Pardee RAND News & Events

Pardee RAND Graduate School students, alumni, and faculty are often in the news, writing blogs, publishing research, speaking at events, and more. Other pages (student blog posts, alumni news, faculty blog posts, featured research) provide filtered views of Pardee RAND news and announcements; here we present a complete compilation of ALL the news that's fit to share.

  • Students, Faculty Share IPCC Findings

    Students David Catt (cohort ’16) and Karishma Patel (’17) joined Professors Robert Lempert and Benjamin Preston for a recent webinar to discuss the findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group II report, Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability.

    Mar 15, 2022

  • Two women hugging in a group setting, photo by FatCamera/Getty Images

    Evaluating WhyWeRise 2020 and 2021

    WhyWeRise is a social marketing campaign focused on prevention of, and early intervention for, mental health challenges among Los Angeles County residents. Surveys by Ingrid Estrada-Darley (cohort '19) and Profs. Rebecca Collins and Nicole Eberhart suggest that this campaign reached a racially, culturally, and economically diverse group of county residents, fostered a feeling of support among those exposed to the campaign, and boosted residents' awareness of local resources.

    Mar 10, 2022

  • Older man talking a receptionist at a medical office, photo by stockfour/Getty Images

    Do Financial Incentives Affect Medicare Use by Chronically Ill Individuals?

    Alum Sai Ma (cohort '02) and RAND colleagues found that individuals with chronic conditions respond to changes in copays, although these responses are small. Reductions in PCP copays lead to reduced use of some specialists, suggesting that lowering PCP copays could be an effective way to reduce the use of specialist care, a desirable outcome if specialists are overused.

    Mar 4, 2022

  • Teenage student getting help from her parent during remote school, photo by Imgorthand/Getty Images

    Educating Students with Disabilities: Lessons from the Pandemic

    Heather Gomez-Bendaña (cohort '19) and Lucas Greer ('20) analyzed a survey of U.S. educators that sheds light on the obstacles that teachers and principals faced—even before the pandemic. They found that the obstacles make supporting students with disabilities especially challenging in the COVID-19 era.

    Mar 3, 2022

  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky chairs an urgent meeting with leadership of the government, and representatives of the defense and economic sectors, in Kyiv, Ukraine, February 24, 2022, photo by Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters

    Student, Prof Consider Continuity of Government in Ukraine

    To reduce the risks of government collapse, Ukraine's leadership might accelerate preparations to ensure the continuity of government. Some steps are doubtless underway but out of public view, write student Khrystyna Holynska and Prof. William Courtney.

    Feb 25, 2022

  • Wind turbines surrounded by fog in Costa Rica, photo by OGphoto/Getty Images

    A Green Costa Rican COVID-19 Recovery

    Before COVID-19 hit, Costa Rica had been taking a leading role in addressing the effects of climate change by investing in decarbonization. Pardee RAND students, faculty, and alumni consider whether these same investments could also accelerate Costa Rica's pandemic economic recovery and help address historical inequities.

    Feb 24, 2022

  • Teacher helping student in classroom

    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

  • Illustrated graph shows how Costa Rica could reach net-zero emissions by 2050 under its National Decarbonization Plan. Achieving net-zero emissions is estimated to create a net economic benefit of $40.9 billion, visualization by Gabrielle Mérite

    Visualizing Costa Rica's Carbon-Neutral Future

    The latest product of RAND Art + Data illustrates research findings by Pardee RAND alumni and students David Groves, James Syme, Edmundo Molina-Perez, and Carlos Calvo Hernandez, who analyzed the potential outcomes of Costa Rica's National Decarbonization Plan.

    Feb 23, 2022

  • Students hold signs inside the Kentucky Capitol Rotunda in opposition to bills Kentucky lawmakers say would eradicate critical race theory from state schools, January 12, 2022, photo by Alton Strupp/USA Today via Reuters

    Anti-Bias Education in U.S. Public Schools

    Teaching students explicitly about issues of identity, diversity, equity, and bias can lead to positive outcomes. Ashley Woo (cohort '18), Prof. Julia Kaufman, and RAND colleagues found that nearly three in four K–12 teachers reported that they provide such anti-bias instruction, but more than half said that their school's or district's curriculum materials did not adequately address anti-bias topics.

    Feb 22, 2022

  • A parent of two students works as a substitute teacher at the Austin Jewish Academy as the spread of the Omicron variant leads to teacher shortages in Austin, Texas, January 20, 2022, photo by Callaghan O'Hare/Reuters

    School Staffing Challenges in the Pandemic's Third Year

    As of fall 2021, school staff shortages were most acute for substitutes, bus drivers, special education teachers, and paraprofessionals, Melissa Diliberti (cohort '19) finds, based on an analysis of American School District Panel survey data. The turnover of superintendents was normal but half of them said that they might leave in the next few years or were unsure of how long they would stay.

    Feb 15, 2022

  • Woman talking with her doctor, photo by FatCamera/Getty Images

    Carve-In Models for Specialty Behavioral Health Services: Lessons for California

    Many states separate, or "carve out," Medicaid financing of behavioral health services from that for other types of health care, but there has been a recent trend in some states toward "carve-ins": combining financing for behavioral health services with the larger pool of Medicaid-covered services. Jonah Kushner (cohort '20) and Prof. Marcela Horvitz-Lennon examine the experiences of other states with carve-in financing to inform California's consideration of this type of funding.

    Feb 11, 2022

  • Doctor consulting with patient, photo by monkeybusinessimages/Getty Images

    Physician Compensation and Financial Incentives in U.S. Health Systems

    Despite growth in value-based payment arrangements and a push to improve value in health care, alumni Cheryl Damberg (cohort '89) and Erin Duffy ('15) find that health systems currently incentivize physicians to maximize volume, thereby maximizing revenues.

    Feb 8, 2022

  • National Guard Specialist Austin Alt assists a student as he fills in as a substitute teacher due to staffing shortages caused by COVID-19 at Pojoaque Valley Middle School in Pojoaque, New Mexico, January 28, 2022, photo by Adria Malcolm/Reuters

    Challenges That May Be Getting in the Way of Student Learning

    Melissa Diliberti (cohort '19) and Prof. Heather Schwartz found that, as of November 2021, school district leaders' top three concerns were the mental health of students, teachers, and principals. And 74 percent of them said that political polarization about COVID-19 safety or vaccines was interfering with their ability to educate students.

    Feb 8, 2022

  • Electrician teaching his apprentices how to strip the wires in the distribution board, photo by simonkr/Getty Images

    The Value of Education and Training After High School

    Most types of postsecondary credentials can lead to improved earnings. But alum Lindsey Daugherty (cohort '05) explains that returns can vary across different fields and by demographic characteristics. Understanding the value of credentials can help individuals, employers, and policymakers make smarter investments.

    Feb 2, 2022

  • Ukrainian Armed Forces during tactical military exercises at a shooting range in the Kherson region, Ukraine, January 19, 2022, p

    Two Choices in Ukraine

    Khrystyna Holynska (cohort '20) and Amb. William Courtney write that, facing existential risk, Ukraine may take urgent measures to help protect itself against a Russian invasion. And if the immediate threat were to ebb, Ukraine might use the time gained to prepare for potential future threats.

    Jan 31, 2022

  • Construction at a subdivision for residents of Isle de Jean Charles, Louisiana, who are being relocated due to climate change, near Shriever, Louisiana, April 7, 2021, photo by Kathleen Flynn/Reuters

    To Help Climate Migrants, We Must First Recognize Them

    Despite the large and growing population displaced by extreme weather, there is no common definition of a “climate migrant.” Once we get a clearer sense of just who is a climate migrant, writes Jay Balagna (cohort '20), policy efforts should begin focusing on the full fabric of life in our communities, creating systems that will help migrants become a part of that fabric in safe and dignified ways.

    Jan 28, 2022

  • People line up for COVID-19 vaccines and booster doses at a McDonald's in Chicago, Illinois, December 21, 2021, photo by Jim Vondruska/Reuters

    Hyper-Local Strategies Are Working to Promote Vaccination Equity

    The Equity-First Vaccination Initiative, launched in summer 2021, has already made progress in reducing racial/ethnic disparities in U.S. COVID-19 vaccination rates. Lawrence Baker (cohort '19), Priya Gandhi ('20), Khadesia Howell ('20), and Rebecca Wolfe ('20)—working with Profs. Laura Faherty, Jeanne Ringel, and Malcolm Williams—found that hyper-local, community-led strategies are helping to increase vaccine confidence and access for communities that identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of color.

    Jan 28, 2022

  • Adam Kern, principal of Clarkston Junior High School in Michigan, checks students' temperatures during a field trip, Sterling, Virginia, June 18, 2021, photo by Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

    How Were Principals Doing One Year into the Pandemic?

    Four out of five secondary school principals reported experiencing frequent job-related stress during the 2020–2021 school year. As the pandemic persists, Ashley Woo (cohort '18) explores what could help reduce the burden on school leaders.

    Jan 26, 2022

  • A man in civilian clothes and a man in uniform are shown positions by a female yoga instructor

    Predictors of PTSD Treatment Retention and Response

    Sangita Baxi (cohort '17), Christine Chen ('15), Meghan Franco ('17), Mahlet Gizaw ('17), and Nima Shahidinia ('16) worked with Profs. Margaret Maglione and Susanne Hempel to identify baseline patient characteristics and program features associated with military PTSD treatment retention, response, and remission

    Jan 24, 2022

  • The Embarked Security Team (EST) on Board USNS Rainier (T-AOE 7), along with Sailors from Coastal Riverine Squadron THREE's (CRS-3) boarded on Riverine Command Boats (RCBs), defend the vessel using dazzler non-lethal weapon and blank rounds during a simulated attack as it departs to support ships during Rim of the Pacific 2016. Twenty-six nations, comprising over 40 ships and submarines and over 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 30 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2016 is the 25th iteration in the series that began in 1971 and is the world's largest international maritime exercise, photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Martin Wright/U.S. Navy

    How to Effectively Assess the Impact of Non-Lethal Weapons as Intermediate Force Capabilities

    The U.S Department of Defense needs to be able to assess the tactical, operational, and strategic impact of non-lethal weapons to inform how and when they should be used and their integration into overall DoD capabilities. Alum Jonathan Wong (cohort '12) and RAND colleagues ask, how do non-lethal weapons contribute to overarching DoD goals?

    Jan 18, 2022