsured by providing funds for both traditional and non-traditional services, settings, and providers. Alumni Jodi Liu (cohort '12) and Denise Quigley ('91) conducted a mid-point evaluation that found broad improvement.

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