Research Portfolios

The Community Health and Environmental Policy program research areas cross a range of policy areas, including health and community design; science, technology and well-being; climate resilience; and carbon and energy systems.

  • A development engineer at Changan Automobile removes his hands from the steering wheel while the car is on self-driving mode during a test drive in Beijing, China, April 16, 2016

    Autonomous Systems

    Autonomous systems–from cars to aircraft–will change the way we live and work. Self-driving cars and delivery drones, for example, offer the possibility of fundamentally changing transportation. These developments raise complex policy questions.

  • Scientist in the background working on a laptop with overlaid images of the world and screen displays, photo by metamorworks/Getty Images

    Biotechnology and the Bioeconomy

    RAND research addresses critical challenges associated with biotechnology and the bioeconomy. This includes risk preparedness, regulation and simulation, and biological data issues.

  • An aerial view of Central Texas homes under water at Graveyard Point neighborhood community in the flood plain of Lake Travis, photo by RoschetzkyIstockPhoto / Getty Images

    RAND's History of Climate Research

    RAND researchers have a long history of shedding light on the social and economic implications of a changing climate, its impacts on the natural environment, and the challenges it poses to communities, regions, and our national security.

  • A couple walk arm-in-arm holding a coffee cup. Photo by SolStock / Getty Images

    Community Health and Well-Being

    Community health and well-being encompasses the social, economic, environmental, cultural, and political conditions that allow individuals and their communities to thrive. RAND's research has helped communities measure the well-being of citizens and explored the factors that contribute to improved health and well-being.

  • Traffic on a waterfront road in New York City.

    Community Infrastructure

    RAND research addresses critical challenges associated with community and infrastructure development. This includes planning for future transportation and mobility options, securing communities against a variety of natural and human threats, and integrating technology into the built environment.

  • Two workers wearing hard hats on a solar farm with wind turbines in the background

    Decarbonizing Energy Systems

    Decarbonization will require action on multiple fronts – changes in alternative and renewable energy technologies, industrial innovation, new modes of mobility, and shifting consumer preferences. A solid foundation of evidence is needed to support decision-making among decarbonization options.

  • Rescue personnel work at the site where a 17-storey apartment building collapsed during an earthquake in Tainan, southern Taiwan, February 6, 2016

    Disaster Recovery Operations

    Recovery in the aftermath of natural or man-made disasters is directly related to the availability of local resources and the infrastructure and operational ability to deliver assistance from outside the affected region. RAND researchers have helped governments, militaries, and private organizations organize recovery operations during disasters, learn from past experience, and prepare for future disasters.

  • An electric car plugged into a charging station while parked on a residential street.

    Energy Systems

    Energy plays a vital role in the success of the global economy, but obtaining and using energy can also impact the environment. RAND researchers help policymakers worldwide make informed decisions on meeting their nations' energy needs while mitigating long-term life cycle environmental risks.

  • close up of business people drinking coffee looking at charts

    Entrepreneurship Public Policy

    RAND research into entrepreneurship public policy studies how legal and regulatory policymaking affect small businesses and entrepreneurship in a wide range of settings, including corporate governance, employment law, consumer law, securities regulation and business ethics.

  • Barges traveling up the Mississippi River towards New Orleans, Louisiana, with the city skyline in the background.

    Environmental Policy

    Research and analysis on the human effects on the environment aim to support critical decisionmaking on current and emerging environmental challenges at local, national, and global levels.

  • Homeless people covered with blankets sleeping on a street on cardboard boxes. Photo by Brenno Carvalho / Adobe Stock

    Housing and Homelessness Research at RAND

    For more than 30 years, RAND research has informed housing and homelessness policy and practice. Topics of focus include housing and quality of life, permanent supportive housing outcomes, the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health programs, housing needs of adults on probation, and police response to homelessness.

  • A drone operated by construction worker on building site. Photo by Natnan Srisuwan / Getty Images

    Science and Technology

    RAND experts have often been among the pioneers of key scientific research, including computer analysis, satellite development, military technology, and the foundations of the Internet. RAND's research has also resulted in the development of new methodologies and ways of analyzing policy issues, from the Delphi method to Robust Decision Making.

  • The Northrop Grumman Cygnus space freighter (left) from the United States and the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-12 crew ship from Russia are pictured attached to the International Space Station as the orbital complex flew 256 miles above Brazil. Photo by NASA

    Space Exploration

    Space exploration is both an international and a commercial effort; several countries, companies, and multinational organizations operate hundreds of Earth observation and information-exchange platforms near and beyond Earth's orbital plane. RAND research assists policymakers in planning the most efficient and cost-effective strategy for advancing space exploration and cooperation for both military and commercial benefits.

  • Personal safety equipment, including gloves, a face mask and ear buds

    Workplace Health and Safety

    Workplace injuries and illnesses shorten and reduce the quality of lives and create a significant drain on economic productivity. For more than 20 years RAND has used its multi-disciplinary approach to develop effective strategies for providing compensation and healthcare for injured workers.