The #2021APPAM Fall Research Conference will feature some fantastic sponsors from across the policy research spectrum. Today we're shining a spotlight on the RAND Corporation.
What is the mission of your organization?
The RAND Corporation is a research organization that develops solutions to public policy challenges to help make communities throughout the world safer and more secure, healthier and more prosperous. RAND’s research and analysis address issues that impact people everywhere, including security, health, education, sustainability, growth, and development. Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, RAND has approximately 1,950 people from more than 50 countries working in offices in North America, Europe and Australia, with annual revenues of more than $357 million.
RAND is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and committed to the public interest. Our research is sponsored by government agencies, international organizations, and foundations. We rely on philanthropic support to pursue visionary ideas; address critical problems that are under-researched; and devise innovative approaches for solving acute, complex, or provocative policy challenges. RAND values objectivity and integrity in both its research processes and internal interactions. We emphasize a collegial environment that respects the contributions and dignity of all staff.
What are your strongest areas of work?
Researchers and analysts work on a variety of socioeconomic and national security projects as members of multi-disciplinary research teams addressing complex public policy problems. Projects may include science and technology, cyber and data sciences, health and health care, education, homeland security and public safety, national security and terrorism, infrastructure and transportation, energy and environment issues, law and business, international affairs, and workers in the workplace.
In the past year, what has been the most influential work from your researchers?
RAND's work has been highly influential across a broad range of topics; a couple of especially salient examples would include work on inequality by Carter Price and Kathryn Edwards; work on the financial, racial and equity impacts of COVID-19 by Katie Carman, Jhacova Williams, and others; and work on economic competition in the 21st century by Howard Shatz.
If you are hiring, what makes your organization a great place to work?
RAND offers a flexible environment, with collegial and highly engaged colleagues and the opportunity to bring rigor to a broad range of policy-relevant research areas.
At RAND, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusiveness enrich the content, accessibility, and practicality of our research and analysis. Multidisciplinary teams are a hallmark of RAND research, and we strive to create diverse teams to help ensure that our research incorporates many perspectives. RAND employees and Pardee RAND graduate students hail from 50 countries and speak 75 different languages.
How many early career professionals do you employ?
This figure varies by departments, but among the departments employing researchers with expertise in social sciences, 25-30% have 5 or fewer years of experience.
What is your employee breakdown in terms of highest degree achieved (Undergraduate, Masters, Doctorate)?
Among research staff, about 55% hold doctorates, 38% hold master's degrees, and 7% hold bachelor's degrees.
What is an interesting, unique, or fun fact about your organization?
There are many! For example:
RAND predicted in the 1960s what a home computer would look like in 2004, and RAND's first building on Main Street in Santa Monica was designed by a RAND mathematician.