J. Luke Irwin

Contact Information

Assistant Policy Researcher; Ph.D. Candidate, Pardee RAND Graduate School

Santa Monica Office

Education

M.P.H., Unversity of Texas Health Science Center; B.S. in neurobiology, University of Texas

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

J. Luke Irwin is an assistant policy analyst at RAND and a Ph.D. student at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. His primary interests are complex social systems, emerging technologies, and social change. His work at RAND spans a wide range of substantive policy areas, including education, workforce development, population health, science and technology, and social inequality.

Prior to joining Pardee RAND, he was a research specialist focusing on vital event data at the Texas Department of State Health Services. He has also conducted a variety of qualitative and quantitative research projects for government clients, such as investigating transportation service coverage for the City of Austin and environmental health exposures for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, Irwin has on-the-ground experience in both educational and health care settings, developing and executing lesson plans in middle school, high school, and collegiate settings, and as a patient care technician in a hospital emergency room.

He received his Master of Public Health degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center and holds a B.S. in neurobiology from the University of Texas, with minors in programming and biomimicry.

Research Focus

Recent Projects

Interdependent Inequalities in Rural America
Assessing Algorithmic Equity
Security 2040: The Security Implications of Additive Manufacturing

Commentary

Downloadable Guns and Other 3-D Printing Security Threats
Americans may soon be able to legally access blueprints for 3D-printed guns. The growing opposition to these weapons shows that potential security threats do not have to be inevitable. The security challenges inherent in 3D printing could be addressed, while the development of industry norms can still be shaped.
Jul 31, 2018 Fox News Channel

Publications

Draft
Draft
A Systemic Framework for Understanding the Dynamics of Rural Communities in America
Describes a basic, multi-level framework for mapping the system of factors and mechanisms that most influence positive and negative outcomes in rural communities.
Oct 23, 2019
Report
Algorithmic Equity: A Framework for Social Applications
This report is an examination of pathologies in social institutions' use of algorithmic decisionmaking processes. The primary focus is understanding how to evaluate the equitable use of algorithms across a range of specific applications.
Jul 11, 2019
Report
Additive Manufacturing in 2040: Powerful Enabler, Disruptive Threat
This Perspective -- part of a series examining critical security challenges in 2040 -- offers a new framework for exploring the disruptive dimensions of additive manufacturing technology and explores which sectors and industries might be most affected.
May 8, 2018