Baker Institute Update

The "Baker Institute Update" is the email newsletter of Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, providing a snapshot of institute news, research and upcoming events. Links to published issues are below.

Click here to subscribe to the "Baker Institute Update" as well as newsletters from the Center for Health and Biosciences, Center for the United States and Mexico, and Science and Technology Policy Program.

Previous Newsletters

May 18, 2022 — Ambassador Djerejian reflects on 28 years at the Baker Institute
April 28, 2022 — Building a new home: How the Afghan experience can inform Ukrainian resettlement in the U.S.
April 12, 2022 — How will the Ukraine crisis shape U.S. foreign policy?
April 1, 2022 — 2022 Baker Prize to honor Austin Tice, journalist and Marine Corps veteran still held captive in Syria
March 16, 2022 — Senate testimony: Medlock and Michot Foss on the use of energy as a tool & weapon
Feb. 28, 2022 — From the Director: The Need for Strategic Thinking in Ukraine and Beyond
Feb. 16, 2022 — The 'Texas Freeze' one year later: What happened? Can it happen again?
Feb. 2, 2022 — Solar's bright future faces a cloudy reality: What about all the waste?
Jan. 19, 2022 — 2021 Annual Report: A year of change and impact
Dec. 15, 2021 — Happy holidays from the Baker Institute
Nov. 30, 2021 — The future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict 30 years after Madrid
Nov. 17, 2021 — K-12 funding shortfalls and the energy transition
Nov. 3, 2021 — The Carter-Baker Commission: 16 years later
Oct. 20, 2021 — Dr. Rola El-Serag named director of Center for Health and Biosciences
Oct. 6, 2021 — Director of the Baker Institute announces retirement
Sept. 20, 2021 — A busy fall ahead for Baker Institute interns, student forum members
Sept. 2, 2021 — Where will fleeing Afghans go?
Aug. 19, 2021 — Q&A: Fallout from Afghanistan
Aug. 5, 2021 — China's Communist Party turns 100
July 22, 2021 — A plan to change the future of Texas' children
June 30, 2021 — How financial technology is shaping small business lending
June 16, 2021 — Strengthening Mexico's asylum system
June 2, 2021 — Shaping policy for a 'new normal'
May 19, 2021 — Houston's future as energy transitions
May 5, 2021 — What will it take to win the tech race with China?
April 21, 2021 — What's in store for Mexico's troubled economy?
April 8, 2021 — Baker Institute and Carter Center launch U.S. election reform event series
Mar. 24, 2021 — The 24-Hour Annual Fund Challenge starts tomorrow: Your opportunity to support the Baker Institute
Mar. 10, 2021 — Q&A: Will the $1.9 trillion stimulus plan work?
Feb. 24, 2021 — The Texas Blackout: Fail to prepare? Prepare to fail
Feb. 11, 2021 — Tune into our podcasts!
Jan. 28, 2021 — Rice’s Baker Institute and its Center for Energy Studies at top of global think tank rankings
Jan. 14, 2021 — Baker Institute releases recommendations for the new administration
Dec. 16, 2020 — Season's Greetings and Best Wishes for 2021
Dec. 2, 2020 — Election 2020: Looking back — and ahead
Nov. 18, 2020 — NATO and emerging foreign policy threats: A conversation with the Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison
Nov. 5, 2020 — Analysis: Texas election results
Oct. 21, 2020 — 2020 election webinar series
Oct. 8, 2020 — A conversation with James A. Baker, III, Peter Baker and Susan Glasser
Sept. 24, 2020 — 2020 election series: challenges in U.S. Middle East policy
Sept. 11, 2020 — America in the world: A history of U.S. diplomacy and foreign policy
Aug. 27, 2020 — Assessing the Lebanese crisis and its consequences
Aug. 13, 2020 — Election 2020: Kamala Harris is Joe Biden’s choice for VP. How will the next 90 days unfold?
July 31, 2020 — A conversation on policing, racial justice and policy reform
July 15, 2020 — A conversation with Bun B on race and racism in America
July 2, 2020 — USMCA’s entry into force: Prospects and challenges for North American trade
June 17, 2020 — Fixing American policing also requires an end to the War on Drugs
June 4, 2020 — Covid-19: Update on vaccine development
May 21, 2020 — A Message from the Director
May 7, 2020 — How can the pandemic help the U.S. improve health, not just health care?
April 23, 2020 — The 2020 Elections and Covid-19
April 9, 2020 — Pandemic, Price War and the World Petroleum Market
Mar. 26, 2020 — Covid-19: Statistics warn of a worsening trend if risks not managed
Mar. 12, 2020 — Baker Institute cancels March and April events
Feb. 26, 2020 — How is China responding to the coronavirus?
Feb. 14, 2020 — Should scientists create 'designer' babies?
Jan. 30, 2020 — Baker Institute at top of global think tank rankings
Jan. 16, 2020 — The elusive fate of Russian democracy
Dec. 13, 2019 — Season's greetings from the Baker Institute
Nov. 26, 2019 — A peaceful resolution for Hong Kong?
Nov. 14, 2019 — Looking ahead to the 2020 elections
Oct. 30, 2019 — Safe third country agreements and asylum-seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border
Oct. 16, 2019 — The energy transition: Legacy, scale and technology
Oct. 2, 2019 — Students explore policy challenges, solutions at the Baker Institute
July 24, 2019 — “13 Minutes to the Moon”: BBC records finale at Baker Institute
June 6, 2019 — Interactive map: Summer research travels
May 16, 2019 — Institute hosts annual Roundtable dinner
May 1, 2019 - PM Mulroney awarded 2019 Baker Prize
April 10, 2019 - Vice President Mike Pence on U.S. policy toward Venezuela
April 2, 2019 - Anita Hill on Ending Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
March 13, 2019 - George Abbey: The Astronaut Maker
Feb. 22, 2019 - Trump's national emergency: "A constitutionally dubious gambit"
Feb. 8, 2019 - Baker Institute again ranked a top global think tank
Jan. 23, 2019 - Key issues to watch in the 2019 Texas legislative session
Nov. 30, 2018 - Obama, Baker discuss need for bipartisanship at institute's 25th anniversary gala
Nov. 2, 2018 - Election Day: What to Expect in Texas and Beyond
Oct. 23, 2018 - Revolutions in Energy: The Roles of Markets, Technology and Policy
Oct. 3, 2018 - CBS News’ Major Garrett on Trump’s time in office
Sept. 12, 2018 - Obama, Romney headline fall 25th anniversary events
July 26, 2018 - Changes ahead in U.S.-Mexico relations
June 28, 2018 - Baker institute fellows, scholars plan summer research travel
June 1, 2018 - A Conversation with Secretary James A. Baker, III
May 3, 2018 - Barack Obama to be guest of honor at anniversary gala
April 9, 2018 - Axelrod and Rove discuss winning, losing strategies in 2016 election
March 14, 2018 - Axelrod, Rove to host Presidential Elections Program conference
March 2, 2018 - The Future of DACA; Young professionals Q&A
Feb. 8, 2018 - Baker Institute, Center for Energy Studies rise in global think tank rankings
Jan. 26, 2018 - Center for the Middle East hosts workshops in the MENA
Nov. 29, 2017 - Baker Institute releases 2016-2017 annual report
Nov. 8, 2017 - Baker Institute launches new "Policy Matters" podcast
Oct. 20, 2017 - Tax reform; Hurricane Harvey; fall reception
Oct. 2, 2017 - Water treatment after extreme storms and flooding
July 13, 2017 - Five questions on the Texas special legislative session
June 12, 2017 - Baker Institute fellows and experts use summertime for research travel
May 22, 2017 - First master of global affairs class graduates
May 5, 2017 - Institute hosts Roundtable Annual Dinner
April 17, 2017 - Leadership and Compassion: A Discussion with Marguerite Barankitse
April 12, 2017 - Amb. Itamar Rabinovich on the legacy of Yitzhak Rabin; RYP at the MFAH
March 20, 2017 - Baker Institute receives $3.2M to study U.S. tax and spending policies
Feb. 27, 2017 - The Trump Administration's First 30 Days
Feb. 10, 2017 - Baker Institute Again Ranked a Top Five University-Affiliated Think Tank
Jan. 19, 2017 - Policy recommendations for the President-elect
Dec. 21, 2016 - Year in Review
Dec. 7, 2016 - Rising populist nationalism in the U.S. and Europe
Nov. 28, 2016 - Middle East policy in a Trump administration
Nov. 3, 2016 - Special Election 2016 Edition
Oct. 26, 2016 - Protecting the Gulf Coast from hurricane damage; Veterans and Viewpoints
Oct. 11, 2016 - Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia visits; 5 Questions on U.S.-Cuba relations
Sept. 22, 2016 - Vice President Joe Biden Outlines 'Moonshot' for a Cancer Cure
Sept. 6, 2016 - McNair offers career advice to enterprising Rice students, young professionals
Aug. 11, 2016 - The State of Play of the 2016 Elections With Three Months to Go
July 27, 2016 - Baker Institute summer interns sharpen research skills, explore careers in D.C.
July 13, 2016 - Former White House staffers look ahead to the 2017 presidential transition
June 30, 2016 - Astronauts discuss Apollo 13, NASA's future
June 15, 2016 - How might Obamacare change in 2017?
June 2, 2016 - Baker Institute fellows and experts use summertime for research travel
May 19, 2016 - Secretary Baker discusses policy, election with Roundtable Emerging Leaders
May 4, 2016 - Secretary of State John Kerry speaks on the role of religion in foreign policy
April 21, 2016 - Cuban ambassador speaks at institute; Inside the Iran nuclear deal
April 7, 2016 - Is Texas prepared for a public health crisis?
March 24, 2016 - Spring break in Dubai: Rice students study policy in the UAE
March 9, 2016 - Four questions on the presidential primary races
Feb. 25, 2016 - Center for Energy Studies tackles the water-energy nexus
Feb. 12, 2016 - Baker Institute's global rankings rise
Jan. 29, 2016 - Campaign 2016: Analyzing Where the Candidates Stand
Jan. 13, 2016 - Five questions about the Iran-Saudi conflict
Dec. 7, 2015 - Best wishes for 2016
Dec. 3, 2015 - Cross-examining history with James A. Baker, III
Nov. 20, 2015 - A Strategy Toward Defeating ISIS
Nov. 5, 2015 - Fast Five with a Fellow; Election results
Oct. 21, 2015 - Telemedicine in schools; Saudi Arabia's oil strategy
Oct. 7, 2015 - Fall Reception; Roundtable Dialogue
Sept. 23, 2015 - McNair Entrepreneurship Center launched
Aug. 20, 2015 - Paid student internships; fall events
June 17, 2015 - International Space Medicine Summit 2015
May 4, 2015 - Civic scientists inspire local high school students; Q&A: Roundtable Emerging Leaders
April 20, 2015 - Gala honors Simmonses, launches Center for Health & Biosciences; Stem cell policy, women's rights in the Middle East explored at Roundtable Dialogues
March 23, 2015 - PBS documentary on James A. Baker, III; When celebrity culture and science clash; Effects of lifting U.S. crude export ban
March 13, 2015 - The politics of identity post-Arab Spring
Feb. 26, 2015 - Raising awareness of neglected tropical diseases; Fears and facts about marijuana reform
Feb. 11, 2015 - The Middle East Cauldron and U.S. Policy; Join the Roundtable young professionals
Jan. 23, 2015 - Baker Institute among top 10 university-based think tanks; Institute fellows take to the road
Dec. 15, 2014 - Best wishes for 2015
Dec. 3, 2014 - Policy matters. Raise your voice.
Nov. 21, 2014 - Five Questions: Iran nuclear deal; Roundtable Dialogue with Tony Payan
Nov. 6, 2014 - The 2014 elections; Roundtable members gather at fall open house
Oct. 24, 2014 - The Miracle of Leipzig; Roundtable dialogue with Vivian Ho
Oct. 9, 2014 - Five Questions: Hong Kong's "umbrella revolution"; Sponsor a Roundtable Emerging Leader
Sept. 25, 2014 - How Gandhi discovered nonviolence; Baker Institute fellow Mark P. Jones on the 2014 elections
Sept. 12, 2014 - The inaugural Founding Director's Lecture: The Middle East in Turmoil; Q&A: Roundtable Emerging Leaders
Aug. 25, 2014 - Five questions: What you should know about the Ebola outbreak; a new master's program in global affairs; Roundtable Emerging Leaders Q&A
July 2, 2014 - Burwell v. Hobby Lobby and Obamacare; young professionals Q&A
June 11, 2014 - Marijuana use by military veterans with PTSD; Bakers endow new Djerejian fellow; membership survey
May 28, 2014 - Interactive map; India's new PM; young professionals Q&A
May 14, 2014 - Interns gain valuable experience, hone future goals; Five questions: Islamists and illiberal democracy in the Middle East
April 30, 2014 - Five Questions: The Heartbleed bug and the future of cybersecurity; Women's rights after the Arab Spring
April 17, 2014 - Ukraine crisis has far-reaching impact
April 3, 2014 - Introducing the Mexico Center; Obamacare and millennials; hemp and the U.S. economy
March 20, 2014 - Two new Baker Institute membership levels for young professionals
Feb. 27, 2014 - Women's economic empowerment in the developing world
Feb. 13, 2014 - Ambassador Djerejian on learning and leadership
Jan. 30, 2014 - Institute Continues to Rise in Global Rankings
Jan. 10, 2014 - After the Arab Spring
Dec. 18, 2013 - Best wishes for 2014
Oct. 30, 2013 - Step inside Club Berlin; Baker Institute 20-year timeline
Oct. 18, 2013 - Baker Institute unveils new website
Oct. 4, 2013 - Student Forum's policy competition goes national; fall Roundtable reception
Sept. 19, 2013 - How will the Syrian crisis end? Expert panel discusses the conflict with Rice students
Sept. 11, 2013 - Political party: An Associate Roundtable happy hour
Aug. 28, 2013 - Baker Institute celebrates 20th anniversary with galas, special events
Aug. 12, 2013 - An invitation to talk immigration reform
June 26, 2013 - Associate Roundtable event series kicks off at Saint Arnold
May 29, 2013 - The fall of Iran in Arab public opinion; Tony Blair speaks at the institute
May 15, 2013 - Fellows and scholars take to the road this summer; interns awarded prestigious scholarships and fellowships
May 1, 2013 - Cybercrime: A different approach to a growing problem
April 17, 2013 - A new Baker Institute class in public policy; NBC's Robert Bazell named new nonresident science fellow
April 3, 2013 - Immigration reform — Is the time finally right?
March 20, 2013 - U.S. Engagement on Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and the crisis in Syria
March 6, 2013 - Why Texas should expand Medicaid; Syria: Then and now
Feb. 20, 2013 - The Arab Awakening and Gender — Challenges and Opportunities for Women
Feb. 6, 2013 - The Baker Institute at 20 — A year of celebration
Jan. 25, 2013 - Baker Institute ranked among world's top 25 think tanks
Dec. 20, 2012 - Best wishes for the new year
Nov. 28, 2012 - Ambassador Djerejian on Gaza, Egypt and the changing nature of U.S. diplomacy; Associate Roundtable opportunities
Nov. 14, 2012 - Policy and Pizza: The Baker Institute Student Forum
Oct. 31, 2012 - Exploring the issues behind the 2012 campaign
Oct. 17, 2012 - Baker Institute expands its energy program with a new Center for Energy Studies
Sept. 27, 2012 - Why a small island chain is causing big problems for China and Japan; a new fellow in disease and poverty named
Sept. 11, 2012 - Election 2012: Baker Institute experts focus on policy, not politics
August 22, 2012 - Oil, policy and an occasional moose: Energy Forum interns travel to Alaska
July 30, 2012 - Dewhurst v. Cruz: Voter turnout will be key
June 28, 2012 - The U.S. Supreme Court upholds health care reform: Now what?
May 30, 2012 - Ensuring safe travels to Mars and beyond
May 16, 2012 - Baker Institute fellows and scholars travel around the world for summer research; Ambassador Djerejian participates in Council on Foreign Relations report on U.S. Turkey relations
May 2, 2012 - Baker Institute interns win Fulbright, Marshall and other awards; James A. Baker IV and Gerald D. Hines join the Board of Advisers
April 18, 2012 - Civic Scientist Lecture 2012 with Nobel laureate David Baltimore and Alice Huang
April 4, 2012 - Baker Institute partners with Brazil's premier think tank; The Honorable James A. Baker, III, guests on Charlie Rose
March 21, 2012 - Arab Spring: A message from the founding director
March 7, 2012 - Should the U.S. legalize drugs? Stem cell conference in Qatar
Feb. 22, 2012 - Will the Greece bailout work?; Middle East policy recommendations
Feb. 8, 2012 - Spring break in Qatar; crisis in Syria
Jan. 25, 2012 - Baker Institute named among top 25 U.S. think tanks
Jan. 11, 2012 - Baker Institute names new international economics fellow
Dec. 19, 2011 - Best wishes for 2012
Dec. 7, 2011 - Jane Lubchenco, administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, discusses science and society; the Energy Forum holds a conference on China and energy
Nov. 23, 2011 - Joanne King Herring discusses her recently published memoir; U.S. senators quiz energy fellow Ken Medlock on natural gas
Nov. 9, 2011 - Navigating health care reform and the jobs crisis; Condoleezza Rice; James A. Baker, III, on Mideast peace
Oct. 27, 2011 - The Madrid Peace Conference: 20 years later
Oct. 12, 2011 - Students lunch with The Honorable James A. Baker, III
Sept. 28, 2011 - Former Gov. Bill Richardson joins the Baker Institute; annual Roundtable reception draws more than 100 guests
Sept. 22, 2011 - Special feature: The Palestinian bid for statehood and ramifications for U.S. policy
Sept. 14, 2011 - The rise and fall of America's space program
August 31, 2011 - Students get real-world work experience in D.C.; Brookings and the Baker Institute collaborate
August 17, 2011 - Public policy and Houston's red light cameras; the Americas' rise on the world energy stage
July 6, 2011 - Dr. John Mendelsohn, president of MD Anderson, to join the Baker Institute as the L.E. and Virginia Simmons Senior Fellow in Health and Technology Policy
June 22, 2011 - View our interactive map to find out where, and what, Baker Institute fellows and scholars are studying this summer; Ambassador Djerejian speaks to the media about Syria
June 8, 2011 - Texas Gov. Rick Perry considers a 2012 run for president
May 25, 2011 - What lies ahead for the Middle East?; Ambassador Edward P. Djerejian is invited to join the CFR independent task force on Turkey
May 11, 2011 - What's next for graduating interns? Energy Forum fellow Ken Medlock is recognized with an economics award
April 27, 2011 - Rice University professor Robert M. Stein, Ph.D., is the institute's new fellow in urban politics; Ambassador Edward P. Djerejian is named to the Academy of Arts and Sciences
April 13, 2011 - What Rice students think about the job market; Japan follow-up
March 30, 2011 - Learn what's next for Japan at a Baker Institute panel discussion; the institute provides timely analysis of the turmoil in the Middle East
March 16, 2011 - How to keep tabs on your state representative
March 2, 2011 - Find out why Baker Institute internships are one of the best deals on campus for learning on the job.
Feb. 16, 2011 - The institute's Associate Roundtable hosts a program featuring journalist David Axe; our coverage of unrest in the Middle East continues
Feb. 2, 2011 - Egypt in crisis; a top-20 ranking for the institute
Jan. 19, 2011 - A new drug policy fellow; Jamail dedication; Sharp Foundation pledges $500,000
Jan. 5, 2011 - Scholarly sneak preview; new charitable IRA opportunity
Dec. 1, 2010 - The institute hosts a panel discussion on DNA mapping; Ambassador Djerejian weighs in on WikiLeaks in Foreign Policy magazine; Rice senior and institute intern Jingyuan Luo is awarded a Marshall Scholarship
Nov. 22, 2010 - The Baker Institute publishes its 2010 annual report
Nov. 10, 2010 - Should the war on drugs go up in smoke?
Oct. 28, 2010 - Policy and Pinot: The 2010 Roundtable reception
Oct. 13, 2010 - China's subway culture; a new fellow in political science
Sept. 29, 2010 - Nobel laureates to speak; Starr Foundation gives $2.5 million
Sept. 15, 2010 - Will computerized medical records make you healthier?
Sept. 1, 2010 - Institute fellows reach out to students in the classroom; senior development director named
Aug. 18, 2010 - Helping Houstonians beat the heat
Aug. 4, 2010 - Baker Institute interns awarded Fulbright scholarships
July 21, 2010 - Understanding the harms of drug use and drug policy
July 7, 2010 - Summer in Shanghai, anyone?
June 23, 2010 - Internships offer a world of opportunity
June 9, 2010 - Roundtable dinner focuses on Middle East policy
May 26, 2010 - A new chapter for NASA
May 12, 2010 - Happy Birthday, Mr. Baker
April 28, 2010 - Engaging the next generation of policymakers
April 14, 2010 - Middle East loan experiment targets the poor
March 31, 2010 - What scientists really think about religion
March 17, 2010 - Understanding the recession; combating childhood obesity
March 3, 2010 - Why "Washington" matters in the Texas governor's race
Feb. 17, 2010 - Baker Institute fellows focus on health care with an event on comparative effectiveness research and an op-ed on uninsured children; Ambassador Djerejian's "smart essay" is cited in The New York Times
Feb. 3, 2010 - The Baker Institute publishes a report that offers recommendations on the territorial component of an Israeli-Palestinian peace settlement; Robert Mosbacher mourned; Baker Institute again named among the top 50 think tanks in the United States
Jan. 20, 2010 - Roman Popadiuk discusses his new book and provides an insider's view of the presidency of George H.W. Bush; Hasib Sabbagh remembered; Baker Institute blogs on Haiti; Baker fellows most quoted at Rice
Jan. 6, 2010 - Baker Institute fellows Mahmoud El-Gamal and Amy Myers Jaffe on their new book; Ambassador Djerejian's Wall Street Journal commentary
Dec. 16, 2009 - Launch of the newsletter, blog, Twitter and Facebook pages; upcoming events, current research and more
Dec. 2, 2009 - Diplomats debate Iraq; Christene Kimmel named associate director of development

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