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Past Projects by Summer Associates

A Summer Associates Policy Seminar during the week of July 15, 2024, photo by Diane Baldwin/RAND

The RAND environment provides a rich variety of ongoing studies and an experienced staff of professional researchers. Each graduate student summer associate is matched with a project and a mentor, based on educational background, skills, and experiences, and available project needs.

For example, Summer Associates contributed to the following research:

Designing Innovative High Schools
Opportunity by Design (ObD) uses innovative design principles like personalized instruction to help prepare students for postsecondary success. RAND's interim report on ObD lays out how these principles are implemented in schools, their strengths, and early challenges.
Translating Veterans' Skills into Civilian Employers' Terms
Military veterans have a great deal to offer civilian employers, including nontechnical skills such as leadership, decisionmaking, and persistence. New tools can help veterans describe their skills to potential employers and can be used by employers to understand the value veterans can bring to their organizations.
Building an Army Strategy for Cyber Support
Cyber operations are increasingly important to the Army and other services' ability to incorporate actions in cyberspace with activities in traditional warfighting domains. A new strategy for tactical Army cyber operations enumerates overarching goals, objectives, and associated activities.
China's Role in the U.S. Synthetic Opioid Market
Illicitly sourced synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, are involved in most of today's overdose deaths. Though most of these substances appear to come from China, many dimensions of this problem are unclear. Understanding the shifting supply of opioids is critical to addressing the overdose crisis.
Considerations for Integrating Women into U.S. Special Ops Forces
A survey of special operations forces (SOF) personnel identified their concerns with allowing women to fill SOF positions. Many said they thought mission effectiveness and unit cohesion would suffer as a result.
Reducing the Stigma of Mental Illness
California's Mental Health Services Act emphasizes stigma and discrimination reduction. Researchers examined whether this effort changed the public perception of mental illness and the individual experience of stigma.
To Educate or to Incarcerate: Examining Disparities in School Discipline
Several factors contribute to disparities in office referral, suspension, and expulsion in high schools. Helping students engage in school may protect against disproportionate school discipline.