Thoughts About PRGS

The comments you have seen throughout this site, and many others, are provided here in composite form, in alphabetical order.

Current Fellows | Alumni | Faculty | Others

Current Fellows

Richard Bowman

Before coming to PRGS I worked for the Los Angeles Unified School District in a variety of capacities, generally in the fields of legislation and education policy analysis. I also taught physics and chemistry in LAUSD at my alma mater, Sylmar High Math Science Technology Magnet, for three years. My first and foremost reason to come to PRGS was to make a difference in the lives of children, most specifically in the field of education. After I receive my Ph.D. I will proceed with my plan to make a difference. That may involve a position in government, a professorship, or a policy consulting position.

As a post prelims fellow I am able to work on projects in many areas of my interest. The most enlightening so far has been a project where we studied the health related behaviors of homeless youth. It involved going on the streets and learning about a lifestyle which I had not been previously exposed to. The process, along with my experience teaching similar youth, has both dispelled my misconceptions and propelled me along a path of greater knowledge, understanding, and empathy.

It is difficult to shine a spotlight on just one positive area of my PRGS experience, as there are so many. However, two areas stand out: first, there is incredible opportunity for a self starting fellow. For me, this has meant publications and key roles in data analysis. The second outstanding area, is that an incredible diversity of research is done here. This has meant that, no matter what I wanted to know, I have been able to find someone that was intelligent and knowledgeable on that subject. The Pardee RAND Graduate School experience is a sheer treat for the mind.

Kartika Palar

I came to PRGS after finishing an MA in Development Economics and International Affairs at the Fletcher School at Tufts University. I also spent several years leading non-profit health and education programs for youth in Boston.

PRGS's close connection to RAND was a critical factor in my choice of a Ph.D. program. RAND excels in applied policy research, which is exactly the kind of career I am interested in. The education at PRGS combines the tools and methods needed to conduct rigorous, policy-relevant research with practical experience actually conducting this research. We work as members of RAND research teams on projects that have real clients. This is an exciting way to learn the craft of research and build strong relationships with some of the best minds in the field. I chose RAND because of its focus on methods and applied research, as well as the flexibility to work across disciplines to answer important policy questions. Plus RAND is a gold mine of stellar,cutting edge work in health policy.

My work has spanned several areas of health policy, from economic evaluation of health services or interventions in the US health care system, to community-based participatory research on HIV/AIDS issues in Los Angeles. I am currently analyzing the social costs and benefits of reducing population-level sodium consumption in the US. I am also collaborating with the UN World Food Program in Latin America to help develop and evaluate pilot programs that address the relationship between food insecurity and HIV/AIDS, a project that will likely lead to my dissertation. After PRGS, I plan to be a health policy researcher in a think tank, international organization or university. I want to work on issues that have real, timely policy importance and make an impact on the way decisions are made.

The highlight of being at PRGS has been working as an integral member of RAND research projects. Project work has shown me that the ideal conditions for research rarely exist, whether because of constraints on data, funding, or time. Thus, research actually becomes a creative process of problem-solving under limited resources, where the skills of communication, "outside the box" thinking, and collaboration become ingredients of excellence. As a student, this is a highly valuable and stimulating lesson to learn early in my career. In addition, I have found researchers at RAND highly accessible and open. Although we are students, the relationship is more akin to being colleagues.

Michael Scheiern

The professional environment, education and experiences at PRGS have been even better than I ever hoped they would be. Throughout the admissions process, every encounter I had with RAND and PRGS was most pleasant and professional. So I came to PRGS with a little skepticism that my expectations were too high.

In fact, it has been just the opposite; PRGS has far exceeded every expectation I once held. You are valued as a professional and the highest degree of professionalism is expected of you at every turn. The halls are filled with fresh thought and interesting work that uplifts you to perform at your peak potential. The academic work is challenging, but in touch with the real-world problems PRGS fellows will one day wrestle with upon graduation. When the generous fellowships and the great quality of life in Santa Monica are thrown in, there isn't a day goes by that I am not reminded that PRGS has been one of the best decisions I ever made.

Brooke Stearns Lawson

Although I'm originally from Montana, I came to PRGS from Paris, France, where I was doing a masters degree in International Development and Conflict Resolution. My background is largely in international development – HIV/AIDS, microfinance and post-conflict reconstruction. What appealed to me and made me decide to come to PRGS was that it was an advanced degree with a very applied focus. Not only would I learn policy analysis tools in my courses, but applied, practical experience was an integral part of the entire program.

Substantively, I have focused primarily on Africa, the intersection of development and security (including civil counterinsurgency, post-conflict reconstruction, failed states and security-sector reform), and HIV/AIDS. Although I have done some cost analysis and social network analysis, my work has been primarily qualitative. This is partly due to the types of research questions I am interested in and partly due to my comparative advantage. My dissertation work is a culmination of the OJT projects I've worked on over the past two years and seeks to answer the question of how to best do development and reconstruction in hostile conditions.

I would either like to assist a large foundation in establishing and evaluating policies and projects in the field of international development or work as a decision-maker for a US government organization such as AFRICOM or an international organization such as the OECD. Personally, getting back to my practitioner roots and directly interacting with the individuals whose lives I hope to impact with the policy analysis is the most rewarding.

As a PRGS Fellow, you are part of the RAND community which is an intellectual candy store. With fascinating classmates, outstanding minds of all disciplines, and the myriad of outside speakers, it is ideal for RAND to be located so close to the beach to provide some reprieve from the intellectual stimulation! The Friday afternoon PRGS beach volleyball games are a great way to start the weekend.

PRGS Alumni

Yilmaz Argüden, '85

Yilmaz is Chairman of ARGE A.S. in Istanbul, Turkey.

PRGS has contributed very significantly to my personal and career development. Particularly, the broad perspective and vision that I have gained through my studies at PRGS has helped me bring about significant change at the various institutions I have worked for.

The powerful combination of rigorous coursework and on-the-job training has been very valuable in understanding the importance of both a sound theoretical basis and the practical implementation issues.

For example, when I headed the Privatization Program in Turkey, we focused not only on the transactions, but also on education of the public, development of a local investment banking community, and the stock exchange. These actions all helped the liberalization of the Turkish economy.

Also, when I headed the Turkish Quality Association, we have started the National Quality Movement to improve the management quality at the private and public sector institutions, and NGOs. As a result, Turkey has been one of the leading countries in Europe in winning European Quality Awards and in deploying quality management techniques to the public sector.

I am currently the Chairman of ARGE Consulting, the only local firm among the top three consultancies in the country. ARGE has recently been a finalist for the 'Shaping the Future' award to be given at the EU Parliament for corporate social responsibility. It is ARGE's policy to encourage all its employees to donate one day a week for NGO activities. This policy has helped us contribute to the development of civil society for Turkey's transition from representative democracy to participatory democracy.

In short, I have learned a great deal, both intellectually and practically during my studies at RGI. I would like to express my appreciation for all those who have contributed to developing such a fine institution.

Charles Bennett, '89

Charles is a Professor of Medicine at Northwestern. His pathbreaking dissertation on "Quality of Care with Relation to AIDS and Oncology" spawned much subsequent work.

PRGS was truly one of the most meaningful experiences of my career, and I look back fondly on it. My dissertation has been evaluated in subsequent studies funded by the Veterans Administration, the American Cancer Society, and the National Institutes of Health. I have received eight R01 equivalent grants that directly build on my dissertation, and I have published 50 articles on the work.

Janice Blanchard, '05

Janice is an Assistant Professor and Director of Policy Programs at the George Washington University Medical School in Washington, D.C.

PRGS offers a unique environment to gain a broader understanding of critical issues related to policy.

The assets here are tremendous. You are surrounded by world experts from a variety of disciplines ranging from statistics to economics to defense. This was particularly important for me as a physician where my prior background was somewhat restricted to clinical medicine. I have been able to broaden my interests significantly and have studied subjects about which I normally would not have learned.

I have also enjoyed the benefits of being surrounded by fellow PRGS students from diverse professional backgrounds coming from all over the globe. This creates a wonderful positive energy and is highly conducive for further learning and creative approaches/solutions to previously insurmountable problems.

Arthur Brooks, '98

Arthur is President of American Enterprise Institute (AEI)..

Even during all my years in music, I was never as happy as I was at RAND. Often I worked on things that I had no particular background in, but in which I found I have an interest--and as long as I could add value to a project, RAND gave me the chance to succeed. I worked on an aircraft survivability project, and it turned out to be fascinating: I learned every day in the project team, mixing my own abilities using quantitative tools with the topic-specific knowledge of the others. Where else could that happen, but in a community of scholars, where curiosity and imagination thrive in amazing and unsuspected ways.

Tom Chesnutt, '87

A&N Technical Services, Inc.

Graduate school is usually the place one goes to learn more and more about less and less. PRGS let me get beyond the blinders of any one discipline. It also taught me broadly applicable lessons--how to communicate complex ideas, how to market oneself, how to work with researchers.

Angela Hawken, '05

Angela is an Assistant Professor of Public Policy at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.

Before arriving at PRGS I already had seven years of microeconomics coursework behind me from previous degrees. I thought I had paid my dues to the study of microeconomics. Looking back, it is clear to me that my previous economics background had provided me with the skills to be a good theoretician but not with the hands-on skills I needed to be a good analyst or practicing economist. PRGS classes take you beyond the theory.

We are encouraged to experiment with independent modeling, to explore extensions of and alternatives to the economic theory we learned. I was so excited when I realized that I could take the models that had been taught to me over so many years and apply them in a meaningful manner. Other universities tend to present microeconomics as a set of abstract models which, at best, are applied to meaningless textbook scenarios. The applications given to us at PRGS made me realize what a powerful analytic tool microeconomics can be in studying real policy problems.

Jennifer Hicks Curtis, '03

Jennifer is a Strategic Initiatives Manager for Wellpoint.

The OJT component of the curriculum differentiated PRGS from the other graduate programs I was considering. I have worked on quality of care projects within RAND Health for OJT and my experience has been extremely positive. The first year of my OJT was extremely flexible so that I was able to focus on my course work. Over time, my responsibilities on my projects have increased and become more interesting. Through my OJT, I have had the opportunity to work with public and private sector clients, be an active member of project teams, attend meetings and conferences, and to contribute to the writing of proposals and RAND publications. My OJT experience has provided valuable professional opportunities and mentoring to complement the PRGS academic curriculum.

Diana Epstein, '10

I am from Los Angeles, which is unusual among PRGS students. Prior to coming to PRGS, I completed a master's degree in public policy at UC Berkeley. I also served in the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps program for two years, working on a variety of direct service projects, including building houses with Habitat for Humanity, tutoring in schools, building trails in state parks, and doing environmental restoration.

I came to PRGS to gain rigorous methodological skills and applied research experience. I wanted to learn about policy analysis in more depth than I had in my master's program and to be in a work environment where I could simultaneously apply the skills I was learning in the classroom. PRGS fit the bill!

One of the great strengths of PRGS is that the methods you learn have applicability across a wide range of policy areas. My OJT projects have included studying governance options for the Los Angeles Unified School District, evaluating a national non-profit organization that trains school principals in new ways, assessing the use of formative and interim assessment systems in California school districts, and studying the policy consequences of political polarization. Right now I'm in the midst of my dissertation work, in which I'm using both quantitative and qualitative methods to evaluate the long-term impacts of AmeriCorps service on participants.

PRGS has given me the opportunity to take initiative and leadership in ways that I would not have been able to do at any other school. In my first three years here I've served as the co-Principal Investigator on a student-initiated knowledge management project, led the development and writing of a RAND publication, interacted with fascinating members of the PRGS Board of Governors, provided feedback on the direction of the school, and worked with another Fellow to develop the curriculum for a new microeconomics bootcamp class. These experiences have been amazing learning opportunities for me, both professionally and personally. I've also enjoyed interacting with a fun, diverse group of classmates from around the world and engaging with researchers in a deep and meaningful way through small classes and project work.

Stephen (Jamie) Gayton, '10

I am currently an officer in the United States Army and have served for over 20 years. Immediately prior to my arrival at PRGS, I was a battalion commander in the 3rd Infantry Division, responsible for reconstruction operations in Baghdad, Iraq. I selected PRGS for my PhD. Program because it offered the best combination of tools and methods to prepare me for the future. PRGS has a program renowned for its analytical rigor, yet rather than espousing a theoretical approach to analysis, PRGS teaches and reinforces, through real project work, a hands-on practical approach to policy development and analysis. This PRGS method results in mentored development and ultimately the ability to plan, develop, and execute research and analysis projects on your own.

The most poignant experience for me at PRGS has been the relationships I have made with researchers. The collegial nature of interaction between students and researchers is superb. I have been able to parlay my Army and Iraq deployment experience into multiple opportunities to contribute to projects including coauthoring three papers that are in stages of being published.

My dissertation work explores knowledge management and the use of “push” or “pull” technology to transfer knowledge most efficiently. The research is being conducted in support of a RAND research project on an Army knowledge repository. In conjunction with this project, we have put into practice many of the skills we learned in the fundamental research methods class. We developed web and paper surveys. We pilot-tested the surveys. We developed a codebook with 700 unique codes and coded nearly 15,000 responses. We developed a training handbook from the results of this coding. We conducted quasi-experiments by using Army units as treatment (received training handbook) and control groups whose performance was evaluated at the National Training Center. We conducted analysis of the results to provide the client feedback on the value of this “push” knowledge transfer tool. This is just one of the three projects in our research area.

The bottom line is that I feel like I have learned and then applied an incredible number of fundamental research methods that will provide me the breadth and depth necessary to tackle any opportunity in the future, whether in academia, government, or private industry. PRGS has provided me the tools and the opportunities to learn and reinforce the skills necessary for success — I could not have made a better choice.

Anne Johansen, '90

Anne is the team leader for the World Bank on health projects in Tunisia and the West Bank and Gaza (WBG). This means she does everything from policy dialogues with the countries' leaders to supervising the implementation of the projects.

What's clear to me now more than 10 years after I completed my PhD from PRGS is what a good quality education I got. In particular, the analytical skills and substantive knowledge in the area of health policy have served me extremely well and are the main reasons for the success I have had in my career so far.

I always appreciated the personal attention that PRGS students got from both faculty and researchers at RAND, but it wasn't until after I became an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health that I realized how truly special it was, given the incredible work load that professors and researchers face.

An additional aspect of PRGS that has turned out to be really useful was the tremendous focus on communication skills, both verbally and in writing. I would venture to say that it is as important to be able to communicate your ideas as it is to have them. Often policy research or advice goes unused because of the way it is presented. Being able to communicate clearly has been an enormously important skill for me.

I benefited extensively from my on-the-job training, not only in terms of technical skills but also in terms of managing a project, dealing with rejection, and in general learning how to become a professional.

Steve Kiser, '04

Steve is an Intelligence Operations Director for the U.S. Air Force.

The quantitative rigor stressed in the PRGS program makes it a very challenging program, especially the first year. However, the skills one develops as a result are truly remarkable. As a political scientist-a traditionally qualitative field-I now appreciate the contributions quantitative techniques can make to any field of study, and look forward to applying such techniques to numerous areas in international security studies. I really feel like I have a brand new way to see the world, one which complements my qualitative background. It's exciting. ...

The Pardee RAND Graduate School offers a fantastic program for individuals who want to pursue interests requiring analysis of complex subjects. From macro-level efforts to correctly comprehend and frame issues to micro-level analysis of the dynamics within those issues, PRGS prepares its graduates to tackle a wide range of policies.

The school's three-pronged approach is especially attractive. First, the program's core classes create a solid bedrock of quantitative skills and understanding that is useful in any analytical endeavor. Next, the program encourages students to pursue their own specific policy interests through electives, on-the-job training (OJT), and dissertation research. PRGS students thus develop specific policy knowledge that is demonstrably making an impact in the world.

Mentorship by RAND Corporation analysts through OJT round out the PRGS experience-working with intelligent and creative peers on a daily basis is an educational experience all its own. As an intelligence officer and a political scientist, I can think of no better program to support my own career requirements and research interests. Have no doubt-PRGS is a challenging program, but the rewards are enormous.

Lawrence Picus, '88

Lawrence is a Professor at the Rossier School of Education at USC.

PRGS provided me with a set of analysis skills, a deep understanding of policy and how to turn research into useful policy findings, and most importantly taught me how to work with teams of researchers, rather than conducting individual research projects.

Samantha Ravich, '96

Samantha was the Deputy National Security Advisor to Vice President Cheney.

My PRGS education was invaluable for my current position. The skill set I learned at PRGS has enabled me to provide well-reasoned, timely, and concise policy analysis for the second highest elected official in the country. Across a large number of foreign and defense policies, I am able to use the qualitative and quantitative methods taught to me at RAND to assess the costs and benefits of multiple options and recommend one above the others.

Philip Romero, '88

Philip is a Professor of Business Administration and Dean of the California State University — Los Angeles College of Business and Economics, the former Dean of the University of Oregon Business School, and the former Chief Economist for the State of California.

The quantitative and presentation skills I developed at PRGS and RAND aided me greatly in framing policy issues, and in explaining my conclusions persuasively-enough to persuade very smart clients (two presidents of the U.S., two governors of California, two governors of Oregon, and a number of Fortune 50 CEOs) and hostile audiences in very partisan political environments.

Desmond Saunders-Newton, '93

Desmond is the head of the Social Computation and Complexity Directorate, Intelligence Innovation Division, of BAE Systems Advanced Information Technologies.

You can't choose a program without considering cost/benefit. On both sides of that ratio, PRGS is hard to beat. For me, the practical orientation made the Ph.D. a lot more valuable. The cost side looks good, too. First you think about out-of-pocket; every PRGS fellowship is different, but in general they're extremely competitive, even compared to places like the NSF. Second, you look at the income you defer during school. The longer your degree takes, the more it's costing you. This is a personal thing, but I think the real-world approach helps PRGS fellows finish sooner. National Research Council data show that for the average social sciences doctorate, registered time to completion is roughly eight years. At PRGS, it's about four. There may be other factors at work, but--bottom line--PRGS is a terrific investment.

Hadi Soesastro, '78

Hadi is the head of the leading think tank in Indonesia.

The science and art of policy research is being tested in the new, democratizing Indonesia. The policy environment is now much more complex than under the centralized, soft authoritarian regime of the past. The political process lacks established rules, the legal system is corrupt, while state and societal institutions are weak.

Good policy analysis is a must. It also helps improve governance, a scarce commodity. This is a great, and wonderful, challenge. What I have learned at PRGS equips me to meet it!

Matt Solomon, '05

Matt is finishing the MD portion of his concurrent PhD/MD study at the UCLA Geffen School of Medicine

My favorite memories of PRGS are the times I knocked on a researcher's door to ask a simple question and ended up sitting in his or her office for an hour. This instant access to RAND's enormously talented research staff is one of PRGS's greatest assets. RAND's collaborative spirit-open doors, casual dress, a flat organization-defuses any timidity a student might feel approaching a renowned researcher or professor. There is little attitude. Instead, everyone seems to share in RAND's mission: to help make the world a better place. It sounds corny, but it's true.

The School's other great asset is its high-quality student body. My colleagues boast a dazzling array of degrees, distinctions, and professional experiences; all were razor sharp. Being surrounded by such extraordinary people is what makes PRGS a rewarding and rich experience.

Connor Spreng, '05

Connor is an Economist at the World Bank in Washington, DC.

Where is the connection between the understanding of theories and methodologies, and the solution to real-world problems? This was my main question to which typical PhD programs did not offer a satisfactory answer.

I came to PRGS because I believe (after 3 years, more than I did before coming here) that understanding and using sophisticated tools can, if it is done right, be the means towards achieving ends that actually matter. Serious analysis need not be detached from the messy real world in which we live, and because I care about both, this program is right for me.

What I've learned and done here at PRGS and RAND, while technically quite advanced, has remained policy relevant throughout. My own work has already had more impact for more people than I ever thought possible in a PhD program.

Andrea Steiner, '93

Andrea is an Associate Professor in the Department of Community Studies of the University of California at Santa Cruz.

We who attend PRGS are proverbially diverse. But we also have something in common: We are interested in change. We care about the real world, grappling with ideas in order to use them. We value explicitness; only if we are clear about what we have done, and why, can others evaluate the work. We turn out to be profoundly hopeful; we believe that, despite the difficulties, the task is worthwhile. And we like a challenge.

Teresa Taningco

Teresa is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute at the University of Southern California.

I had a big "Eureka" moment when I found out about the Pardee RAND Graduate School. I was looking for a program that was more technically rigorous but practical. I was also looking for a place where I could do actual policy work with real professionals, where I would be treated not as a student but as a policy analyst.

RAND is all these. It teaches policy analysis using a lot of technical rigor but outside the sanitized environment of academia, in an institution that enjoys the respect of academia without being ivory-towerish.

RAND is a fascinating playground for the practical intellectual. It has people from different disciplines and from different ideological persuasions. In its halls walk the most conservative Republicans and the most liberal Democrats, but who all share the passion to make the world a better place. With a lot of naturalness, RAND simply teaches what it does best.

More importantly, I can honestly say that the professors and researchers at RAND are very supportive to students. I have not encountered a professor who did not care. And students in the program do not compete with but instead support each other. The Pardee RAND Graduate School is certainly technically rigorous, but in the end it is a family.

Daochi Tong, '99

Daochi moved from a first job at the World Bank to the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), the Chinese counterpart of the Security and Exchange Commission.

I am in charge of corporate governance, information disclosure, and enforcement of all the 1,200 listed companies in China.

The most important thing that I learned at PRGS is the multidisciplinary approach to tackle complicated and difficult policy issues which can be applied in various policy environments… As a regulator of the largest emerging securities market, I am dealing with difficult legal, accounting, and policy issues everyday that may never occur in any other countries or markets. Fortunately, what I learned from RAND and from PRGS equipped me with the tools to tackle these challenging policy issues. PRGS provided me with both a strategic way of thinking and planning, and practical means for implementation. Thanks to PRGS, I can now easily adapt to and be successful in various policy environment and organizations.

Jason Wang

Jason is an Assistant Professor at Boston University Medical School

When you come to PRGS, you will discover the rigor of MIT and the diversity of Harvard, all without putting up with the Boston weather. In any given day in class, you may find yourself discussing the War on Iraq with a classmate who is a major in the US Army, talking to a professional opera singer about upcoming music events in LA, and learning about the monetary policy of Argentina from one of its economists. Sitting in one of the world's premier think tanks, never doubt that the researcher next door who only has a 50 square-feet office may become the next Assistant Secretary of Defense... and you will too impact the world when you leave.

Loren Yager, '91

Loren is Director, International Trade, Government Accountability Office

PRGS students are required to use their initiative. Whether in designing an independent study or finding project work, they make their own way through the program. It is probably more difficult, but there are few limits to what the student can achieve.

PRGS Faculty

Paul K. Davis

PRGS Professor of Policy Analysis

Why am I at RAND? "It's a candy store of opportunities to affect public policy and the ideas that determine it while simultaneously working in an intellectually exciting not-for-profit organization that has a special working relationship with our government sponsors."

What makes PRGS unique? "PRGS students are intimately involved in real public policy research and often make substantial contributions to their projects. The curriculum and atmosphere are strongly interdisciplinary and the rigorous and quantitative aspects of that curriculum are taken more seriously than at some other roughly comparable schools. Also, while some of the courses are necessarily rather rigorous and classical, a number of courses are more like seminars-- emphasizing discussion, case histories, and critical thinking rather than book learning. This is appropriate for students with prior MS-level education and, often, a good deal of life experience. It is especially appropriate in a think-tank atmosphere."

James Hosek

PRGS Professor of Policy Analysis

Why do I teach? The PRGS fellows are an extraordinary group with a shared purpose: to become expert at policy analysis. They inspire me to develop lectures worthy of their purpose. Through the presentation of economic theory and method, I hope to contribute to the foundation they need to become adept analysts. It's deeply gratifying to watch classroom ideas appear later as the seeds of dissertations, and to see careers being forged by the power of imagination.

Comments from Others

Eugene Bardach

Professor, University of California

President, Association for Public Policy and Management; author of A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis

When I'm looking for examples of excellent policy-analytic research, I turn to RAND. You're sitting on the largest repository of useful work in our field.

Bill Bradley

Former U.S. Senator

More than ever before, U.S. leadership will derive from our example: a pluralistic democracy whose growing economy takes everybody to the higher ground. Yet on each aspect--pluralism, democracy, and growing economy--there is clearly a lot of work for all of us. We need to build a better society. RAND graduates fit into that in innumerable ways, from earthquake protection systems to economic theory in socialist countries.

Dr. Harold Brown

Former Secretary of Defense

I first came to know RAND 40 years ago. Since leaving government once again, I have found myself even more enlightened, as a RAND trustee, about health care, immigration, crime, environment, and energy. RAND Graduate School as a way of educating the next generation of researchers is exceedingly impressive.

Warren Christopher

Former Secretary of State

RAND's value has always been to provide a broad context for decisionmaking. By focusing the power of empirical analysis on the issues, RAND helps those who must decide our nation's priorities understand what's really at stake. A strong RAND gives America an extra edge in the 21st century.

William T. Coleman, Jr.

Former Secretary of Transportation

The United States must come to see our own diversity as a great strength, certainly not a weakness and indeed really not a problem. Work being done at RAND today is about that.

Gerald R. Ford

38th President of the United States

A prerequisite for formulating sound policy is understanding clearly which courses of action are possible and what can be gained or lost as you follow each of them. RAND is singularly able to lay out the options and insure that policymakers are not blind-sided. For this reason alone, RAND is a precious national resource.

Vaclav Havel

President of the Czech Republic

More than any other such institution, RAND influenced the outcome of the Cold War. Looking toward the coming century's challenges, RAND's brilliance and independence will be more crucial than ever.

Shirley M. Hufstedler

Former Secretary, U.S. Department of Education, Former U.S. Circuit Judge

We Americans are dedicated problem solvers. We tend to believe that for every problem, there must be a solution, if we just put our minds to it. But in fact there is no single right solution to most policy problems. Thus what matters most is that policy makers be given meticulous, objective analyses of alternatives--of what is and is not possible. No one does this better than RAND. Analysis of the kind RAND pioneered is essential to constructive debate about the course of action to be taken on any difficult issue.

Dr. Henry Kissinger

Former Secretary of State

In an address to PRGS Graduates:

We have to think in terms of world order, historic evolution, and a more modest role for America, though not a less important one. We have to address problems that will have no final answers but that, through a series of nuances, move us forward. These are exciting challenges. You have the rare opportunity to help shape the new, and almost certainly better, world to come.

Alice Rivlin

ex-Vice Chair, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

RAND is the citadel of policy analysis.