
The BeFi Public Policy Roundtable brings together the brightest minds in behavioral finance to discuss research that combines behavioral science and cognitive psychology with economics and finance.

In his book Turnaround, economist Peter Blair Henry argues that the secret to emerging countries' success (and ours) is discipline — sustained commitment to a pragmatic growth strategy. Henry will be visiting PRGS and RAND for the International Development Speaker Series.

Tobacco raises vital current issues of global concern regarding the interaction among international trade and investment laws, public policy, and public health objectives. Professors Mitchell and Voon reflect on the implications of Australia's experience with mandatory standardized tobacco packaging legislation for international health law and policy.

Rising Chinese incomes are increasing domestic agricultural consumption. Because China is severely constrained in these resources, the implications of this demand acceleration will be global. In this talk, Professor Roland-Holst sets out the drivers of China's changing agrifood economy and maps out its implications for global food markets and sustainability.

The monetary cost of dementia in the United States ranges from $157 billion to $215 billion annually, making the disease more costly to the nation than either heart disease or cancer. The greatest cost is associated with providing institutional and home-based long-term care rather than medical services.

PRGS alum David Robalino returns to RAND on March 15 to discuss his World Bank research on social security, labor markets, and fiscal policy in Latin America and the Caribbean, as part of the International Development Speaker Series.

Because of the current regulations surrounding Social Security Disability Insurance, when people receive SSDI it affects their employability and earnings. CDR director Nicole Maestas briefed the Social Security Advisory Board on the urgency of reforming SSDI, followed by a Q&A session with fellow panelists, at a forum in Washington.

Pranab Bardhan, a graduate professor of economics at UC Berkeley, has conducted theoretical and field studies research on rural institutions in poor countries and the political economy of development policies. He will present his research at the February 26 International Development Speaker Series.

In Mexico, government gridlock can be attributed to traditional elites using their power to block reforms that affect their interests or assure those initiatives that protect their privileged status. Denise Dresser will be discussing Mexico's political and socioeconomic challenges as part of the International Development Speaker Series on February 21.

How can developing countries escape "capability traps," in which they pretend to reform by changing how organizations look rather than what they do? Michael Woolcock, professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, will discuss his research on January 10 as part of the 2012-13 International Development Speaker Series.

Generating foresight and designing policies with regard to international development issues greatly benefits from explicitly taking deep uncertainty, temporal dynamics, and adaptivity into account. Speaker Dr. Erik Pruyt is a methodological advisor to the Dutch government regarding National Safety and Security.

RAND economist and PRGS professor Titus Galama has received an Independent Scientist Award from the National Institute on Aging, a prestigious career development award offered by the National Institutes of Health to foster the development of outstanding scientists.

Research in Matlab, Bangladesh, reveals that the shorter the interpregnancy interval (IPI) following a miscarriage, the more likely the subsequent pregnancy is to result in a live birth. However, very short IPIs are associated with a higher risk of mortality for the infants born after them.

RAND Summer Institute is an annual event sponsored by the RAND Labor and Population Center for the Study of Aging; RSI's two conferences on aging are sponsored by the National Institute on Aging and the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research and convene in Santa Monica each July.

The BeFi Public Policy Roundtable brings together the brightest minds in behavioral finance to discuss research that combines behavioral science and cognitive psychology with economics and finance.

Mexico is facing the demographic and epidemiological challenge of providing financial security and adequate health care to millions of elderly citizens.

An infographic portrays the demographic transition underway in Mexico, as its population ages rapidly over the next few decades.

Though consistency in applying disability assessment criteria is intended, it is not easily achieved in practice. For many SSDI applicants, whether they are allowed or denied benefits depends upon the examiner to which their application is assigned.

The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences selected a paper by James P. Smith, Distinguished Chair in Labor Markets and Demographic Studies at the RAND Corporation, as one of six published by PNAS in 2011 to receive the Cozzarelli Prize.

California has taken steps to implement components of a comprehensive professional development system for its early child education workforce. However, further advances are needed and more information is required to identify possible inefficiencies in the current system.

The Development Portfolio Management Group, a group providing independent review and counsel to international aid projects in developing countries, has joined the RAND Corporation. Joining nonprofit RAND will allow the group to assist a wider array of projects, including those funded by governments of developing countries, bi-lateral donors, regional development banks, and foundations.

The RAND Bing Center for Health Economics, RAND Labor and Population, and the
Journal of Human Capital held a two-day Conference on Health, Aging, and Human Capital. Speakers included RAND's Nicole Maestas, NYU's Michael Grossman, and Harvard's David Wise; all conference videos are available online.

Labor issues, healthcare, education, social programs, and other factors affecting economic development in Latin America were the focus of a two-day conference in Santiago, Chile. RAND researchers joined university colleagues, industry experts, government leaders, and policymakers in discussing a range of critical topics.

James P. Smith, who holds the Distinguished Chair in Labor Markets and Demographic Studies at RAND, has been elected for membership in the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies. Election to the IOM is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service.

Mexican citizens are living longer and overall have experienced an improvement in the quality of life compared to that of prior generations. However, the demographic transition in Mexico, combined with the lack of formal sources of income in retirement, places many older persons in a state of financial insecurity.