Baker Institute experts available to comment on GOP presidential debate in Houston, various election issues

EXPERT ALERT

David Ruth
713-348-6327
david@rice.edu

Jeff Falk
713-348-6775
jfalk@rice.edu

Baker Institute experts available to comment on GOP presidential debate in Houston, various election issues

HOUSTON – (Feb. 18, 2016) – With the final GOP presidential debate before Super Tuesday’s primary elections scheduled for Feb. 25 in Houston at the University of Houston, experts at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy are available to comment on the major issues of interest during the 2016 presidential campaign and also on the debate.

Credit: thinkstockphotos.com/Rice University

Interviews can be conducted in person or via the Baker Institute’s TV and radio studio.

The following is a list of experts arranged by topic.

Texas politics

• Mark Jones, fellow in political science and the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies at Rice.

• Bob Stein, fellow in urban politics and the Lena Gohlman Fox Professor of Political Science at Rice.

Energy policy (including oil prices, energy geopolitics and climate change)

• Kenneth Medlock, senior director of the institute’s Center for Energy Studies and the James A. Baker III and Susan G. Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics.

• Jim Krane, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow in Energy Studies.

• Francisco Monaldi, fellow in Latin American energy policy.

Middle East policy (including Syria, ISIS and Iran)

• Ambassador Edward Djerejian, director of the Baker Institute.

• Joe Barnes, the Bonner Means Baker Fellow.

• Kristian Coates-Ulrichsen, fellow for the Middle East.

• Jim Krane, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow in Energy Studies.

• Kadir Yildirim, research scholar.

Health and biosciences policy (including Affordable Care Act, health care costs and science funding)

• Vivian Ho, director of the institute’s Center for Health and Biosciences and the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics.

• Kirstin Matthews, fellow in science and technology policy. In addition to science funding, Matthews can discuss biomedical research and stem cell policy.

• Quianta Moore, scholar in health policy.

Latin America policy (including U.S.-Mexico relations, immigration and Cuba)

• Tony Payan, director of the institute’s Mexico Center and the Françoise and Edward Djerejian Fellow for Mexico Studies.

• Mark Jones, fellow in political science and the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies at Rice.

Economic policy (including tax reform, entrepreneurship and international economics)

• John Diamond, the Edward A. and Hermena Hancock Kelly Fellow in Public Finance.

• Russell Green, the Will Clayton Fellow in International Economics.

Drug policy (including marijuana legalization and drug-sentencing reform)

• Bill Martin, director of the institute’s Drug Policy Program and the Harry and Hazel Chavanne Senior Fellow in Religion and Public Policy. Martin can also discuss religion and politics.

• Katharine Neill, the Alfred C. Glassell III Postdoctoral Fellow in Drug Policy.

Climate-change policy

• Ronald Sass, fellow in global climate change.

To arrange an interview with a particular expert, contact Jeff Falk, associate director of national media relations at Rice, at jfalk@rice.edu or 713-348-6775.

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Founded in 1993, Rice University’s Baker Institute ranks among the top five university-affiliated think tanks in the world. As a premier nonpartisan think tank, the institute conducts research on domestic and foreign policy issues with the goal of bridging the gap between the theory and practice of public policy. The institute’s strong track record of achievement reflects the work of its endowed fellows, Rice University faculty scholars and staff, coupled with its outreach to the Rice student body through fellow-taught classes — including a public policy course — and student leadership and internship programs. Learn more about the institute at www.bakerinstitute.org or on the institute’s blog,http://blogs.chron.com/bakerblog.

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