David S. Ortiz

The Qatar Foundation is establishing a national research institute to conduct and collaborate on applied research in energy, environment, and water issues, the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute. This book recommends research priorities for the new institution and reports on a survey of relevant research institutions in the region.

The production of natural gas and gas liquids from shale in West Virginia has increased demand for workers in the energy sector. In 2013, the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) asked RAND to work closely with the Community and Technical College System of West Virginia to develop a collaborative strategy for preparing the local talent pool for the energy-sector workforce. We developed ten recommended action items.

This report documents key technological innovations in the energy sector; identifies best practices of educational and training programs that have successfully responded to evolving labor markets in other sectors; analyzes four case-study energy-sector education and training programs in southwestern Pennsylvania; and provides recommendations for the energy-sector education and training system in the region.

Describes the Coastal Louisiana Risk Assessment (CLARA) model developed by RAND to estimate flood depths and damage that occurs as a result of major storms in Louisiana's coastal region. CLARA made it possible to evaluate potential projects for inclusion in the Louisiana's 2012 Coastal Master Plan on the basis of how well they reduce flood damage over the next fifty years. Also describes damage reduction provided by the final Master Plan.

In this report, RAND researchers assess the potential future production levels, production costs, greenhouse gases, and other environmental implications of synthetic crude oil from oil sands and fuels produced via coal liquefaction relative to conventional petroleum-based transportation fuels. The findings indicate the potential cost-competitiveness of these alternative fuels and potential economic-environmental trade-offs from their deployment.

U.S. railroads have improved their productivity, but increasing freight volume threatens performance - degrading capacity constraints. This report describes the current state of railroad capacity and performance for freight transportation. The public consequences of private investment decisions justify a public role in addressing concerns about railroads, but better data and analysis are needed to inform transportation policymaking.U.S. railroads have improved their productivity, but increasing freight volume threatens to cause performance - degrading capacity constraints. This report describes the current state of railroad capacity and performance for freight transportation.

In February 2006, more than 30 U.S. and Canadian private- and public-sector stakeholders met to discuss the declining performance of the North American freight transport system and strategies for increasing its capacity. They identified effects of capacity constraints on the system and on the free movement of freight and charted a path toward addressing the most pressing issues. This document summarizes the workshop discussions.

In January 2004, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security inaugurated a new system for tracking foreign visitors at ports of entry to the United States, the United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) program. Building on previous RAND research and a case study of similar requirements in France in the 1980s and 1990s, this paper discusses policy issues raised by US-VISIT, including its effects on national security, privacy, and trade and tourism.