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Protests in Iran: Q&A with RAND Experts
Antigovernment protests have escalated into the most serious challenge to Iran's clerical leadership in decades. RAND experts addressed key questions about what's driving the crisis and where it might...
www.rand.org
Protests in Iran have escalated into the most serious challenge to the country's clerical leadership in decades.
We asked 7 RAND experts about the unrest—and where it might lead. New Q&A ⤵️
https://bit.ly/4bu5kHi
We asked 7 RAND experts about the unrest—and where it might lead. New Q&A ⤵️
https://bit.ly/4bu5kHi
The contest for science and technology leadership is a centerpiece of the U.S.-China rivalry.
This new paper outlines a bold strategy to help Washington regain the edge over Beijing: https://bit.ly/45KXK7t
This new paper outlines a bold strategy to help Washington regain the edge over Beijing: https://bit.ly/45KXK7t
A Bold Strategy to Recapture Technology Leadership
Rather than competing head-on with China's incremental innovations, the United States could leapfrog current-generation technologies to create entirely new paradigms in such areas as semiconductors, r...
bit.ly
January 16, 2026 at 7:12 PM
The contest for science and technology leadership is a centerpiece of the U.S.-China rivalry.
This new paper outlines a bold strategy to help Washington regain the edge over Beijing: https://bit.ly/45KXK7t
This new paper outlines a bold strategy to help Washington regain the edge over Beijing: https://bit.ly/45KXK7t
Without a careful approach, the timeline for Gaza's reconstruction could easily become measured in decades.
That should not be cause for despair, but for preparation, says RAND's Shelly Culbertson. The unavoidable challenges of reconstruction can be mitigated with vision and planning.
That should not be cause for despair, but for preparation, says RAND's Shelly Culbertson. The unavoidable challenges of reconstruction can be mitigated with vision and planning.
How to Keep Gaza's Recovery from Becoming an 80-Year Project
The coming year will determine whether Gaza's recovery begins on realistic footing or remains in a quagmire. Getting the details right could give Palestinians what they have lacked for decades: not ju...
www.rand.org
January 16, 2026 at 3:01 PM
Without a careful approach, the timeline for Gaza's reconstruction could easily become measured in decades.
That should not be cause for despair, but for preparation, says RAND's Shelly Culbertson. The unavoidable challenges of reconstruction can be mitigated with vision and planning.
That should not be cause for despair, but for preparation, says RAND's Shelly Culbertson. The unavoidable challenges of reconstruction can be mitigated with vision and planning.
In this episode of Policy Minded, RAND's Mark Cozad discusses how shifting demographics may impact China's military ambitions.
What China's Demographics Mean for Its Military
China’s population is shrinking and aging fast. How might that impact the future of the People's Liberation Army—and what could it mean for U.S. strategy and global security?
www.rand.org
January 16, 2026 at 12:07 AM
In this episode of Policy Minded, RAND's Mark Cozad discusses how shifting demographics may impact China's military ambitions.
New report recommends actions the U.S. government could take to address negative perceptions and misunderstandings about the security clearance process.
Clearing Up Misperceptions About the Security Clearance Process
Negative perceptions and misunderstandings about the security clearance process can have unintended consequences, including leading applicants to omit or falsify information. How can the federal gover...
www.rand.org
January 15, 2026 at 5:45 PM
New report recommends actions the U.S. government could take to address negative perceptions and misunderstandings about the security clearance process.
Protests in Iran have escalated into the most serious challenge to the country's clerical leadership in decades.
We asked 7 RAND experts about the unrest—and where it might lead. New Q&A ⤵️
https://bit.ly/4bu5kHi
We asked 7 RAND experts about the unrest—and where it might lead. New Q&A ⤵️
https://bit.ly/4bu5kHi
Protests in Iran: Q&A with RAND Experts
Antigovernment protests have escalated into the most serious challenge to Iran's clerical leadership in decades. RAND experts addressed key questions about what's driving the crisis and where it might...
www.rand.org
January 14, 2026 at 8:22 PM
Protests in Iran have escalated into the most serious challenge to the country's clerical leadership in decades.
We asked 7 RAND experts about the unrest—and where it might lead. New Q&A ⤵️
https://bit.ly/4bu5kHi
We asked 7 RAND experts about the unrest—and where it might lead. New Q&A ⤵️
https://bit.ly/4bu5kHi
New report provides short-, medium-, and long-term recommendations for moving to a common international space traffic management system:
How to Create 'Order in Orbit'
With space traffic and space debris on the rise, the need for an effective international space traffic management system has never been more pressing. What would it take to create, develop, and operat...
www.rand.org
January 14, 2026 at 12:15 AM
New report provides short-, medium-, and long-term recommendations for moving to a common international space traffic management system:
Negative perceptions and misunderstandings about the security clearance process can lead to significant challenges and costs for the U.S. government and deter otherwise-qualified people from pursuing government jobs.
Our new report recommends ways to address these misperceptions.
Our new report recommends ways to address these misperceptions.
Clearing Up Misperceptions About the Security Clearance Process
Negative perceptions and misunderstandings about the security clearance process can have unintended consequences, including leading applicants to omit or falsify information. How can the federal gover...
www.rand.org
January 13, 2026 at 6:45 PM
Negative perceptions and misunderstandings about the security clearance process can lead to significant challenges and costs for the U.S. government and deter otherwise-qualified people from pursuing government jobs.
Our new report recommends ways to address these misperceptions.
Our new report recommends ways to address these misperceptions.
There is no valid, accurate roadside test for cannabis intoxication. That's just one of the challenges that makes cannabis‑impaired driving difficult to address, say experts.
What policy approaches might help?
What policy approaches might help?
Making Highways Less High
More than a decade after states began legalizing recreational marijuana, effective policies to counter driving while high don’t exist. What might be done to help make the roads safer?
www.rand.org
January 12, 2026 at 5:08 PM
There is no valid, accurate roadside test for cannabis intoxication. That's just one of the challenges that makes cannabis‑impaired driving difficult to address, say experts.
What policy approaches might help?
What policy approaches might help?
Using AI for taxes could be the canary in the coal mine for major economic disruptions, says RAND's Carter Price.
"Until people can trust AI to do their taxes, they shouldn’t trust it to do their jobs. That gives us a little time to prepare—but not much."
"Until people can trust AI to do their taxes, they shouldn’t trust it to do their jobs. That gives us a little time to prepare—but not much."
Opinion | Would You Let Claude Do Your Taxes?
Preparing a return is the kind of task AI ought to be good for.
www.wsj.com
January 11, 2026 at 8:15 PM
Using AI for taxes could be the canary in the coal mine for major economic disruptions, says RAND's Carter Price.
"Until people can trust AI to do their taxes, they shouldn’t trust it to do their jobs. That gives us a little time to prepare—but not much."
"Until people can trust AI to do their taxes, they shouldn’t trust it to do their jobs. That gives us a little time to prepare—but not much."
"The neat distinction between public or private actors' roles in war and warfare is being eroded. Geopolitical competition, crisis, and conflict are increasingly playing out in, over, and through the commercial sector." https://bit.ly/49oqOmh
The Changing Economic Dimension of Warfare
How can Western militaries and governments better leverage commercial technologies and firms to gain a strategic advantage in modern conflicts?
www.rand.org
January 11, 2026 at 2:51 PM
"The neat distinction between public or private actors' roles in war and warfare is being eroded. Geopolitical competition, crisis, and conflict are increasingly playing out in, over, and through the commercial sector." https://bit.ly/49oqOmh
The need for an effective international space traffic management system has never been more pressing.
This new report provides a roadmap:
This new report provides a roadmap:
How to Create 'Order in Orbit'
With space traffic and space debris on the rise, the need for an effective international space traffic management system has never been more pressing. What would it take to create, develop, and operat...
www.rand.org
January 10, 2026 at 2:13 PM
The need for an effective international space traffic management system has never been more pressing.
This new report provides a roadmap:
This new report provides a roadmap:
New report outlines a research agenda that can help improve rural health access and quality in West Virginia. ⬇️
How to Improve Health Care Access and Quality in Rural West Virginia
In rural West Virginia, health system strengths and weaknesses are interwoven with unique geographic, socioeconomic, and cultural factors. Certain research priorities, promising programs, and communit...
www.rand.org
January 10, 2026 at 12:40 AM
New report outlines a research agenda that can help improve rural health access and quality in West Virginia. ⬇️
Jim Mitre has been named senior vice president and chief research officer at RAND.
Mitre will lead our U.S.-based research enterprise, set research priorities, and uphold RAND's standards for quality and independence. https://bit.ly/3L9ZXT4
Mitre will lead our U.S.-based research enterprise, set research priorities, and uphold RAND's standards for quality and independence. https://bit.ly/3L9ZXT4
RAND Appoints Jim Mitre as Senior Vice President and Chief Research Officer
Jim Mitre, a national security and defense policy expert, will lead RAND's U.S.-based research enterprise, set research priorities, and uphold the institution's standards for quality and independence.
bit.ly
January 8, 2026 at 10:35 PM
Jim Mitre has been named senior vice president and chief research officer at RAND.
Mitre will lead our U.S.-based research enterprise, set research priorities, and uphold RAND's standards for quality and independence. https://bit.ly/3L9ZXT4
Mitre will lead our U.S.-based research enterprise, set research priorities, and uphold RAND's standards for quality and independence. https://bit.ly/3L9ZXT4
It’s easy to assume catastrophic fires are the new American reality.
But they don’t *have* to be.
Writing on the anniversary of the LA fires, RAND’s Patrick Roberts says that by taking advantage of technology, "we may be able to create a future that avoids such devastation." bit.ly/4st0X5d
But they don’t *have* to be.
Writing on the anniversary of the LA fires, RAND’s Patrick Roberts says that by taking advantage of technology, "we may be able to create a future that avoids such devastation." bit.ly/4st0X5d
Tech Can Avert Catastrophic Fires. What’s Missing Is Coordination
Embracing new technologies could help prevent routine fires from turning into catastrophes. But the United States lacks a coherent system for advancing and scaling these promising innovations.
bit.ly
January 7, 2026 at 5:15 PM
It’s easy to assume catastrophic fires are the new American reality.
But they don’t *have* to be.
Writing on the anniversary of the LA fires, RAND’s Patrick Roberts says that by taking advantage of technology, "we may be able to create a future that avoids such devastation." bit.ly/4st0X5d
But they don’t *have* to be.
Writing on the anniversary of the LA fires, RAND’s Patrick Roberts says that by taking advantage of technology, "we may be able to create a future that avoids such devastation." bit.ly/4st0X5d
"The way Gaza rebuilds in the next several years will determine whether this moment can break the region's long cycle of violence or become yet another false dawn."
How to Keep Gaza's Recovery from Becoming an 80-Year Project
The coming year will determine whether Gaza's recovery begins on realistic footing or remains in a quagmire. Getting the details right could give Palestinians what they have lacked for decades: not ju...
www.rand.org
January 3, 2026 at 12:35 AM
"The way Gaza rebuilds in the next several years will determine whether this moment can break the region's long cycle of violence or become yet another false dawn."
Today’s large language models—ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok—can write code and polish prose. But would you trust them to do your taxes?
RAND's @carterprice.bsky.social discusses in @wsj.com.
RAND's @carterprice.bsky.social discusses in @wsj.com.
Opinion | Would You Let Claude Do Your Taxes?
Preparing a return is the kind of task AI ought to be good for.
www.wsj.com
January 2, 2026 at 4:34 PM
Today’s large language models—ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok—can write code and polish prose. But would you trust them to do your taxes?
RAND's @carterprice.bsky.social discusses in @wsj.com.
RAND's @carterprice.bsky.social discusses in @wsj.com.
"Despite all the emphasis on STEM over the past decade or more, the uncomfortable truth is that U.S. schools are not designed to produce such excellence at scale."
Why U.S. STEM Excellence Is Often Accidental. Unlike China's
How do U.S. and Chinese approaches to math and science education differ? And what federal policy changes might help strengthen America’s edge in STEM?
www.rand.org
January 2, 2026 at 1:31 AM
"Despite all the emphasis on STEM over the past decade or more, the uncomfortable truth is that U.S. schools are not designed to produce such excellence at scale."
"AI companies … face powerful financial incentives to tune chatbots in ways that steadily heighten their appeal. It's easy, then, to imagine people intensifying their confidence and attachment toward chatbots where they could even serve as a deity." https://bit.ly/3YLRfxc
Are AI Companies Actually Ready to Play God?
As chatbots evolve into a daily tool for advice, emotional support, and spiritual guidance, how can we ensure that artificial intelligence truly benefits those who turn to it in moments of need?
www.rand.org
January 1, 2026 at 7:14 PM
"AI companies … face powerful financial incentives to tune chatbots in ways that steadily heighten their appeal. It's easy, then, to imagine people intensifying their confidence and attachment toward chatbots where they could even serve as a deity." https://bit.ly/3YLRfxc
As 2025 comes to a close, we're looking back at the policy issues that defined our work this year—from strengthening the U.S. military and anticipating the future of AI, to competing with China, reimagining the Middle East, and improving U.S. health care.
2025 RAND Wrap-Up: Research That Defined Our Year
RAND's mission is clear: We tackle hard problems and tough questions, helping policymakers make informed, robust decisions amid risk and uncertainty. Here are some ways RAND supported decisionmakers i...
bit.ly
December 31, 2025 at 6:02 PM
As 2025 comes to a close, we're looking back at the policy issues that defined our work this year—from strengthening the U.S. military and anticipating the future of AI, to competing with China, reimagining the Middle East, and improving U.S. health care.
"If people keep turning to chatbots for advice, entrusting them with their physical and mental health, what happens if they also begin using AI to get help from God, even treating AI as a god?" https://bit.ly/48Z8gKy
Are AI Companies Actually Ready to Play God?
As chatbots evolve into a daily tool for advice, emotional support, and spiritual guidance, how can we ensure that artificial intelligence truly benefits those who turn to it in moments of need?
www.rand.org
December 30, 2025 at 5:23 PM
"If people keep turning to chatbots for advice, entrusting them with their physical and mental health, what happens if they also begin using AI to get help from God, even treating AI as a god?" https://bit.ly/48Z8gKy
We asked public school–based pre-K teachers about their use of ed tech and generative AI in classrooms.
Here's what they said: https://bit.ly/490773Q
Here's what they said: https://bit.ly/490773Q
How Do Pre-K Teachers Use Educational Technology?
Approximately 30 percent of pre-kindergarten teachers reported at least some use of generative artificial intelligence for job-related purposes. Those who had received professional training in the tec...
bit.ly
December 28, 2025 at 6:20 PM
We asked public school–based pre-K teachers about their use of ed tech and generative AI in classrooms.
Here's what they said: https://bit.ly/490773Q
Here's what they said: https://bit.ly/490773Q
New report outlines West Virginia's rural health challenges—workforce shortages, chronic disease, infrastructure gaps, and access barriers—and describes a preliminary research agenda to guide improvements:
How to Improve Health Care Access and Quality in Rural West Virginia
In rural West Virginia, health system strengths and weaknesses are interwoven with unique geographic, socioeconomic, and cultural factors. Certain research priorities, promising programs, and communit...
www.rand.org
December 27, 2025 at 7:45 PM
New report outlines West Virginia's rural health challenges—workforce shortages, chronic disease, infrastructure gaps, and access barriers—and describes a preliminary research agenda to guide improvements:
"The way Gaza rebuilds in the next several years will determine whether this moment can break the region's long cycle of violence or become yet another false dawn."
How to Keep Gaza's Recovery from Becoming an 80-Year Project
The coming year will determine whether Gaza's recovery begins on realistic footing or remains in a quagmire. Getting the details right could give Palestinians what they have lacked for decades: not ju...
www.rand.org
December 26, 2025 at 9:19 PM
"The way Gaza rebuilds in the next several years will determine whether this moment can break the region's long cycle of violence or become yet another false dawn."
As a researcher at RAND, Robert Lempert helps communities around the world plan for uncertain futures and survive disasters.
After his home was destroyed in the Palisades Fire, he's been helping his own community become a global leader in wildfire resilience. https://lat.ms/3Y4LDOy
After his home was destroyed in the Palisades Fire, he's been helping his own community become a global leader in wildfire resilience. https://lat.ms/3Y4LDOy
His computer simulations help communities survive disasters. Can they design a Palisades that never burns?
Robert Lempert, a RAND researcher who lost his home in the Palisades fire, hopes to use computer simulations, and his neighbors' ideas, to design a fire-resilient community.
www.latimes.com
December 24, 2025 at 3:06 PM
As a researcher at RAND, Robert Lempert helps communities around the world plan for uncertain futures and survive disasters.
After his home was destroyed in the Palisades Fire, he's been helping his own community become a global leader in wildfire resilience. https://lat.ms/3Y4LDOy
After his home was destroyed in the Palisades Fire, he's been helping his own community become a global leader in wildfire resilience. https://lat.ms/3Y4LDOy
New report reconsiders the relevance of passive defenses in major war:
Reconsidering the Relevance of Passive Defenses in Major War
There are concerns within the U.S. military that investing in defenses diverts attention and resources from more offensive approaches. But passive defense may have relevance for future conflicts and s...
www.rand.org
December 23, 2025 at 6:59 PM
New report reconsiders the relevance of passive defenses in major war: