on Facebook
on Twitter
on YouTube
RAND Policy Circle Events
RAND Policy Forums; Issues in Focus events; presentations of the Distinguished Speaker Series; and other informal panel dialogues, roundtables, and briefings, provide an opportunity to discuss research on the nation's toughest policy problems with the RAND analysts who tackle them. Policy Circle members are always given first priority to attend these prestigious events. Below is a selection of events held over the past 18 months.
For more information or to become a Policy Circle member, please call call 1-800-757-4618 or email policy_circle@RAND.org. All events hosted at the Santa Monica Headquarters Campus unless otherwise noted.
Upcoming events for Policy Circle Members
Issues in Focus — Santa Monica
Topic: |
North Korean Power: Myths and Realities |
|
Date: |
July 29, 2009 |
|
Time: |
6:00 p.m. – Registration |
|
Location: |
RAND Corporation |
Program
Over the past several weeks, North Korea test-fired a multistage rocket, detonated a nuclear device, fired short- and medium-range missiles, sentenced a pair of American journalists to 12 years of hard labor for alleged "hostile acts," and threatened a nuclear attack against Hawaii, all despite strong condemnation from the international community. What is motivating this latest round of North Korean provocations? What challenges do the United States and its regional partners face in deterring North Korean actions? What does RAND analysis—based on interviews with North Korean defectors and others with access to the long-secluded country's on-the-ground reality—tell us about the current state of North Korea's economy, internal politics, and relations with other countries, and about the stability of its regime?
Featured Speaker
Chaibong Hahm is a senior political scientist who specializes in Korean and East Asian politics and security issues. Prior to joining RAND in 2007, he was a professor in the School of International Relations and the Department of Political Science as well as the director of Korean Studies Institute at the University of Southern California. From 1992 to 2005, he was a professor in the Department of Political Science at Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. From 2003 to 2005, he served as the director of the Division of Social Sciences Research and Policy at UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in Paris, France. He has been a visiting professor at Duke, Georgetown, and Princeton universities and was a visiting fellow at the International Forum for Democratic Studies in Washington, D.C. Hahm earned his Ph.D. in political science from Johns Hopkins University.
Register for This Event
Please register online by July 24, 2009. There is no charge to attend, but seating is limited and advance registration is required. Reserved seating is available for members of the RAND Policy Circle. If you are not currently a Policy Circle member, visit Support RAND to learn more about the benefits of Policy Circle membership.
Recent events for members included:
Issues in Focus — Santa Monica
Mexican Security in Decline: Implications and Options for the United States
The security situation in Mexico has grown dire. Violence associated with the drug trade is a primary driver. According to one large survey, approximately 70 percent of Mexican citizens do not feel safe in their homes nor in the city in which they live. In 2008, drug-related killings numbered almost 6,300—more than double what was seen the year before. Organized crime, which traffics in drugs, arms, and human beings, also wields significant influence, having infiltrated all levels of Mexico's government and police forces. Organized crime in Mexico has also significantly affected U.S. security as the violence has grown in U.S. border communities. How do these security issues affect the United States? What are the implications for traditional border concerns such as illegal immigration and drug trafficking? What policy options are available to aid the Mexican government in improving security?
June 17, 2009
Issues in Focus — Santa Monica
Is the U.S. Losing Its Edge in Science and Technology?
Over the course of the last century, discoveries in science and technology (S&T) have been fundamental drivers of U.S. economic progress and improvements in our standard of living. A weakening of U.S. S&T capability would have harmful effects for both. Although the United States has been widely recognized as the world leader in S&T since 1920, concern has grown that the United States is losing its competitive edge. The factors driving this concern include globalization, the rise of science centers in developing countries such as China and India, the underperformance of American K-12 students in math and science, and claims of a shortage of S&T workers in the United States. What's the reality about U.S. competitiveness in science and technology? Do gains by China, India, and other nations pose genuine threats? How are U.S. immigration policies affecting America's chances to remain a scientific leader?
February 10, 2009
Policy Forum — Santa Monica
Drug Policy in 2009: Are We Still a Nation at War?
U.S. drug policy has long provoked heated debate, with legalization, public safety, and substance abuse prevention frequent topics of discussion. A series of recent events foretells of a renewed focus on these and other drug-related issues as Mexican narco-violence escalates along the southwestern U.S. border; California debates legalizing marijuana in order to generate revenue by taxing its sale; and President Obama's attorney general indicates he will end raids on medical marijuana dispensaries that comply with state law. At this Policy Forum, a panel of RAND experts and other distinguished voices in the drug policy debate will explore the results of our nation's nearly four-decade-long "war on drugs" and discuss promising new directions for managing drug abuse and reducing the harms associated with drug use and drug policies on individuals and communities.
April 16, 2009
Policy Forum — Santa Monica
Reparable Harm: Improving Opportunities for Boys and Men of Color in California
Latino and African-American boys and men in California are significantly worse off than their white counterparts in several categories that researchers use to measure well-being and achievement, such as growing up in poverty, graduating high school, exposure to violence, and going to prison. They are more likely to be born to teen mothers, contract HIV/AIDS, grow up with a parent in prison, and be less proficient at reading and math. In the wake of significant cuts in public social services programs at the state and local level, what can be done to help improve this population's life chances? At this Policy Forum, RAND researchers with expertise in children and families and a panel of distinguished guests discuss what policymakers, government agencies, philanthropic foundations, community organizations, and service providers can do to understand and help improve the life chances for the state's boys and men of color.
March 26, 2009
Issues in Focus — Santa Monica
President Obama and the Middle East: Challenges for the New Administration
After weeks of deadly fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, an Israeli ceasefire and troop withdrawal is announced just days prior to Barack Obama's inauguration. Yet tensions remain high and supporting the fragile peace will be a top priority for the new administration. The discussion featured Dalia Dassa Kaye, associate director of the RAND Center for Middle East Public Policy and RAND political scientist, and coauthor of More Freedom, Less Terror? Liberalization and Political Violence in the Arab World (RAND, 2008).
February 10, 2009
Policy Circle — Santa Monica
Holding the Public Education System Accountable: Lessons for Federal, State, and Local Leaders
Over the past decade, the issues of accountability, standards-based reforms, and pay for performance in the nation's schools have gained widespread attention across the United States. As the country ushers in a new administration in Washington, D.C., what have we learned to date about the promise and challenges posed by these reforms for policymakers, administrators, teachers, and—most importantly—students? Chip Burke (Chairman, The Grable Foundation Board of Directors) moderated the discussion featuring Laura Hamilton (Senior Behavioral Scientist, RAND), Ron Cowell (President, The Education Policy and Leadership Center), and Carey Harris (Executive Director, A+ Schools).
January 30, 2009
Policy Forum — Jackson
Sustainable Change Through Community Engagement
Three years after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the RAND Gulf States Policy Institute is focused not only on recovery and disaster prevention, but on economic growth as a necessity for addressing the region's long-term systemic challenges in areas such as health, education, housing, public safety, and the environment. This forum gathered key stakeholders and decisionmakers from the Gulf States with RAND researchers to discuss key issues, regional priorities, and the role of research and data in problem solving.
January 29, 2009
Haskins Lecture on Science Policy — Santa Monica
Climate Change and Energy Needs: Constraints and Solutions
The speaker was Ralph J. Cicerone, the president of the National Academy of Sciences. Cicerone is an atmospheric scientist whose research in atmospheric chemistry and climate change has involved him in shaping science and environmental policy at the highest levels nationally and internationally. The Haskins Lectureship on Science Policy was established through the generosity of Caryl P. and Edna Haskins, founders of Haskins Laboratories. The Haskins were dedicated to improving the nation's understanding of the relationship between scientific progress and sound public policy.
September 16, 2008
Conversations at RAND — Pittsburgh
Invisible Wounds of War: Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Returning Soldiers
In a study that is making headlines across the country, RAND researchers report that nearly 1 in 5 service members returning from these conflicts are afflicted by post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression—yet only slightly more than half have sought treatment. The result is a major health crisis that researchers estimate will cost the nation as much as $6.2 billion in the first two years following deployment. Nancy Zionts (Vice President, Program and Planning, Jewish Healthcare Foundation) moderated the discussion featuring Terri Tanielian (Codirector, Center for Military Health Policy Research, RAND), Congressman Jason Altmire (U.S. House of Representatives, Pennsylvania, District 4), Congressman Mike Doyle (U.S. House of Representatives, Pennsylvania, District 14), Congressman Tim Murphy (U.S. House of Representatives, Pennsylvania, District 18), and Al Mercer (Executive Director, Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania).
September 5, 2008
Policy Forum — Santa Monica
Invisible Wounds of War: Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Returning Soldiers
Since October 2001, approximately 1.6 million U.S. troops have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. RAND researchers report that nearly 1 in 5 service members returning from these conflicts are afflicted by post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression—yet only slightly more than half have sought treatment. Lisa Jaycox (Senior Behavioral Scientist, RAND; Clinical Psychologist) moderated the discussion featuring Fred D. Gusman (Executive Director, The Pathway Home, California Transition Center for Care of Combat Veterans), Paul Rieckhoff (Executive Director and Founder, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America), and Terri Tanielian (Codirector, Center for Military Health Policy Research, RAND).
June 12, 2008
Policy Forum — Santa Monica
Issues Over the Horizon: A Look at Tomorrow's Front-Burner Issues Today
For 60 years, the RAND Corporation has helped shape sound public policy by staying ahead of the curve—identifying emerging policy challenges early on and formulating effective, practical solutions of enduring value. RAND President and Chief Executive Officer James A. Thomson moderated the conversation featuring Robert Reville (Director, RAND Institute for Civil Justice), James Quinlivan (Senior Military Analyst and Mathematician, RAND), and Melinda Beeuwkes Buntin (Codirector, Bing Center for Health Economics, RAND).
May 15, 2008
Policy Forum — Santa Monica
Coming Up Dry? Climate Change and California's Water Supply
Across the United States, cities, regions, and states recognize that they must prepare to adapt to the local effects of our warming planet. RAND has pioneered new approaches to help public- and private-sector actors develop response plans that will ensure adequate and affordable water supplies across a wide range of possible climate futures. Moderated by Debra Knopman, Vice President, RAND Corporation; Director, RAND Infrastructure, Safety, and Environment, this forum brought together Jeffrey Kightlinger, one of Southern California's leading water policymakers; Robert Lempert, senior physical scientist RAND; and David Groves, associate policy researcher RAND to explore the implications of climate change for California's water needs and what can and should be done now to prepare for an unpredictable future.
April 17, 2008
Geopolitics in 2008 and Beyond: Is There Any Good News?
Presented by Ambassador Robert Blackwill
Ambassador Robert Blackwill, former U.S. Ambassador to India and former Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Planning, visited our Santa Monica headquarters and engaged RAND Policy Circle members in a discussion regarding his observations on the future of U.S. foreign policy in an increasingly complex geopolitical environment.
January 10, 2008
Policy Forum — Santa Monica
China Rising? Asia, America, and the Transformation of Geopolitics
China has transformed in dramatic ways over the past 25 years and wields increasing influence on the global stage. With a rapidly growing economy, new political leaders, and more-stable relations with its Asian neighbors, China is on the rise. But response, both in the United States and the rest of Asia, has been cautious. This forum featured William H. Overholt, Director, RAND Center for Asia Pacific Policy, and Donald Tang, Vice Chairman, Bear Stearns & Co., Inc.; Chairman, Asia Society Southern California; Trustee, RAND Corporation, who discussed the myths and realities of China's impact on the changing geopolitical landscape.
November 29, 2007
Policy Forum — Santa Monica
Back to School: The Impact and Promise of No Child Left Behind
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was intended to ensure that all children in public school are proficient in reading and math by 2014. Now, midway toward the target proficiency date, NCLB is up for reauthorization. This forum featured Brian Stecher, Senior Social Scientist, RAND Corporation, Ron Zimmer, Policy Analyst, RAND Corporation and Ramon Cortines, Deputy Mayor for Education, Youth, and Families, Office of Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa to discuss if NCLB is working to close the achievement gap in U.S. schools; if the effects of the Act's complex requirements can be untangled to identify areas of success and opportunities for improvement; and how students, teachers, and schools are faring under the Act.
September 26, 2007
Policy Forum — Santa Monica
Gridlock in Los Angeles: Getting Past the Standstill
Worsening traffic congestion on the streets and freeways of Los Angeles is an issue of constant concern to the L.A. public, media, and local business community. With the region suffering the economic, environmental, and psychological costs of congestion, demand for relief is high. This forum brought Martin Wachs, Director, Transportation, Space and Technology Program, RAND Corporation together with Richard Katz, Former California State Assemblyman; Board Member, Metropolitan Transit Authority and Zev Yaroslavsky, Chairman, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to discuss realistic strategies for Los Angeles to move forward on the issue of traffic congestion and get past the current standstill.
July 26, 2007
Go Behind the Data:
An interactive look at RAND's latest innovation
Analysts in RAND Labor and Population have developed innovative methods for capturing data that furthers our understanding of why people make the decisions they do and how markets, society, and policy affect them. This technique - called Multimode Interviewing Capability (MMIC™) – takes advantage of the benefits afforded by today's communication technologies. Policy Circle members participated in live, interactive surveys and learned how answers like the ones they provided are relied on by policymakers to make critical decisions that affect all of us.
June 20, 2007
RAND Distinguished Speaker Series
Admiral Thad W. Allen
Admiral Thad W. Allen, 23rd Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, is charged with protecting the American public, the environment, and U.S. economic and security interests in all maritime regions—both internationally and at home. Admiral Allen will address such issues as the key challenges faced by the nation and today's Coast Guard; the Coast Guard's strategy for addressing these challenges; and how Southern California residents and businesses benefit from a ready, aware, and responsive Coast Guard.
April 19, 2007
Policy Forum — Santa Monica
The Beginner's Guide to Nation-Building
James Dobbins, Director, International Security and Defense Policy Center, RAND National Security Research Division, discussed his new book, The Beginner's Guide to Nation-Building. The book is intended to help practitioners avoid repeating earlier mistakes, help political leaders evaluate the cost and likelihood of success in any proposed operation, and help citizens evaluate their government's consequent performance.
March 14, 2007
Policy Forum — Santa Monica
Homelessness in Los Angeles
Paul Koegel, associate director of RAND Health, led a distinguished panel who examined and discussed strategies for addressing homelessness in the Los Angeles region. Panelists included Suzanne L. Wenzel, senior behavioral scientist, RAND Corporation; Torie Osborn, Special Advisor to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; and Ed Edelman, Special Representative for Homeless Initiatives, City of Santa Monica.
February 22, 2007
Policy Forum — Santa Monica
A Vision for the Arts In Los Angeles: Opportunities and Challenges
RAND Social Research Analyst Elizabeth Ondaatje moderated a distinguished panel of Los Angeles arts leaders including Michael Govan, Director and CEO of Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Adolfo V. Nodal, Former General Manager, City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, Michael Ritchie, Artistic Director of Center Theatre Group and RAND Senior Social Scientist Kevin McCarthy as they explored the complex factors that help shape the structure of and support for arts in Los Angeles.
October 5, 2006
Distinguished Speaker Series
America at the Crossroads: The Future of American Foreign Policy
Special Guest Speaker: Francis Fukuyama
Noted academic, political theorist, and best-selling author Francis Fukuyama discussed his new book, America at the Crossroads: Democracy, Power, and the Neoconservative Legacy, and shared his perspective on issues at the forefront of the current debate on foreign policy.
June 22, 2006
Policy Forum — Santa Monica
Katrina's Legacy: Recovery Challenges in the Gulf States and Implications for L.A.
John K. Van de Kamp, Chairman, RAND Infrastructure, Safety and Environment Advisory Board; Former California Attorney General, introduced a panel of experts who led a frank examination of the problems revealed and exacerbated by Katrina. An informed dialogue about what public- and private-sector decisionmakers need to know to successfully build a better future in the affected region followed. Panelists included: Debra Knopman, (moderator) Vice President, RAND Corporation; Director, RAND Infrastructure, Safety and Environment, George Penick, Director, RAND Gulf States Policy Institute, Kavita Patel, RAND Analyst and physician; Credentialed First Responder, P. Michael Freeman, Fire Chief, Los Angeles County Fire Department; Chairman, International Association of Fire Chiefs Terrorism Task Force; Member, U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Emergency Responder Advisory Committee, Robert Sypult, Director of Corporate Security and Emergency Preparedness, Southern California Edison; Member, Homeland Security Advisory Council, Region 1
April 20, 2006
Roundtable Breakfast — Santa Monica
Many Happy Returns: The Promise of Early Childhood Development
Featuring Jill S. Cannon, Associate Director, RAND Child Policy, Lynn A. Karoly, Senior Economist, Gail Zellman, Senior Research Psychologist.
May 25, 2006
Policy Forum — Santa Monica
Winds of Change in the Middle East presented by His Excellency Ambassador Nabil Fahmy, the Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the Unites States. Ambassador Fahmy is internationally recognized for his expertise in the fields of disarmament and international security.
February 22, 2006
The Albert P. Williams Memorial Health Lecture Series
The Fifty Percent of Health and Medical Care Cost that Produces No Value
Guest Lecturer, former Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill
This event was the fourth lecture in the memorial series created in celebration of Al Williams' tradition of creative, objective research and analysis aimed at improving the health of people everywhere.
January 31, 2006
Please call 1-800-757-4618 or email policy_circle@RAND.org for further information.
Top