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As the original policy Ph.D. program, Pardee RAND Graduate School is unique in American higher education.
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Multimedia

Alumni, faculty, and students of Pardee RAND regularly appear in video interviews and podcasts describing their research. This page highlights and catalogs all recent multimedia.

If you know of other videos to feature, please let us know by emailing prgsweb@prgs.edu.

Featured Multimedia

Welcome to the Pardee RAND Graduate School

The Pardee RAND Graduate School seeks students who have "intellectual agility." The world of policy analysis requires an interdisciplinary focus, which PRGS provides. Students are able to contribute to RAND research from day 1. The educational and training opportunities PRGS and RAND provides really can't be found in any other Ph.D. program.
Pardee RAND Graduate School Student Overview

Students who enter the Pardee RAND Graduate School come from a wide range of backgrounds. They come from all over the world; from different cultures, political, social, and economic backgrounds; and they have different academic experiences. They support each other and exchange expertise. Everyone comes from a different place, but they all "speak the same language" of policy analysis.
Students Gain Real World Experience at the Pardee RAND Graduate School

Every student that comes to the Pardee RAND Graduate School receives a fellowship that is paid for through their work on RAND research projects as team members, leveraging their existing skills and developing new ones. This real world experience - what we call On the Job Training - is one of the single most rewarding parts of the Ph.D. program, according to many students.
Pardee RAND Graduate School Faculty and Academics

The relationship between the RAND Corporation and the Pardee RAND Graduate School is unique in the academic world. Students have the full range of RAND research staff to draw from as faculty advisors or professors. At traditional universities, faculty may try to "buy their way out" of teaching, whereas RAND researchers "buy in" to teaching at PRGS.
The Pardee Initiative for Global Human Progress

As part of the Pardee Initiative on Global Human Progress, we invited Pardee RAND Graduate School students to present their ideas on policy issues that could be tackled in innovative and forward-looking ways. This video captures the excitement of the day of our student presentations and the promise of this important initiative.
PRGS Commencement 2014: Keynote Speech

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole presents the Keynote Address at the 2014 Commencement Weekend.
PRGS Commencement 2012: Highlights and Interviews

A "highlight reel" of the 2012 Commencement Weekend, plus interviews of faculty, graduates, and more.
PRGS Dean Susan Marquis Discusses PRGS

"If you believe in the power of analysis, if you believe that we should be making decisions in our nation and the world based on evidence and research, if you believe that it's important to not just study but to do, if you want to make a difference in this world, then come to PRGS."
RAND President and CEO Michael Rich Describes PRGS Graduates

"PRGS graduates are passionate, they're driven to accomplish big things in the world, they're broad-gauged thinkers, they're diverse — they come from all sorts of different backgrounds and they go on to do all sorts of different things, and they're committed to improving society."
PRGS@40: Be The Answer

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Pardee RAND Graduate School, we interviewed students, faculty, and alumni to understand what they thought made PRGS a great place to study and work.
Adm. Mike Mullen's 2010 PRGS Commencement Speech

Admiral Mike Mullen gave the keynote address at the 2010 Pardee RAND Graduate School Commencement. This is an excerpt of his talk.
People Are the Key to RAND's Success

Approximately 1,700 people from more than 50 countries work at RAND, representing diversity in work experience; academic training; political and ideological outlook; and race, gender, and ethnicity.

Alumni Multimedia

Preparing for California's Edible Food Recovery Mandate: Findings from the Los Angeles Food Recovery Study
Under a new state law, California must significantly reduce organic waste and recover some edible food from going to landfill by 2025. Is Los Angeles County prepared for the new mandate?
Jun 21, 2022
A Snapshot of Anti-Bias Education in U.S. K–12 Schools
RAND Corporation researchers share data from a national teacher survey administered in spring 2021 concerning the extent to which public school teachers report addressing anti-bias education in their K-12 classrooms.
Feb 23, 2022
Pardee RAND Externship Students Discuss Work in Sitka
Students Jalal Awan and Keren Zhu are in Sitka for six week externships at the Sitka Conservation Society and the Sitka Food Co-op, respectively. They visited local public radio station KCAW for an interview about their experience.
May 7, 2021
Alum Describes Results of USC Antibody Study
Neeraj Sood (cohort '99) joined KTLA-TV live via Skype to talk about the results of the COVID-19 Antibody Study led by his team at the University of Southern California and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
May 28, 2020
Alum Reports Findings of Early Tests: 4% of L.A. County Adults Have Antibody
An ongoing study led by Neeraj Sood (cohort '99) found that only 4 percent of the adult population of Los Angeles County has been infected with the novel coronavirus, "which means we are very early in the epidemic, and many more people in L.A. County could potentially be infected."
Apr 21, 2020
Alum Discusses Importance of Business Innovation in Pandemic Response
"We always have a full pipeline of projects that we're working on for innovation," said alum Jamie Gayton, (cohort '06) executive vice president of PenFed Credit Union, about his organization's response to COVID-19. "Innovation is the lifeblood of a credit union, it's what keeps us going into the future."
Apr 20, 2020
On Podcast, Alum Discusses Future of AI and Autonomous Systems
Yuna Wong (cohort '00) describes what led her to research Deterrence in the Age of Thinking Machines: "When U.S. drones are shot down, it's not the same as if U.S. pilots are killed or held captive... We have U.S. forces abroad whose presence deters adversaries from attacking U.S. allies, but would it be the same if they were just destroying some machines?"
Apr 14, 2020
Alum Discusses Gaza's Coronavirus Challenges
In a podcast interview, Shira Efron (cohort '11) explains, "What we take for granted in the developed world you just can't do in Gaza. Gaza does not have enough water — it's not just that the water is not clean, which we know it's not — but it doesn't have enough water not only for drinking and cooking, but also hygiene and sanitation."
Mar 26, 2020
Alum: Using an Integrated Systems-Based Approach to Address the U.S. Opioid Crisis
Alum Bradley Stein (cohort '97) presented testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on December 17, 2019. In this video he summarizes his expert recommendations.
Dec 17, 2019
How Safe Should Autonomous Vehicles Be Before They're Introduced to Market?
Prof Nidhi Kalra and alum David G. Groves (cohort '01) developed a model to compare 500 different scenarios of autonomous vehicle introduction, adoption, and improvement. The research shows that putting autonomous vehicles on the road sooner, allowing them to improve quicker, could save hundreds of thousands of lives over time.
Nov 7, 2017
Tensions Between North Korea and the U.S.
Alum Bruce Bennett (cohort '75), along with RAND experts, Andrew Scobell and J.D. Williams, hosted a conference call with news media discussing the rising tensions between North Korea and the United States. RAND Senior Media Relations Officer Khorshied Samad moderated the call.
Aug 16, 2017
North Korea's Continuous Provocations
In this July 17th, 2017 congressional briefing, alum Bruce W. Bennett (cohort '75), Senior International/Defense Researcher at RAND, discusses North Korea's nuclear missile programs, its changing relationship with China, and implications for U.S. policy.
Jul 17, 2017
Alum Discusses U.S. Drug Addiction and Drug Abuse Problem
Alum Bradley D. Stein (cohort '97) is interviewed by CCTV about drug addiction and drug abuse in America.
Mar 9, 2016
Observations from Guantanamo
In this Call with the Experts, Alum Jack Riley (cohort '88) discusses the likelihood of Guantanamo Bay detention camp closing before the end of President Obama's term, as well as recommendations on how to fairly and transparently expedite the trials.
Mar 1, 2016
California's Drought and Water Policy
California has implemented numerous policy changes to cope with a record-breaking, four-year drought. In this Events @ RAND podcast, a panel of experts—including Professor (and alum) David Groves (cohort '01)—discuss what government agencies can do to better manage water resources, what methods are most effective at encouraging citizens to use water wisely, and how leaders can better plan for future climate crises.
Sep 30, 2015
Pardee RAND Experts Discuss Extended Absence of Kim Jong-un
Pardee RAND alum Bruce Bennett (cohort '75) and Professor Andrew Scobell hosted a media conference call on Thursday, October 9 to discuss the extended absence of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the regional implications of a sudden change in North Korea's government, and China's role in the region. Media relations officer Joe Dougherty moderated the call.
Oct 9, 2014
Water Management and Climate Resilience in Pittsburgh: Building a Research Agenda
For the Conversations at RAND series, Professor and Alum Jordan Fischbach (cohort '04) and two regional experts discuss ways to strengthen Pittsburgh's water management system, create sustainable solutions to environmental challenges, and better manage long-term uncertainty.
Jun 24, 2014
Applying Robust Decision Making: Planning for Water and Flood Risk Management
Robust Decision Making is used in a wide range of applications, most critically in water and flood risk management. Here, Pardee RAND professors Robert Lempert and David Groves (cohort '01) discuss two key projects where RAND applied RDM to look at potential futures: the Colorado River Basin, and Ho Chi Minh City.
Nov 5, 2013
Media Conference Call on Escalating Tensions on the Korean Peninsula
RAND Asia experts Bruce Bennett (PRGS alum, cohort '75), Andrew Scobell and David Shlapak hosted a news media conference call to discuss the escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula. Media Relations Officer Joe Dougherty moderated the call.
Apr 9, 2013
Adapting to Climate Change on the Coast: Lessons from Louisiana for Federal Policy
In this January 2013 Congressional Briefing, Pardee RAND professor and alum Jordan Fischbach (cohort '04) discusses how RAND helped Louisiana develop its 2012 Coastal Master Plan and key lessons that can make other communities more resilient in the face of natural disasters.
Jan 23, 2013
PRGS Celebrates the Life and Legacy of James Q. Wilson
James Q. Wilson, a longtime board member, bestowed upon the Pardee RAND Graduate School his papers and books. To honor him, PRGS unveiled the James Q. Wilson Collection in RAND's library, and RAND celebrated his legacy with a policy forum discussion. PRGS alum Angela Hawken (cohort '98) participated in the panel.
Jan 21, 2013
Wu Discusses Findings of "What's On the Menu?"
PRGS alum Helen Wu (cohort '07) discusses a RAND study that looked at over 300,000 menu items in 245 restaurants. The study, which started as Wu's dissertation research and is the largest ever on chain restaurant nutrition, found that 96 percent of restaurant items exceeded USDA recommendations.
Jan 7, 2013
Bringing Sustainability to the Louisiana Coast
Pardee RAND professor/alum David Groves (cohort '01) describes RAND's role in helping to develop a plan to guide Louisiana's coastal investments, help its coastal citizens plan for the future, and create a sustainable coast.
Jun 5, 2012
Creating Resilient Coastal Communities
In this Resilient Communities podcast, Pardee RAND professor and alum Jordan R. Fischbach (cohort '04) discusses research that has helped the city of New Orleans address the challenge of reducing flood risk and is relevant to many other coastal communities that are concerned with water resources, infrastructure planning, rising sea levels, and flooding.
Feb 28, 2012
California's Water Challenges
David Groves discusses an innovative approach to dealing with the many challenges that may contribute to sustainable and affordable solutions of long term water supplies in California.
Oct 25, 2011

Faculty Videos

Prof: Will the Coronavirus Pandemic Cause a Recession?
Prof. Kathryn Edwards addresses the concern that the social and health actions being taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic may cause a recession.
Apr 22, 2020
Prof Discusses on the Economic Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic
Prof. Kathryn Edwards says unemployment insurance is one tool that could help, but it needs to be "reformed on the fly" to respond to today's economic climate.
Apr 7, 2020
Prof. Nelson on the Connection Between Civic Engagement and Health
Prof. Christopher Nelson, a senior political scientist with the RAND Corporation, discusses the connection between civic engagement and health.
Mar 2, 2020
Promoting Accountability in Cyberspace
The attribution of a malicious cyber incident consists of identifying the responsible party behind the activity. Professors Jair Aguirre, Ben Boudreaux, and John Davis recommend creating an independent, international cyber attribution consortium tasked with investigating and publicly attributing major cyber attacks.
Jan 14, 2019
Accountability in Cyberspace: The Problem of Attribution
The attribution of a malicious cyber incident consists of identifying the responsible party behind the activity. In this video, professors Jair Aguirre, Ben Boudreaux, and John Davis recommend creating an independent, international cyber attribution consortium tasked with investigating and publicly attributing major cyber attacks.
Jan 14, 2019
How Safe Should Autonomous Vehicles Be Before They're Introduced to Market?
Prof Nidhi Kalra and alum David G. Groves (cohort '01) developed a model to compare 500 different scenarios of autonomous vehicle introduction, adoption, and improvement. The research shows that putting autonomous vehicles on the road sooner, allowing them to improve quicker, could save hundreds of thousands of lives over time.
Nov 7, 2017
Santa Monica's Wellbeing Project
Prof Anita Chandra and Santa Monica city officials discuss the Wellbeing Project, which aimed to evaluate overall community wellbeing and incorporate these results into city planning and governance.
Sep 29, 2017
The Terrorist Diaspora
An overview of the testimony presented by Prof Colin Clarke before the House Homeland Security Committee Task Force on Denying Terrorists Entry into the United States on July 13, 2017.
Jul 13, 2017
States vs. the Federal Government: Marijuana Legalization in the United States
In this June 9th, 2017 congressional briefing, Prof Beau Kilmer, codirector of the RAND Drug Policy Research Center, provides an overview of recent changes in marijuana policies as well as options for the federal government.
Jun 9, 2017
Informing Investments in High-Quality Preschool
In this congressional briefing, Prof Lynn Karoly presents findings from her research, which compiles the most reliable evidence concerning the short- and long-run effects of high-quality preschool programs for participating children and the associated costs, benefits, and economic returns.
May 5, 2017
Lessons from a Hacker: Cyber Concepts for Policymakers
In this September 14th congressional briefing, Prof. Lillian Ablon discusses the basics of cyber and information security and provides insights into some of the complexities of cybersecurity policymaking. Topics include why software vulnerabilities are significant, the components of cyber risk beyond the threat, motivations of various cyber threats actors, and what they exploit.
Sep 14, 2015
Insights About Marijuana Legalization in the United States
In this January 2015 Congressional Briefing, Professor Beau Kilmer and RAND researcher Jonathan Caulkins present an overview of their new report, Considering Marijuana Legalization: Insights for Vermont and Other Jurisdictions.
Jan 21, 2015
Proceedings of the U.S.–Japan Alliance Conference Series
In a series of three conferences held at RAND in late 2014, U.S. and Japanese experts explored the challenges for the U.S.-Japan alliance. Pardee RAND founding dean Charles Wolf moderated the discussions, which included several faculty members.
Dec 5, 2014
Technology Summit for Victim Service Providers
Professor Nelson Lim and RAND colleagues brought together two communities — victim service providers and technology innovators — for a national one-day summit at the Computer History Museum in Silicon Valley to discuss leveraging technology so victims of crime can quickly and effectively obtain the help they need.
Sep 8, 2014
China: The Reluctant Partner
There's a high probability that the establishment of a U.S. Global SOF Network will reinforce Beijing's extreme insecurities about Washington's intentions towards China, and heighten Chinese perceptions of enhanced U.S. military encirclement capabilities. However, if China is invited to partner with U.S. Special Operations Forces, this may alter Chinese thinking on military cooperation. Professors Andrew Scobell, William Welser, and Thomas Szayna discuss this in a RAND presentation.
Jul 30, 2014
Leveraging Behavioral Insights to Improve Financial Health: Proceedings of the 2014 BeFi Conference
At the 2014 RAND Behavioral Finance (BeFi) Forum, Professor Jeremy Burke discussed prize-linked debt reduction. The proceedings features videos of each of the presentations, followed by discussion by leading researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.
Jul 29, 2014
The Days After a Deal: Iran, Its Neighbors, and U.S. Policy Following a Nuclear Agreement
Professor Lynn Davis participated in a half-day RAND conference addressing "The Days After a Deal: Iran, its Neighbors, and U.S. Policy Following a Nuclear Agreement." As nuclear negotiations with Iran approach a deadline for a final deal this summer, the RAND conference looked ahead at some of the critical "day after" questions following a potential nuclear agreement.
Apr 17, 2014
Applying Robust Decision Making: Planning for Water and Flood Risk Management
Robust Decision Making is used in a wide range of applications, most critically in water and flood risk management. Here, Pardee RAND professors Robert Lempert and David Groves (cohort '01) discuss two key projects where RAND applied RDM to look at potential futures: the Colorado River Basin, and Ho Chi Minh City.
Nov 5, 2013
Eliminating Food Deserts
Can building a grocery store in a "food desert" change food purchasing and reduce health disparities in the U.S.? Pardee RAND professor Tamara Dubowitz introduces an innovative new RAND project that may provide answers.
Feb 6, 2013
Estimating Regional Air-Quality Damages from Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Extraction in Pennsylvania
Pardee RAND professor Aimee Curtright describes research she conducted with students Aviva Litovitz (cohort '08) and Shmuel Abramzon (cohort '10) that provides a first-order estimate of air emissions, and the monetary value of the associated damages, from the extraction of shale gas in Pennsylvania.
Jan 31, 2013
Adapting to Climate Change on the Coast: Lessons from Louisiana for Federal Policy
In this January 2013 Congressional Briefing, Pardee RAND professor and alum Jordan Fischbach (cohort '04) discusses how RAND helped Louisiana develop its 2012 Coastal Master Plan and key lessons that can make other communities more resilient in the face of natural disasters.
Jan 23, 2013
Marijuana Legalization: What We Know and What We Don't
In this July 2012 Congressional Briefing, drug policy experts and Pardee RAND professors Beau Kilmer and Rosalie Pacula discuss marijuana legalization, how it differs from decriminalization, its possible consequences, and federal response to state initiatives.
Jul 24, 2012
Prisoner Reentry and Public Health: Is Your State Ready?
In this June 2012 Congressional Briefing, Pardee RAND professor Lois Davis discusses the health care needs of prisoners who reenter the general population; the roles that health care providers, other social services, and family members play in successful reentry; and recommendations for improving access to care for this population in the current fiscal environment.
Jun 29, 2012
Bringing Sustainability to the Louisiana Coast
Pardee RAND professor/alum David Groves (cohort '01) describes RAND's role in helping to develop a plan to guide Louisiana's coastal investments, help its coastal citizens plan for the future, and create a sustainable coast.
Jun 5, 2012
No Child Left Behind: Ten Years Later
PRGS Professor Laura Hamilton discusses what has been learned in the ten years since the No Child Left Behind Act was signed into law in January 2002, including recommendations for addressing key limitations as Congress considers reauthorization.
Jan 5, 2012

Faculty Podcasts

Gaming Solutions to Global Problems
In this Call with the Experts, Prof David Shlapak, a senior international research analyst at RAND, talks about how serious games can help find solutions to global problems.
Jun 8, 2017
Drama over Health Care Continues
In this Call with the Experts, Prof Christine Eibner discusses the Affordable Care Act, what policymakers should consider, and changes that the current administration could make.
Apr 11, 2017
The Zika Virus: What We Know So Far
The Zika virus, a mosquito-borne disease that may be linked to brain damage in infants, is emerging as a public health priority. In this Call with the Experts, Prof. Melinda Moore answers questions about Zika and what can be done to prevent its spread.
Feb 9, 2016
Professors Discuss the Paris Climate Change Accord
More than 20 years after world leaders first tried hammering out an accord to tackle climate change, negotiators from 195 nations at the COP21 summit in Paris adopted a agreement that is being hailed as "historic, durable, and ambitious." Professors Robert Lempert and Debra Knopman discuss the agreement and what comes next.
Dec 17, 2015
The Social, Environmental, and Policy Implications of Driverless Cars
Self-driving cars are in the news, on the road, and, potentially, the future of driving. Pardee RAND professor James Anderson and Allen Biehler, a distinguished service professor of transportation systems and policy at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College, led a discussion about the potential benefits and drawbacks of driverless cars.
Nov 5, 2014
Pardee RAND Experts Discuss Extended Absence of Kim Jong-un
Pardee RAND alum Bruce Bennett (cohort '75) and Professor Andrew Scobell hosted a media conference call on Thursday, October 9 to discuss the extended absence of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the regional implications of a sudden change in North Korea's government, and China's role in the region. Media relations officer Joe Dougherty moderated the call.
Oct 9, 2014
RAND Experts Discuss President Obama's Speech Announcing ISIS Strategy
Professor Ben Connable and RAND researchers Dalia Dassa Kaye and Christopher Chivvis hosted a media conference call on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014 to discuss the President Obama's speech announcing his strategy to address the regional and global threat of ISIS. Media relations manager Joe Dougherty moderated the call.
Sep 11, 2014
Media Conference Call on Iran's Nuclear Program — U.S. Policy Choices and the Challenges Ahead
RAND international security experts Lynn E. Davis, a Pardee RAND professor, and Alireza Nader hosted a media conference call to discuss the July 20 deadline for the P5+1 (United States, Russia, China, United Kingdom, France, Germany) to reach a deal with Iran on its nuclear program, and the policy choices confronting the United States should an agreement be reached.
Jul 14, 2014
Media Call on Armed Aerial Drones and U.S. Security
Professor Lynn Davis, director of RAND's Washington office and senior political scientist, hosted a news media conference call to discuss armed aerial drones and U.S. security. Davis discussed issues such as how dangerous proliferation of drones may be, whether drones are transformative weapons, and how the U.S. can help shape a set of international norms that could discourage misuse by others.
May 16, 2014
Gender-Specific Approaches Needed for Women's Health
Listen in on this panel discussion featuring Pardee RAND professor Chloe E. Bird on women's health, heart health, gender-based disparities in health care, and the need for gender-specific approaches to diagnosis and treatment.
Jun 27, 2013
Media Conference Call on Early Childhood Development
In this media conference call, Professors Rebecca Kilburn, Lynn Karoly, and Anita Chandra, as well as other RAND experts on early childhood development and education, explain the importance of early childhood development in laying the foundation for success later in life, as well as the potential for high-quality programs to yield a return on investment for society at large.
Feb 19, 2013
Conference Call on 11th Anniversary of 'No Child Left Behind' Act
PRGS professors Brian Stecher and Laura Hamilton, and RAND Education director Darleen Opfer, conducted a media conference call to discuss the 11th anniversary of the signing of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 2001, or "No Child Left Behind."
Jan 4, 2013
Creating Resilient Coastal Communities
In this Resilient Communities podcast, Pardee RAND professor and alum Jordan R. Fischbach (cohort '04) discusses research that has helped the city of New Orleans address the challenge of reducing flood risk and is relevant to many other coastal communities that are concerned with water resources, infrastructure planning, rising sea levels, and flooding.
Feb 28, 2012