Pardee RAND Hosts Third Annual Summer Faculty Workshop in Policy Analysis

Pedro "Joe" Greer and participants of the 2015 Pardee RAND Summer Faculty Workshop in Policy Analysis

Photo by Diane Baldwin/RAND

July 29, 2015

The Pardee RAND Graduate School held its third annual Summer Faculty Workshop in Policy Research and Analysis in the Santa Monica office during the week of July 20. The school hosted 12 guest faculty members from institutions serving highly diverse student bodies for an intensive introduction to policy analysis, RAND, and Pardee RAND. Participants represented Florida International University, Xavier University of Louisiana, Charles Drew University, and the University of Illinois at Chicago, among other institutions, and a wide array of disciplines, including law, medicine, social work, political science, and engineering.

The workshop provided an introduction to the tools of policy analysis and guided participants in applying them to develop a policy research project over the course of the week. This year, the agenda emphasized projects that might effect change at the community level. Several RAND staff members and Pardee RAND students shared their time and expertise to help participants conceptualize their projects from the perspective of a policy researcher.

Assistant Dean Gery Ryan interviewed RAND trustee and chair of the Pardee RAND Board of Governors Pedro José ("Joe") Greer about his experience delivering medical care to underserved communities during a special keynote event on July 22. Greer is also associate dean for community engagement at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University. In that role, he has overseen the implementation of unique models for medical education and community medical care. The discussion also addressed the importance of diversifying the medical profession through community engagement and outreach.

The workshop concluded with group discussions of methods that each participant could use to implement their research in their home communities, to integrate policy analysis into their curriculum, and to inspire their students to consider careers or advanced degrees in the field of public policy.

The Pardee RAND professors Sandy Berry, Lionel Galway, Gery Ryan, and Jeffrey Wasserman served as workshop instructors, and Pardee RAND students Jeremy Boback, Annie Boustead, Beth Katz, and Yemi Okunogbe served as teaching assistants.