Science and Technology

Contents:

RAND experts have often been among the pioneers of key scientific research, including computer analysis, satellite development, military technology, and the foundations of the Internet. RAND's research has also resulted in the development of new methodologies and ways of analyzing policy issues, from the Delphi method to Robust Decision Making.

Research conducted by: RAND Justice, Infrastructure, and Environment; RAND Europe; RAND Education; RAND Health; Transportation, Space, and Technology Program; Pardee Center for Longer Range Global Policy; Acquisition and Technology Policy Center

Featured at RAND

Improving Mathematics and Science Education

A multiyear, National Science Foundation-funded study found weak positive associations between reform-oriented mathematics and science instruction and achievement. Encouraging teachers to adopt such instruction is unlikely to be an effective strategy for promoting large and rapid student improvement.

U.S. Leads the World in Science and Technology With Help of Foreign Scientists

An inflow of foreign students in the sciences -- as well as scientists and engineers from overseas -- has helped the United States build and maintain its worldwide lead in science and technology.

All Items (2403)

Journal Article

Vision and Persistence: Changing the Education of Physicians Is Possible — Jan 1, 2012

In the 1960s, a new paradigm for training physicians emerged: one that combined clinical training and its focus on individual patients with a research training focused on studying the health of populations.

Journal Article

Two Ways About It — Jan 1, 2012

Examines the dichotomy of defence industrial policy.

Journal Article

Measuring Instructional Practice in Science Using Classroom Artifacts: Lessons Learned from Two Validation Studies — Jan 1, 2012

This article summarizes the results of two studies that investigated the properties of measures of instruction based on a teacher-generated instrument (the Scoop Notebook) that combines features of portfolios and self-report.

Journal Article

Crowdsourcing Based Business Models: In Search of Evidence for Innovation 2.0 — Jan 1, 2012

This paper addresses crowdsourcing, an under-researched type of open innovation that is often enabled by the web.

Journal Article

The Influence of Integrated Electronic Medical Records and Computerized Nursing Notes on Nurses' Time Spent in Documentation — Jan 1, 2012

With or without electronic charting options, nurses spend about 19% of their time completing documentation, compared with all other categories of care.

Journal Article

Applying a Natural Language Processing Tool to Electronic Health Records to Assess Performance on Colonoscopy Quality Measures — Jan 1, 2012

Natural language processing programs can "read" dictated reports and measure colonoscopy quality in an inexpensive, automated, and efficient manner.

Journal Article

Getting the Most Out of Electric Vehicle Subsidies — Jan 1, 2012

Federal subsidies and policies to encourage plug-in vehicle adoption would produce more benefits at lower cost by targeting the purchase of vehicles with small battery packs.

Journal Article

Robust Climate Policies Under Uncertainty: A Comparison of Robust Decision-Making and Info-Gap Methods — Jan 1, 2012

This study compares two widely used approaches for robustness analysis of decision problems: the info-gap method originally developed by Ben-Haim and the robust decision making (RDM) approach originally developed by Lempert, Popper, and Bankes.

Journal Article

Cyber Policy: Institutional Struggle in a Transformed World — Jan 1, 2012

When it comes to cyber security, the world today is not the future that U.S. policy promised when cyber security first appeared on the national agenda well over a decade ago.

Journal Article

Investment Decision Making Under Deep Uncertainty: Application to Climate Change — Jan 1, 2012

This paper summarizes the additional uncertainty that is created by climate change, and reviews the tools that are available to project climate change (including downscaling techniques) and to assess and quantify the corresponding uncertainty.

Journal Article

Detection of Associations Between Trial Quality and Effect Sizes — Jan 1, 2012

The amount of additional heterogeneity in effect sizes is a crucial factor in determining when associations between quality and effect sizes can be detected.

Report

The Characteristics of Cyberspace Pose Challenges to Those Who Seek to Defend It — Dec 22, 2011

It has become clear that Stuxnet-like worms pose a serious threat even to critical U.S. infrastructure and computer systems that are not connected to the Internet. However, defending against such attacks involves complex technological and legal issues.

Research Brief

Australia's Domestic Submarine Design Capabilities: Options for the Future Submarine — Dec 22, 2011

To design a new naval submarine domestically, Australia's industry and Government will need about 1,000 skilled draftsmen and engineers. Cultivating this workforce could take 15-20 years; partnering with foreign designers could expedite the process.

Report

RAND Project AIR FORCE Annual Report 2011 — Dec 22, 2011

This annual report describes selected RAND Project AIR FORCE research during 2011 in the areas of strategy and doctrine; force modernization and employment; manpower, personnel, and training; and resource management.

Tool

RAND HRS Makes Longitudinal Household Survey Data Accessible to Researchers — Dec 21, 2011

The Health and Retirement Study is a longitudinal survey of the elderly dating back to 1992. With the support of the National Institute on Aging and Social Security Administration, RAND has made five data sets available for researchers.

Journal Article

A Flair for Sharing - Encouraging Information Exchange Between CERTs — Dec 16, 2011

This study focuses on the legal and regulatory aspects of information sharing and cross-border collaboration of national/governmental CERTs in Europe.

Project

Calculating Uncertainty in Biomass Emissions (CUBE) Model — Dec 16, 2011

CUBE 2.0, an update of the 2010 release of the 1.0 version, allows users to estimate the "farm-to-gate" greenhouse gas emissions of biomass feedstocks for energy production, as well as the uncertainty in these emissions.

News Release

RAND Issues New Study on Australia's Submarine Design Capabilities and Capacities — Dec 15, 2011

When it comes to designing a new submarine, Australia has considerable expertise, but some gaps still exist.

Report

Australia Has Considerable Expertise in Submarine Design, but Gaps Still Exist — Dec 15, 2011

The Royal Australian Navy intends to acquire 12 new submarines to replace its Collins-class vessels. RAND assessed the domestic engineering and design skills that Australian industry and government will need to design the new submarine, identified the skills they currently possess, and evaluated how to fill any gaps between the two.

Project

Online Guide Helps Health Organizations Adopt Electronic Health Records — Dec 14, 2011

A new online tool, called the "Unintended Consequences Guide," is available from the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to help hospitals and other health care organizations anticipate, avoid, and address problems that can occur when adopting and using electronic health records.