Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy

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Science, technology, and innovation policy shapes the science and research enterprise, with the goal of directing its activities to serve public needs. RAND experts have explored how to incentivize high-value products in the health care sector, examined government options for promoting and accelerating innovation in housing, and determined how to design "prizes" that spur breakthroughs.

  • A scientist holds biosensing materials being studied at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory in Adelphi, Maryland, January 15, 2015, photo by U.S. Army

    Commentary

    Biotechnology and Today's Warfighter

    Biotechnology has a broad and often misunderstood scope, one with significant implications for today's warfighter, and it may be reaching a critical junction. As it continues to mature, proactive policy becomes necessary for the federal government to leverage emerging capabilities effectively and remain competitive.

    Oct 25, 2022

  • A woman using binoculars to look at the stars, illustration by GeorgePeters/Getty Images

    Essay

    What Might Space Look Like in 2050?

    It would not take huge technological breakthroughs to make space and space travel a much bigger part of everyday life. Instead, it would take a steady progression of incremental advances—and one development in particular could provide the tipping point.

    Jan 5, 2023

Explore Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy

  • Blockchain vector background with various icons

    Journal Article

    Distributed Ledger Technologies/Blockchain: Challenges, Opportunities and the Prospects for Standards

    An overview of the current landscape of DLT/Blockchain developments and the issues that are central to the development of DLT/Blockchain.

    May 11, 2017

  • Group of scientists working in laboratory

    Commentary

    After the March for Science: What Now?

    Politicized rhetoric may imply otherwise, but scientific expertise and civic participation are not at odds with each other. As the scientific community decides how to respond to shifting political attitudes about science, it's time to focus on a long-term strategy for science policy in the United States.

    Apr 26, 2017

  • An autonomous version of Acura's RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD navigates around a dummy at carmaker Honda's testing grounds at the GoMentum Station autonomous vehicle test facility in Concord, California June 1, 2016

    Commentary

    How California Is Trying to Keep Autonomous Vehicle Development on Track

    California's Department of Motor Vehicles recently proposed new regulations governing the testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles. Will this help retain the state's status as a testing and deployment ground for the technology, and will it make California safer?

    Apr 10, 2017

  • View of San Francisco at sunrise

    Announcement

    RAND Opens Office in the San Francisco Bay Area

    RAND has opened an office in the Bay Area to foster collaboration with the region's leaders and researchers working to solve today's complex problems. Nidhi Kalra, a senior information scientist, is leading the new office.

    Apr 3, 2017

  • Tool

    Tool

    Monitoring Open Science Trends in Europe

    The Open Science Monitor tracks trends in areas that have consistent and reliable data, specifically: open access, open research data, open scholarly communication and citizen science.

    Apr 3, 2017

  • News Release

    News Release

    RAND Study Examines 200 Real-World 'Zero-Day' Software Vulnerabilities

    Zero-day software vulnerabilities—security holes that developers haven't fixed or aren't aware of—can lurk undetected for years. They are useful in cyber operations and in defensive and academic settings. Whether to disclose or stockpile them is an ongoing debate.

    Mar 9, 2017

  • Composite image of binary code on a sunset over water

    Report

    The Life and Times of Zero-Day Software Vulnerabilities

    Zero-day software vulnerabilities—security holes that developers haven't fixed or aren't aware of—can lurk undetected for years. They are useful in cyber operations and in defensive and academic settings. Whether to disclose or stockpile them is an ongoing debate.

    Mar 8, 2017

  • Aerial view of the Earth

    Research Brief

    Exploring America's Role in a Turbulent World

    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?

    Jan 18, 2017

  • 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

    Report

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

    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.

    Jan 18, 2017

  • News Release

    News Release

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

    Faced with traditional threats from opponents such as Russia and emerging threats from non-traditional adversaries such as the Islamic State, the United States needs a comprehensive foreign policy strategy that can provide stability and improve policymakers' ability to manage in today's more complex and turbulent times.

    Jan 18, 2017

  • Brochure

    Spotlight on 2016

    Spotlight, RAND Europe's annual review, features ways that our objective research and analysis expanded perspectives in 2016 to provide policy and decision makers the evidence and facts during a year of highly charged political debates.

    Dec 31, 2016

  • Vintage home telephone over blue background, above view.

    Report

    Twenty Percent of U.S. Consumers Still Consider Landlines Important

    The predicted death of the landline telephone may be premature. Twenty percent of American households surveyed still think having a landline telephone is most important. Among the majority, mobile telephone service was considered the most important, followed by fixed internet service.

    Nov 17, 2016

  • News Release

    News Release

    Twenty Percent of U.S. Households View Landline Telephones as an Important Communication Choice

    The predicted death of the household landline telephone in the United States may be premature. While most Americans like their cell phones, twenty percent of American households still think having a landline phone is important.

    Nov 17, 2016

  • Journalist Soledad O'Brien and DJ Patil, the United States' chief data scientist, at RAND's Politics Aside event in Santa Monica, November 11, 2016

    Blog

    Getting the Most Out of Data Science

    Policymakers should pursue efforts to assure that the array of data collected by the federal government benefits all Americans by improving the availability, reliability, and transparency of the information, said DJ Patil, the United States' chief data scientist, at RAND's 2016 Politics Aside event.

    Nov 12, 2016

  • Soldiers conduct cyberspace operations during a training rotation at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California, January 24, 2016

    Commentary

    The Pentagon's New Chief Innovation Officer Should Tread Lightly

    The innovation efforts taking place in the Department of Defense are exciting and have much potential. But installing a chief innovation officer with centralized authority who may become just another bureaucratic player among many could spoil those efforts.

    Nov 3, 2016

  • Report

    Report

    Mapping UK mental health research funding and its contribution to global funding: A refined analysis for the UK context

    This briefing provides an analysis across the UK of government support for mental health research, with a particular emphasis on the UK Department of Health. This analysis builds on the project -- Mapping the global mental health research system.

    Oct 21, 2016

  • Research Brief

    Research Brief

    Accelerating the Internet of Things in the UK: Linking policy with practice

    Using insights from Internet of Things (IoT) implementations and informed users of technology, RAND Europe carried out a study to support a process for policy feedback that will inform the development and adoption of the IoT in the UK.

    Oct 4, 2016

  • Report

    Report

    Accelerating the Internet of Things in the UK: Using policy to support practice

    Using insights from businesses and informed users of technology, RAND Europe carried out a study to support a process for policy feedback that will inform the development and adoption of the Internet of Things in the UK.

    Oct 4, 2016

  • Man counting Somali money

    Report

    Review of Six DFID-funded Growth Research Programmes: Main report

    The Department for International Development in the UK provided funding to organisations focused on economic growth research over the last years. This review compared six programmes over time, against each other, and against relevant benchmarks.

    Aug 23, 2016

  • Two scientists in protective gear working in a microbiology laboratory

    Commentary

    European and American Efforts to Tackle AMR: Great Minds Think Alike (Almost Always)

    The United States and the European Union are committed to tackling antimicrobial resistance. Their efforts share objectives around key areas for improvement, such as the stewardship of existing antimicrobials, surveillance of their use, and development of new antimicrobials.

    Aug 19, 2016

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