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Science and Technology

RAND research on science and technology serves a mix of clients, including federal agencies, state, and other government entities, businesses, and foundations. Much of this research is conducted within the Transportation, Space, and Technology program of RAND Infrastructure, Safety, and Environment. View all Science and Technology Documents Available Online or find general information at Reports and Bookstore.

More »Featured Research

Economic Costs of Major Oil Supply Disruption Pose Risk to U.S. National Security — May 11, 2009

While on a net basis the United States imports nearly 60 percent of the oil it consumes, this reliance on imported oil is not by itself a major national security threat. The study finds that the economic costs of a major disruption in global oil supplies—including higher prices for American consumers—pose the greatest risk to the United States.

Full DocumentNews ReleaseResearch Brief

How the Air Force Can Understand and Mitigate Titanium Price Trends — Apr. 15, 2009

Titanium is a significant element in the construction of aircraft. However, in recent years a major spike in titanium prices is expected to significantly influence the acquisition costs of future aircraft. This monograph examines the titanium industrial base, production technology, and the factors underlying its market price fluctuations, with a focus on the role of supply-side drivers.

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RAND Tracks Worldwide Terrorism Attacks in Database Project — Jan. 14, 2009

The Database of Worldwide Terrorism Incidents defines and categorizes terrorist attacks in order to help analysts, policymakers, and practitioners understand general trends in the threat. It is based on over 30 years of research by analysts at RAND and is now offering institutional subscriptions.

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View All »Related News & Commentary

June 15, 2009: Getting Value from the U.S.-ROK Summit, By Bruce W. Bennett (The Korea Herald)

June 1, 2009: RAND Announces New Pricing Strategy and Partnerships for E-Books

May 19, 2009: The Cracks in Data Privacy, By Lorenzo Valeri, Neil Robinson (European Voice online)

May 11, 2009: Economic Costs of Major Oil Supply Disruption Pose Risk to U.S. National Security

April 29, 2009: Limiting Treatment to Those Who Need It, By Dana P. Goldman (KQED online)

View All »Featured Reports

Oil Shale Development in the United States: Prospects and Policy Issues In the early 1980s, industry and government took a hard look at the economics of extracting oil from vast deposits of shale that lie beneath the western United States. Oil prices subsided, and interest waned. With oil prices spiking and global demand showing no signs of abating, reexamining the economics of oil shale makes sense. In this report, the authors describe oil shale resources; suitability, cost, and performance of new technologies; and key policy issues that need to be addressed by government decisionmakers in the near future. Full Document

The Global Technology Revolution 2020, Executive Summary In 2020, areas of particular importance for technology trends will include biotechnology, nanotechnology, materials technology, and information technology. The authors of this report assessed a sample of 29 countries across the spectrum of scientific advancement (low to high) with respect to their ability to acquire and implement 16 key technology applications. Full Document