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Featured Research

  • Aerial view of the Earth

    Exploring America's Role in a Turbulent World

    Jan 18, 2017

    The post–Cold War era is over. The United States faces new challenges abroad and rising political polarization at home. How should America advance its interests and pursue new opportunities around the world?

  • The mascots of the Democratic and Republican parties are seen on a video screen at U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign rally in Cleveland, Ohio, March 8, 2016

    Domestic Political Discord Is Now the Greatest Threat to U.S. Global Leadership

    Jan 18, 2017

    The United States needs a coherent international strategy for today's turbulent world. But this will be hard to pursue without more domestic political consensus on America's global role.

  • Police desk with crime case records containing a mobile phone, photos, and keys

    Preparing the U.S. Legal System for Emerging Technologies

    Jan 10, 2017

    Personal technology gathers data that can be useful in criminal justice proceedings. But this can also pose challenges for protecting individual rights. Identifying future conflicts ahead of time can help.

  • A highway at night under a starry sky

    Don't Rely on Test-Driving Alone to Assess Autonomous Vehicle Safety

    Jan 9, 2017

    Americans drive three trillion miles a year, causing one death every 100 million miles. To prove that autonomous vehicles are safer than humans, they would have to be test-driven astronomical distances. Regulators should pursue other ways of reducing uncertainty about AV safety.

  • Silhouettes of people on a Syrian national flag are seen at a peace march in Damascus, September 21, 2016

    How to Prevent State Collapse in Syria

    Jan 9, 2017

    Syria will likely be a weak state in a volatile region when its civil war ends. How can U.S. policy create conditions for a transition that helps fight terrorism and preserve state institutions?

  • Airmen along with KC-135 Stratotanker jets return home to Pennsylvania July 2, 2010, from an overseas deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom

    Supporting the U.S. Air Force's Wounded Warriors

    Jan 6, 2017

    A high proportion of airmen injured in combat experience mental health issues. And 15 percent of those surveyed were unemployed. Recovery and reintegration are likely to take a long time. This will require ongoing program evaluation and continuous efforts to improve program offerings.

  • Medicaid option highlighted on an online form

    Effects of the ACA's Medicaid Expansion on Health Insurance Enrollment

    Dec 29, 2016

    Increases in insurance coverage were larger in states that expanded Medicaid, but take-up was lower among men, Hispanics, and adults under 36.

  • Saving the Government Money: Examples from RAND's FFRDCs

    Dec 20, 2016

    RAND's federally funded research and development centers apply research capital they have developed over the years to help decisionmakers solve problems and often save money as well. This publication lists and briefly summarizes some RAND projects undertaken over the past several years that have helped save the government money or that have identified ways to do so.

  • A Zipline delivery drone releases its payload during a demonstration near San Francisco, California, May 5, 2016

    What's the Buzz on Delivery Drones?

    Dec 20, 2016

    Millions of commercial drones may be in the air by 2020. This could make near-instant airborne delivery a reality. But what are the hidden costs?

  • Nurse examining infant

    New Parent Home Visiting Program Reduces Infants' Need for Medical Care

    Dec 15, 2016

    Infants whose families took part in a new parent home visit program were less likely to visit the emergency room and made fewer primary care visits during their first year of life. The program benefited at-risk families and those who had no risk factors.

  • A principal and teachers meeting in the school library

    Improving School Leadership Under the Every Student Succeeds Act

    Dec 13, 2016

    The Every Student Succeeds Act gives states and districts new opportunities to invest in school leadership. Looking at the evidence base on school leadership interventions can help inform policymakers' decisions.

  • A boy in preschool playing with building blocks with classmates

    Building Blocks for Expanding High-Quality Preschool

    Dec 12, 2016

    Cincinnati is seeking to expand preschool programs to more children. A number of approaches would likely provide returns on investment, but it is important to ensure programs are high-quality.

  • Adult

    Lessons Learned from the MAVEN Project Pilot

    Dec 9, 2016

    The Medical Alumni Volunteer Expert Network (MAVEN) Project created a corps of experienced volunteer physicians to provide telehealth consults to providers in safety-net clinics. This evaluation of the program can inform quality-improvement efforts.

  • Miami skyline at night

    Urban Responses to Climate Change

    Dec 7, 2016

    More than 80 percent of the U.S. population lives in urban areas. Thus, cities lie at the epicenter of America's response to climate change. Analysis can inform how cities choose strategies and allocate resources.

  • Soldiers of China's People's Liberation Army march in a parade marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, September 3, 2015

    Understanding China's Strategy

    Dec 6, 2016

    Beijing's perceptions and assessments aren't static. They evolve as China's standing in the world increases and its interests grow. U.S. leaders should focus on understanding and managing competition with China on a global scale.

  • Kid with menu

    Changes to Kids' Menus May Help Curb Childhood Obesity

    Dec 5, 2016

    Most kids' menu items at the top 200 U.S. restaurant chains exceed the calorie counts recommended by nutrition experts. The restaurant industry can embrace calorie guidelines to promote children's health and reduce childhood obesity.

  • Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and UAE's deputy commander-in-chief of the armed forces, meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, December 14, 2015

    China Invests Warily in the Middle East

    Dec 5, 2016

    China endeavors to protect its expanding interests in the Middle East by not taking sides in conflicts and controversies. The United States should encourage China to get more involved in efforts to improve regional stability while reassuring partners of its own commitment to the region.

  • The Hong Kong skyline at night

    Where Is Hong Kong Headed?

    Dec 2, 2016

    Events such as the 2014 pro-democracy Umbrella Movement have shined a spotlight on Hong Kong—and prompted questions. What is the territory's significance to China? And what is its future trajectory?

  • Young African American couple in bed

    Do Neighborhood Characteristics Affect Sleep Quality?

    Dec 1, 2016

    Perceptions of a neighborhood's characteristics, such as safety, were associated with sleep quality among low-income African-American adults. But objective characteristics, such as crime rates, were not.

  • Two students in their graduation robes walking up steps

    One-Stop Social Services Efforts May Improve Community College Outcomes

    Nov 30, 2016

    Students participating in programs that provide a comprehensive range of support services are more likely to persist in attending community college.