Think Tanks

 

Think Tanks

Think tanks are a group of people whose job it is to read, discuss, think, and write to address matters that are of vital importance to humanity (The Best Schools, 2021). Think of an institution where all the students and professors are there to research, not to teach, or do homework, but to concentrate on a particular subject of importance. At one point, it was estimated that the US had 1,984 think tanks, or one third of the world’s think tanks. These think tanks range from human rights, science and international affairs, climate change, health care, and many more (The Best Schools, 2021).

The RAND Corporation (Research ANd Development), was developed to research long-range planning of future weapons, in 1948 by Douglas Aircraft Company (The Best Schools, 2021). Today The RAND Corporation today researches energy, the environment, transportation, and public safety. Today the US Government funds the RAND Corporation, as well as a public endowment, universities, and other large corporations. RAND is also the home of the largest PhD-granting program in Policy Analysis, Frederick S. Pardee RAND Graduate School. The RAND Journal of Economics is also published by this think-tank. Also 32 Nobel Prize recipients in the last 60 years have been associated with RAND (The Best Schools, 2021). This think tank has a yearly revenue of $313.12 and a monthly monetary traffic of $121,000. In 2014, it was ranked #6 in the US, and #7 in the world.

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is a DC-based think tank which deals in international development, science and technology, security, and international affairs (The Best Schools, 2021). The Smithsonian Institute established this think tank in 1968 to foster research study, discussion, and collaboration between full spectrums of individuals. A number of books and journals are also published every year by The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. This think tank was ranked fifth in the US, and 10th in the work in 2014. It has an average yearly revenue of $15 million, and monthly traffic revenue of approximately $23,000.

Think tanks are highly valuable and can help solve some of the world’s largest and most complex problems like world hunger, world peace, climate change, international peace treaties, human rights, and so much more. These are the places where like-minded individuals and researchers come together to contribute something meaningful to the world. In my opinion, the world needs more focused, more inclusive, more actionable think tanks to address the issues the world is seeing today.

 

References

The 50 most influential think tanks in the United States. TheBestSchools.org. (2021, September 7). Retrieved October 7, 2021, from https://thebestschools.org/magazine/most-influential-think-tanks/.