Rice’s Baker Institute receives $1M gift from Baker Botts to host annual energy conference

Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy has received a $1 million gift from Baker Botts LLP, a leading international law firm, to host an annual energy conference for key industry and government stakeholders.

Doré Commons in Rice’s James A. Baker III Hall, the home of the Baker Institute for Public Policy.

Co-hosted by the institute’s Center for Energy Studies and Baker Botts, the first conference is expected to take place Sept. 28. Each year’s conference topics and speakers will be selected based on current issues of interest to the energy community.

“We are grateful for Baker Botts’ generosity and vision for furthering the discussion of critical energy issues affecting our region, the nation and the world,” said Baker Institute Director Edward Djerejian. “This partnership with Baker Botts furthers our mission to provide unbiased, data-driven analysis of factors that shape our energy future with the aim of engaging policymakers, corporate leaders and the general public.”

“Our firm is seen as the global leader in the energy sector, and one of the hallmarks of our firm, over the last 177 years, has been investing in the communities in which we serve,” said Andrew M.  Baker, managing partner of Baker Botts. “Our partnership with the Baker Institute on this annual energy conference allows us to continue giving back while at the same time highlights our complementary skills and expertise.”

The Center for Energy Studies is ranked No. 2 among the world’s energy- and resource-policy think tanks, according to the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program’s 2016 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report. Houston-based Baker Botts is recognized as a leading law firm in the energy and technology sectors.