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The Policy Currents Podcast

A weekly podcast highlighting new research findings, commentary, multimedia, and events from RAND.

Selected Episodes

1:06:49
New Missions in Emergency Management
Mary Ellen Carroll, executive director of the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management, and RAND researcher Patrick Roberts sit down to discuss new and evolving challenges facing America's emergency managers.
Jan 24, 2025
25:28
Can Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies Help Veterans with PTSD?
What do we know about the potential benefits and risks of using psychedelic substances, such as MDMA and psilocybin, to treat post-traumatic stress disorder? What are the important considerations for policymakers?
Dec 8, 2023
41:27
What Happens When AI and Gene Editing Come Together?
The convergence of two revolutionary technologies—machine learning and gene editing—could transform how diseases are treated, how crops are grown, how wars are fought, and much more. How might policymakers prepare for such scenarios?
Oct 27, 2023
53:28
Exposure to Trauma in the Intelligence and Law Enforcement Communities
Heather Williams, a former intelligence officer, and Richard (Dic) Donohue, a former police sergeant, recount their personal experiences with trauma and traumatic stress—and how it informs their research today.
Sep 29, 2023
29:44
Preparing for a Future with More Flooding
In the Mid-Atlantic region, extreme precipitation has led to flooding nearly every season since 2018. Better climate data could help stormwater managers and civil engineers better protect their communities from these costly disasters.
Sep 8, 2023
37:02
The End of Title 42: What's Next for U.S. Immigration Policy
Title 42—which allowed U.S. officials to turn away migrants who came to the U.S.-Mexico border on the grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19—expired in May 2023. RAND experts discuss the short- and long-term effects of this change.
May 19, 2023
40:44
Russia’s War in Ukraine Reaches the One-Year Mark
One year after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, RAND's Dara Massicot sits down to discuss the ongoing conflict and what might lie ahead.
Feb 24, 2023
13:19
A Conversation with RAND’s CEO, Jason Matheny
As RAND marks its 75th anniversary, our president and CEO Jason Matheny shares his short- and long-term vision for RAND.
Jan 5, 2023