Student Ambassadors
Learn more about our Student Admissions Ambassadors and why they chose Pardee RAND
Zara Fatima Abdurahaman
| Cohort: | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Program: | Ph.D. - Technology Applications and Implications |
| Why Pardee RAND: | “I was attracted by the opportunity for OJT with real-world impact.” |
| Research Interests: | Energy and Environment; Labor and Workforce Management; Science and Technology |
| Education: | B.Eng. in electrical and electronic engineering, The University of Nottingham |
Hamad Al-Ibrahim
| Cohort: | 2018 |
|---|---|
| Program: | Ph.D. |
| Why Pardee RAND: | “I loved the diversity, passion, empowerment, and opportunity for unlocking your potential.” |
| Research Interests: | Infrastructure and Logistics; Labor and Workforce Management; Science and Technology |
| Education: | M.D., Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland; EMBA in innovation and entrepreneurship, HEC Paris |
Lucas Greer
| Cohort: | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Program: | Ph.D. - Research, Analysis, and Design |
| Why Pardee RAND: | “The professional skill development we receive as part of our OJT. No other Ph.D. program trains you to be successful in a think tank environment in quite the same way.” |
| Research Interests: | Education and Training; Labor and Workforce Management |
| Education: | M.P.A. in public administration, The Ohio State University; M.A. in economics, University of Virginia; B.S. in economics, Le Moyne College |
Sarah Junghee Kang
| Cohort: | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Program: | Ph.D. - Research, Analysis, and Design |
| Why Pardee RAND: | “I’d heard of — and have had — positive experiences at Pardee RAND, ranging from OJT experience that directly relates to my future career goals to successful cohort experiences.” |
| Research Interests: | Health Services Delivery; Science and Technology Policy |
| Education: | M.P.H. in health policy analysis, Washington University in Saint Louis; B.A. in molecular biology and biochemistry, science in society, Wesleyan University |
Alejandra Lopez
| Cohort: | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Program: | Ph.D. - Community-Partnered Policy and Action |
| Why Pardee RAND: | “My cohort, hands down. The community that we have built together is what got me through the first year! I also really love being exposed to different types of research and the things that it has taught me, and I have been able to connect with so many external partners.” |
| Research Interests: | Migration; Forced Displacement; Informal Economies; Climate Change |
| Education: | M.S. in mathematics, Purdue University; B.S. in mathematics, Arizona State University |
Michelle Priest
| Cohort: | 2019 |
|---|---|
| Program: | Ph.D. |
| Why Pardee RAND: | “My favorite aspect of Pardee RAND has always been the student body, and I have really enjoyed my conversations with new and prospective students.” |
| Research Interests: | Drug Policy and Criminal Justice; Science and Technology |
| Education: | B.A. in economics, University of California, Los Angeles; B.A. in linguistics, University of California, Los Angeles |
Keller Scholl
| Cohort: | 2019 |
|---|---|
| Program: | Ph.D. |
| Why Pardee RAND: | “My favorite thing about Pardee RAND is the obvious one, OJT: we get to work on real projects with real researchers, network like you never have before in a friendly and positive environment, and explore a variety of interesting topics ranging from drug use prevention interviewing to vaccine safety meta-analyses to natural language processing analysis of Congressional discussions.” |
| Research Interests: | Artificial Intelligence; Biological Weapons and Warfare; Cyber Warfare; Forecasting Methodology |
| Education: | M.A. in philosophy, politics, and economics, University of Oxford (Balliol College) |
Will Shumate
| Cohort: | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Program: | Ph.D. - Research, Analysis, and Design |
| Why Pardee RAND: | “I feel like Pardee RAND is an intellectual candy store where we can pursue so many different types of important work, and we get to plug in with hundreds of incredibly smart people from such different backgrounds.” |
| Research Interests: | International Development; International Security and National Defense; Science and Technology |
| Education: | M.I.A. in China, University of California, San Diego; B.A. in political science, California State University, Northridge |
Asya Spears
| Cohort: | 2015 |
|---|---|
| Program: | Ph.D. |
| Why Pardee RAND: | “Pardee RAND offers the opportunity to design a graduate school experience that prepares you for the aspects of policy you want to be involved in. I have leveraged that flexibility and even changed my area of focus after spending time exploring new interests through OJT. I am inspired to see my peers building expertise and launching careers from their unique areas of excellence!” |
| Research Interests: | Program Evaluation; Social Determinants of Health; STEM Education; Workforce Development |
| Education: | M.S. in biostatistics, University of California, Los Angeles; B.S. in mathematics, Spelman College |
Peggy Wilcox
| Cohort: | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Program: | Ph.D. - Community-Partnered Policy and Action |
| Why Pardee RAND: | “My favorite thing about Pardee RAND is the smorgasbord of opportunities, from the amazing classes that are offered to the remarkable spectrum of talented people and interesting OJT inside of the entire organization!” |
| Research Interests: | Arctic Region; Community Resilience; Global Climate Change; Politics and Government |
| Education: | M.P.A. in government and public administration, University of Alaska Southeast; B.A. in anthropology, University of Alaska Anchorage |