Optimum graphic presentation of this site requires a modern standards-friendly browser. The browser or PDA you are using may not display exactly as intended, but you will still be able to access all of our content. For more information, see About This Site. Why upgrade? Click here to see how this site's homepage displays with a modern browser.

• The Arts
• Child Policy
• Civil Justice
• Education
• Energy & Environment
• Health & Health Care
• International Affairs
• National Security
• Population & Aging
• Public Safety
• Science & Technology
• Substance Abuse
• Terrorism & Homeland Security
• Transportation & Infrastructure
• Workforce & Workplace

Hot Topics

• Afghanistan
• China
• Emergency Preparedness and Response
• Health Care Access and Quality
• Health Care Reform
• Iraq
• Nation-Building and Diplomacy
• No Child Left Behind and Student Achievement
• Pakistan and India
• Policing

More »

Follow RAND…

• on Facebook
• on Twitter
• on YouTube

Contributing RAND Divisions and Centers

• Force Modernization and Employment Program
• Acquisition and Technology Policy Center
• RAND Education
• RAND Europe
• RAND Health
• RAND Infrastructure, Safety, and Environment
• RAND Institute for Civil Justice
• RAND Pardee Center
• Transportation, Space, and Technology Program

Support Our Work

Five ways you can make a difference:

1. Donate Now
2. Buy a Book
3. Stay Informed
4. Tell a Friend
5. Utilize RAND's Services

Science and Technology

RAND research on science and technology serves a mix of clients, including federal agencies, state, and other government entities, businesses, and foundations. Much of this research is conducted within the Transportation, Space, and Technology program of RAND Infrastructure, Safety, and Environment. View all Science and Technology Documents Available Online or find general information at Reports and Bookstore.

More »Featured Research

What Police Departments Can Teach Us About IT, Organization, and Productivity in the Public Sector — Jan. 29, 2010

Police department data from 1987 to 2003 shows that while increases in information technology are not associated with increased productivity, IT investments can improve productivity when they are complemented with particular organizational and management practices.

Full Document

Incorporating Sustainability into Army Installation Plans — Jan. 21, 2010

Given the experiences of industry and communities, many Army installations have started to develop and implement installation sustainability plans, which document long-range plans addressing mission, community, and environmental issues developed through a strategic planning process.

Full Document

More »Featured Project

Frederick S. Pardee Center for Longer Range Global Policy and the Future Human Condition — Aug. 31, 2008

The Pardee Center was established in 2001 to enhance the overall future quality and condition of human life by aggressively disseminating and applying new methods for long-term policy analysis in a wide variety of policy areas where they are needed most.

Read More

View All »Related News & Commentary

October 9, 2009: Innovation Means More Than Something New, By Elizabeth A. McGlynn (Economist.com)

October 8, 2009: U.S. Must Focus on Protecting Critical Computer Networks from Cyber Attack

September 25, 2009: Green Buildings, Jobs and Summits, By Charles P. Ries (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

September 17, 2009: Capitalism Still Works: Our Economy Will Recover Because We Are Innovators and Entrepreneurs, By Krishna B. Kumar (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

July 14, 2009: Alabama's Challenge: Better Prepared Workforce, By Melissa Flournoy (Montgomery Advertiser)

View All »Featured Reports

Oil Shale Development in the United States: Prospects and Policy Issues In the early 1980s, industry and government took a hard look at the economics of extracting oil from vast deposits of shale that lie beneath the western United States. Oil prices subsided, and interest waned. With oil prices spiking and global demand showing no signs of abating, reexamining the economics of oil shale makes sense. In this report, the authors describe oil shale resources; suitability, cost, and performance of new technologies; and key policy issues that need to be addressed by government decisionmakers in the near future. Full Document

The Global Technology Revolution 2020, Executive Summary In 2020, areas of particular importance for technology trends will include biotechnology, nanotechnology, materials technology, and information technology. The authors of this report assessed a sample of 29 countries across the spectrum of scientific advancement (low to high) with respect to their ability to acquire and implement 16 key technology applications. Full Document