Calendar of Events

    Past Events

  • Exits on the Road to Serfdom

    Sep 26, 2013

    In The Road to Serfdom, Friedrich Hayek suggested that statist intervention in the economy would inevitably bring a population to a serf-like situation. James Thompson, Noah Harding Professor of Statistics at Rice University, will discuss this assertion, and those of the critics who suggest that such pessimism is excessive.

  • Reaper drone

    Drones

    Sep 25, 2013

    Drones—robotic, unmanned aerial vehicles used for surveillance—have transformed warfare and are beginning to transform civilian life as well. A RAND Policy Forum will address friendly and unfriendly drones, how they are being used today, who has them, and what other applications indicate cause for concern.

  • Brian Michael Jenkins testifying

    Hill Staff Conference Call with RAND Terrorism Expert

    Aug 22, 2013

    RAND terrorism expert Brian Michael Jenkins will lead this exclusive Hill discussion on current events in the Middle East and North Africa. Jenkins will share a firsthand account of what he learned from key leaders during his recent trip to the region.

  • group of people at a seminar

    RAND Public Policy Analysis Workshop for Congressional Staffers

    Aug 13, 2013

    This two-day analysis training workshop will provide legislative staffers with an introduction to policy analysis tools and techniques as well as an understanding of how they can be used to improve the quality of public policy decisionmaking.

  • a huge crowd of Egyptians gathered in Tahrir Square

    Egypt and the Question of U.S. Assistance

    Jul 25, 2013

    With the ouster of former President Morsi by the Egyptian military, there is a renewed debate over the status of U.S. assistance to Egypt. Would cutting off aid promote or impair American interests in the region? RAND's Jeff Martini will moderate a discussion with Steven A. Cook of CFR and Michele Dunne of the Atlantic Council.

  • a woman getting her blood pressure checked

    Women's Health

    Jun 27, 2013

    A RAND Policy Forum will address women's health, heart health, and the potential effects of gender on health with speakers Chloe Bird, Amanda Daniels, and Karol Watson.

  • students and a teacher in a classroom using computers

    Improving Student Achievement Through Education Technology

    Jun 20, 2013

    RAND senior scientist John Pane will participate in a panel hosted by Carnegie Learning to discuss a large-scale randomized study of the blended learning algebra curriculum designed by Carnegie Learning, tracking the progress of more than 19,000 students in 147 schools in seven states.

  • thinking about stocks and finances

    RAND Behavioral Finance Forum 2013

    May 31, 2013

    The RAND Behavioral Finance (BeFi) Forum is an annual, day-long event held in Washington, D.C. Videos from the 2013 event include a series of topical panels on curated presentations of academic research followed by discussion by leading practitioners.

  • Anti and pro-Mubarak protesters clash at Tahrir square, Cairo, Egypt, February 2011

    Arab Spring

    May 23, 2013

    Two years after the revolutions that shook the political landscape of the Arab world, several countries in the region remain unsettled. Did the Arab Spring really change that much for the better, as hopes of democracy seem to have faded, or is it still too soon to tell?

  • turnaround at roundabout

    Peter Blair Henry Discusses Turnaround: Third World Lessons for First World Growth

    May 13, 2013

    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.

  • U.S. servicemembers raise a flag

    What Will Keep a U.S. Defense Secretary Up at Night Through the Next Decade?

    May 6, 2013

    Former U.S. Secretary of Defense and RAND trustee emeritus Harold Brown will discuss his book, Star Spangled Security: Applying Lessons Learned Over Six Decades Safeguarding America, and how his experience applies to current challenges facing the United States.

  • Australian cigarette packaging

    Plain Tobacco Packaging: Implications for Health, Law, and Policy

    Apr 12, 2013

    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.

  • RAND Trustee Harold Brown speaks at Politics Aside 2012

    A Conversation with Former Defense Secretary Harold Brown

    Apr 9, 2013

    At an event on April 9, 2013, former Defense Secretary Harold Brown will discuss how to align America's interests, values, and defense budget to meet the nation's current challenges.

  • Chinese container shipping port

    David Roland-Holst Discusses China's Agrifood Demand in a Global Context

    Apr 5, 2013

    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.

  • Egyptians voting at the 2012 presidential elections in Cairo

    Mapping Egyptian Politics

    Mar 22, 2013

    Despite widespread unrest, Egypt is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections in the coming months. Three Egypt watchers will discuss what past electoral performance and the current political context say about the Islamists' strength in Egypt and what it means for the U.S.

  • gas pipeline

    An Energy-Independent United States

    Mar 20, 2013

    Declines in energy consumption because of substantial improvements in efficiency and surging production of natural gas, oil, and renewable energy have brought the United States to the brink of energy independence. Join RAND to learn more about shifts in U.S. energy markets.

  • Cambodian garment factory workers travel home from work in Kampong Chhnang province, north of Phnom Penh

    Overcoming Obstacles to Peace

    Mar 18, 2013

    In their new book, Overcoming Obstacles to Peace, RAND experts James Dobbins and Laurel Miller present evidence that international interventions can in fact build more peaceful nations. Join the discussion on March 18, 2013, 10-11:30 a.m., at the U.S. Institute of Peace Headquarters.

  • Farm laborers in Brazil

    Incentives, Labor Markets, and the Challenge of Universal Social Protection in Latin America

    Mar 15, 2013

    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.

  • U.S. Marines in Iraq

    RAND and Foreign Policy Host Forum on Iraq War

    Mar 15, 2013

    RAND and Foreign Policy brought together a group of high-level Department of Defense and executive branch officials, theater commanders, analysts, and journalists to reflect on the Iraq War on the tenth anniversary of the invasion. The goal of the discussions was to identify lessons not yet learned from the conflict.

  • Woman helping man off bed, walker in front of him

    Palliative Care: Improving Quality of Life for the Seriously Ill

    Feb 26, 2013

    Health care professionals are always looking for more effective ways to relieve and prevent suffering among their patients and to enhance the quality of care. Join us for a discussion on what we know—and what we need to know—about the delivery of palliative care services.

  • Indian doctor's office

    Dilemmas of Decentralization and Development

    Feb 26, 2013

    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 presented his research at the February 26 International Development Speaker Series.

  • Zocalo Square, Mexico City

    Too Big to Democratize? An IDSS Presentation by Denise Dresser

    Feb 21, 2013

    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.

  • Conference and Webcast on Public Health Regulations for Marijuana

    Feb 11, 2013

    Initiatives to legalize and regulate marijuana leave local, state, and federal policymakers facing new questions. To help leaders better understand the possible consequences, DPRC researchers moderated a forum in Washington, D.C., on February 11, 2013, about developing public health regulations for marijuana.

  • Aerial views of Hurricane Sandy damage to homes on Long Beach

    Adapting to Climate Change on the Coast: Lessons from Louisiana for Federal Policy

    Jan 23, 2013

    What can be done to reduce the chances of widespread disaster when the next "Sandy" hits? Jordan Fischbach will discuss how climate change and other long-term challenges can affect coasts and the tools federal or state policymakers will need to address them.

  • James Q. Wilson

    The Intellectual Life and Legacy of James Q. Wilson

    Jan 17, 2013

    A RAND policy forum focused on the work and life of James Q. Wilson, a longtime board member of the RAND Corporation and its Pardee RAND Graduate School who was known, among other things, for his analyses of the nature of bureaucracy.