First-Person Perspectives
Interested in knowing what our students, faculty, and alumni think about Pardee RAND Graduate School? Our site presents lots of quotes, which are shared here, so you can gain a first-person perspective on Pardee RAND. You may also be interested in watching some of our interviews and more on YouTube .
Current Students
Student Perspectives Pardee RAND’s tag line—Be the Answer—resonates with my values. The unique Ph.D. program will equip me with better complex policy problem–solving skills through novel quantitative method courses on big data applications and machine learning and practical courses such as the two policy design studio courses that analyze the complexity of policy issues.
Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
The fact that Pardee RAND and RAND Corporation researchers have a track record of examining and tackling wicked public problems like climate change is what interested me in this graduate school. I find it alluring that research activities are linked to RAND projects rather than theoretical projects, as is often the case in research universities, and that students are able to integrate academic theory with real work alongside RAND researchers. I find the prospect of having RAND’s resources—human, technical, and institutional—at my disposal throughout the duration of the program wildly exciting.
Ph.D. Candidate, Pardee RAND Graduate School, and Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
Alumni
Alumni Perspectives One of the things I learned at RAND is that it takes a multidisciplinary village to solve complex problems, which are really the only ones that are worth solving. I learned at Pardee RAND how to appreciate and integrate the talents of everyone in the village, how to build teams, when to lead, and—possibly most importantly—when to follow
Beth McGlynn Alum, Cohort '83 Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
I look back on my time at Pardee RAND with fondness and appreciation. I learned so much, I met so many brilliant and wonderful people, while also making a real impact on real policy challenges and finding solutions to those. I'm proud of Pardee RAND's commitment to excellence, innovation, and interdisciplinary problem solving, and I'm so proud to be an alumnus of this organization.
Richard Bowman Alum, cohort '06 Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
Pardee RAND people are the most intelligent, hard-working people I know. ... Everything that I know about rigorous, innovative, and impactful policy research I learned from [my mentors at RAND and Pardee RAND].
Edmundo Molina-Pérez Alum, cohort '11 Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
I remember working on OJT projects with a sociologist, computer scientist, and a physicist, and being able to take electives in things that were very far outside of my personal dissertation field but that opened my eyes to other problems in public policy.
Kay Sullivan Alum, cohort '08 Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
I came to Pardee RAND on a bet that applying a quantitative toolkit to real-world problems was the best way to prepare for a long career as a knowledge producer... What I didn't anticipate was that I would learn an even more important skill: to find the simplicity on the other side of complexity.
Evan Bloom Alum, Cohort '09 Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
There’s no better place than RAND and the Pardee RAND Graduate School to confront the challenges of today and today's polarized view of the world.
Gordon Bitko Alum, cohort '02 Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
I’m here representing the underdogs of the students. I owe an immense debt of gratitude to the school and to RAND because so many people took a chance on me and mentored me.
Sai Ma Alum, cohort '02 Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
Pardee RAND builds a person's character and prepares people for their career; I stood on the shoulders of giants. RAND laid the foundations for the success that I have achieved since.
Nick Ramphal Alum, cohort '02 Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
Every individual is a credit to their community. Pardee RAND and RAND shaped the way I look at the world and molded the mindset I brought to my career. I’ve been fortunate to have guiding lights that I developed right here at RAND.
Jennifer Walters Alum, cohort '11 Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
At RAND Graduate School, my classmates exposed me to experiences and parts of the world I'd never imagined. ... By quirk of privilege and old age, I’ve been able to work with all the deans of this institution, for which I am grateful.
Jack Riley Alum, cohort '88 Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
One overarching policy question that continues to motivate me is: How can lawmakers ensure that all students, regardless of their background, have access to a high quality Pre-K–12 education? To provide all children with equal educational opportunities requires considering the intersection between education and related policy areas, including criminal justice, housing and health. I chose Pardee RAND for the unique opportunity to approach complex and naturally interdisciplinary problems comprehensively and from a policy-oriented perspective.
Rachel Perera Alum, Cohort '16 Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
What I enjoyed most about Pardee RAND was the exposure to quality research and the opportunity to work alongside professionals in the field. As someone coming from a mathematics background, I decided to study policy analysis in order to broaden my understanding of research methodologies that will allow me to construct solutions to issues that affect us today. I am passionate about improving student outcomes and increasing participation of minority students in STEM disciplines.
Claudia Rodriguez Alum, Cohort '16 Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
What appealed to me and made me decide to come to Pardee RAND was that it was an advanced degree with a very applied focus. Not only could I learn policy analysis tools in my courses, but applied, practical experience was an integral part of the entire program. 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
Pardee RAND contributed very significantly to my personal and career development. Particularly, the broad perspective and vision that I gained through my studies at Pardee RAND helped me bring about significant change at the various institutions I have worked for. The powerful combination of rigorous coursework and on-the-job training was very valuable in understanding the importance of both a sound theoretical basis and the practical implementation issues. I learned a great deal, both intellectually and practically during my studies at Pardee RAND.
Yilmaz Arguden Alum, cohort '80 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 Alum, cohort '13 Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
At Pardee RAND, I got an education I could not get anywhere else. The curriculum was 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. Because my classmates came from a wide variety of backgrounds and disciplines, I feel like I learned something new every time I talked to them. Also, Pardee RAND treats practical work as an integral part of the curriculum, which enabled me to tailor my education to my policy interests and previous experience. Not only did the practical requirements allow me to practice and apply the analytical skills learned in class, I was also able to work on issues I care deeply about.
Anne Boustead Alum, cohort '11 Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
I was attracted to Pardee RAND by the doctoral program’s unique balance of coursework and on-the-job training. I learned new skills in the classroom and had the opportunity to apply them on RAND research projects. This combination of academic study and direct application enabled me to hone research skills and build a strong portfolio of work. On-the-job training also exposed me to a wide range of research subjects and many different project teams. As a 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 Alum, cohort '15 Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
I selected Pardee RAND for my Ph.D. program because it offered the best combination of tools and methods to prepare me for the future. Pardee RAND has a program renowned for its analytical rigor, yet rather than espousing a theoretical approach to analysis, Pardee RAND teaches and reinforces, through real project work, a hands-on practical approach to policy development and analysis. This Pardee RAND method results in mentored development and ultimately the ability to plan, develop, and execute research and analysis projects on your own. ... 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.
S. Jamie Gayton Alum, cohort '06 Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
Even during all my years in music, I was never as happy as I was at Pardee RAND. Often I worked on things that I had no particular background in, but in which I found I had an interest—and as long as I could add value to a project, RAND gave me the chance to succeed. I worked on an aircraft survivability project, and it turned out to be fascinating: I learned every day on the 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
There are many things that I loved 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 was excited to acquire cutting edge analytic skills that help me tackle complex challenges facing healthcare access in sub-Saharan Africa.
Adeyemi Okunogbe Alum, cohort '13 Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
I chose Pardee RAND because I was looking for a graduate program that would give me the empirical tools for solving real-life problems and let me take my skills to the next level. At Pardee RAND and RAND I got an amazing combination of coursework and research on projects with an interdisciplinary view that allowed me to assess problems from a wider, more complete, and practical perspective. ... Through OJT my skills increased not only technically, but also through interaction with our clients, who ranged from academic researchers to foreign governments. 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
Pardee RAND offered a unique environment to gain a broader understanding of critical issues related to policy. 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
After working in both the healthcare and energy industries, I came to Pardee RAND because of the breadth and depth of the opportunities that the program offers. I can confidently say that the experience met my expectations. I found that the coursework leveraged the analytic framework from several academic disciplines, while 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. Pardee RAND is further distinguished by the level of professionalism and motivation it demands. The fact is clearly manifest in the composition of the student body. When I arrived at Pardee RAND, I was excited to meet individuals who shared a similar desire to improve public policy, but also offered a diverse set of experiences that complemented my own. I believe that the pool of Pardee RAND students represents one of the greatest strengths of the program and contributed to my overall learning experience during my time at Pardee RAND.
Christopher Lau Alum, cohort '10 Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
Before arriving at Pardee RAND I already had seven years of microeconomics coursework behind me from previous degrees. I thought I had paid my dues to the study of microeconomics. Looking back, it is clear to me that 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. ... Other universities tend to present microeconomics as a set of abstract models which, at best, are applied to meaningless textbook scenarios. The applications given to us at Pardee RAND made me realize what a powerful analytic tool microeconomics can be in studying real policy problems.
Angela Hawken Alum, cohort '98 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
Faculty
Faculty Perspectives The range of experience and attitudes in my classes leads us all in unexpected directions. In addition to men, women, young and not so young, Americans and foreigners, we have social scientists and engineers, doctors and pilots, tender hearts and realists. Nobody gets to preach to their own choir. Because my tools are mathematical at heart, ... I mainly try to get across attitudes—skepticism about numbers that are given to you, but belief in the value of 'doing the math'.
Senior Mathematician Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
Pardee RAND provides a truly unique graduate school experience. Unlike other Ph.D. programs in policy analysis, this one provides the added practical experience of on-the-job (OJT) training, making it stand out from the competition. 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
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. ... Pardee RAND students' opportunities for mentoring from RAND researchers is enhanced by the extensive on-the-job training required of all students. I have been very impressed with the Pardee RAND students who I have worked with, in particular their analytic competence and intellectual curiosity. They play an important role in helping RAND carry out its mission of improving policy and decision-making through research and analysis.
Senior Policy Researcher 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. RAND provides a candy store of opportunities to affect public policy and the ideas that determine it while simultaneously working in an intellectually exciting not-for-profit organization that has a special working relationship with our government sponsors.
Adjunct Principal Researcher Source: Perspectives on Pardee RAND
