Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy

09/04/2026

Join the Baker Institute’s Science and Technology Policy Program and the Rice Synthetic Biology Institute on Sept. 18 for “Synthetic Biology at the Intersection of Science, Ethics, and Policy.”

Internationally recognized leaders in synthetic biology, health communication, ethics, and public policy will explore environmental and therapeutic applications of synthetic biology, along with questions surrounding regulation, misinformation, and public trust.
Register today: https://bit.ly/4tFNZBf

09/03/2026

Syria’s postwar transition has opened new possibilities for rebuilding its oil and gas sector and restoring its status as a regional energy transit hub. In a new Middle East Energy Roundtable report, Ana Martín Gil, Jim Krane, and Kristian Coates Ulrichsen examine how sanctions relief, foreign investment, and renewed interest in pipelines that bypass the Strait of Hormuz could reshape Syria’s economic future.

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Syria’s postwar transition has opened new possibilities for rebuilding its oil and gas sector and restoring its status as a regional energy transit hub. In this Middle East Energy Roundtable report, Ana Martín Gil, Jim Krane, and Kristian Coates Ulrichsen examine how sanctions relief, foreign inv...

09/02/2026

Fewer students will not automatically reduce costs for Texas public schools. A new working paper by John W. Diamond of the Center for Tax and Budget Policy shows how demographic shifts, school choice, and declining enrollment are reshaping public education and why districts may need to rethink facilities, staffing, and long-term planning.

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OverviewTexas public school enrollment has begun to decline even as the state’s population continues to grow. The apparent contradiction reflects two separate trends. Texas has fewer children relative to its total population than it did in the past, and the share of school-age children enrolling i...

09/02/2026

On Sept. 11, we will host American legal scholar, political philosopher, public intellectual, and Princeton professor Robert George for a discussion with Michael Emerson, director of the Baker Institute’s Religion and Public Policy Program.

The conversation will explore George’s career and scholarship on law, morality, religious liberty and public life, as well as his latest book, “Seeking Truth and Speaking Truth: Law and Morality in Our Cultural Moment” (Encounter Books, 2025).

This event is free and open to the public. Register here: https://bit.ly/45Cy6kY

09/01/2026

📣 Happening this week — “Breaking the Cycle: Understanding and Preventing Childhood Violence”

This Thursday, the Baker Institute Center for Health Policy will host a discussion on the implications of exposure to violence in childhood, including the increased rates of mental and physical health disorders. Registration is still open. Visit our page to learn more: https://bit.ly/4qlJMCk

08/31/2026

⏰ Last chance to register!
Join us Sept. 2 for “Town Hall: Expanding the Electric Transmission Network in Texas,” examining what a proposed 765-kilovolt transmission network could mean for grid reliability, property rights, and Texas’ energy future.

In-person registration has now closed.
Register to receive a link to our livestream: https://bit.ly/4wHFwzp

08/28/2026

Five years after the Taliban’s return, global protections and resettlement efforts for displaced Afghans have been halted indefinitely. In a new brief, Ana Martín Gil examines shifting policies in the U.S., Pakistan, and Iran, emphasizing the moral and strategic considerations involved in protecting displaced populations.

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Five years after the Taliban’s return, global protections and resettlement efforts for displaced Afghans have been halted indefinitely. In this brief, Ana Martín Gil examines shifting policies in the U.S., Pakistan, and Iran, emphasizing the moral and strategic considerations involved in protecti...

08/27/2026

Amid a nationwide shortage of primary care doctors, access to pediatric care varies significantly across Texas’ urban and rural counties. In a new brief, Heidi Russell analyzes Texas pediatrician data and demographics to highlight key policy priorities and research gaps, finding that equitable access to care extends beyond the number of pediatricians alone.

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Amid a nationwide shortage of primary care doctors, access to pediatric care varies significantly across Texas’ urban and rural counties. In this brief, Heidi Russell analyzes Texas pediatrician data and demographics to highlight key policy priorities and research gaps, finding that equitable acce...

08/26/2026

🌎 What happens when populations begin to shrink?
Join the Baker Institute Center for Tax and Budget Policy on Sept. 9 for “The Age of Depopulation,” a one-day conference exploring how demographic decline could affect economic growth, immigration, fiscal policy, infrastructure, and more.
Thank you to the Houston Endowment and Alvarez & Marsal for their contributions to the Center for Tax and Budget Policy, which made this event possible.

Register: https://bit.ly/4yquEae

08/26/2026

Texas’ new Bible-only required reading list raises questions about how public schools can serve a religiously diverse student population. David R. Brockman of the Religion and Public Policy Program outlines the constitutional and policy considerations surrounding the requirement and how the State Board of Education could address them before the 2030 rollout.

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Texas’ new Bible-only required reading list raises questions about serving a religiously diverse student population. David R. Brockman of the Religion and Public Policy Program examines the constitutional and policy considerations surrounding the requirement ahead of the 2030 rollout.