RAND Corporation
RAND Corporation is a US "think tank" organisation which was formed to offer research and analysis to the US military but has since expanded to working with other government and commercial organizations. RAND has around 1100 employees based at four sites: Santa Monica, California; Arlington, Virginia; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Leiden, The Netherlands. The corporation's name is a contraction of "research and development".
Project RAND
RAND was set up in 1945 by the USAAF as Project RAND, under contract to the Douglas Aircraft Company, and in 1945 they released the Preliminary Design of an Experimental World-Circling Spaceship. In May 1948, Project RAND was separated from Douglas and became an independent organization.
Mission Statement
RAND was incorporated as a nonprofit corporation to, "further promote scientific, educational, and charitable purposes, all for the public welfare and security of the United States of America."
Achievements and Expertise
The achievements of RAND stem from its development of systems analysis. Important contribution are claimed in space systems and America's space program, and to digital computing and artificial intelligence.
Current areas of expertise, including that of RAND's education-related division - the Institute on Education and Training, are: child policy, civil and criminal justice, education, environment and energy, health, international policy, labor markets, national security, population and regional studies, science and technology, social welfare and transportation.