Coming age of depopulation examined at Baker Institute conference
Fears of overpopulation and shrinking resources have been prevalent for the past century, but across much of the world today birth rates are falling, populations are aging and countries are starting to address what fewer people in the next generation means for the long term.
Rice Business marks new era of growth with opening of Virani Hall
Asha and Farid Virani Hall, a 112,000-square-foot building which now stands alongside McNair Hall, offering students a combined 300,000 square-feet designed to support the school’s expanding community of graduate and undergraduate students, faculty, researchers and alumni.
The Carter Center, Rice’s Baker Institute to host webinar on election reform
Bipartisan solutions to strengthen electoral credibility in advance of the upcoming U.S. midterm elections will be the topic of The Carter Center and the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice's Sept. 14 webinar
Texas delays maternal mortality report as deaths in wake of abortion ban remain unexamined
Baker Institute experts, writing in the Houston Chronicle, warn delayed state report could hinder maternal health policy and leave critical deaths from 2022-23 unexamined
Spring ISD posts Houston region’s largest Algebra 1 gain as OpenStax curriculum expands districtwide
Passing rates rose 16 points on STAAR End-of-Course exam, largest single-year increase among large Houston-area districts
Rice Business to unveil Virani Hall with Sept. 10 ribbon-cutting ceremony
Rice Business will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 10 to celebrate the opening of Asha and Farid Virani Hall, a 112,000-square-foot building next to McNair Hall.
Shrinking population causes and consequences topic of upcoming Baker Institute conference
Population decline has quietly emerged as one of the defining demographic shifts of the 21st century, and many countries are now confronting shrinking populations and the economic, social and infrastructure challenges that accompany the shifts.
Rice, OU energy conference examines future of resilient US energy system
The third annual energy conference, hosted by the Center for Energy Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy in partnership with the University of Oklahoma’s Energy Institute, brought together academic, industry and policy perspectives to examine the challenges facing the nation’s energy system and the infrastructure needed to support future economic growth.
25 years later, a historian reflects on 9/11 and its lasting legacy
For Nathan Citino, the Barbara Kirkland Chiles Professor of History at Rice, the 25th anniversary offers an opportunity to look beyond the attacks themselves and consider how the past quarter-century has reshaped American politics, foreign policy and society.
Interactive map shows what’s driving data center growth across the US
The U.S. Data Centers and Infrastructure map was developed by Kenneth B. Medlock III, Miaomiao Rimmer, Anmol Mital and Beck Edwards.
Building Texas’ grid for the future: Experts to examine proposed transmission network
Hosted in partnership with the Center for Tax and Budget Policy and Center for Energy Studies at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, the town hall will explore the opportunities, challenges and policy tradeoffs surrounding the proposed transmission expansion and what it could mean for Texas’ energy future.
Why governments need science advice: Lessons from UK’s chief science adviser
Professor Dame Angela McLean, the U.K. government’s chief science adviser, discussed the role of science advice in government during an armchair discussion at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, hosted by the Science and Technology Policy Program as part of its Civic Scientist Lecture Series.
The Baker Institute’s fall 2026 calendar will bring prominent policymakers, scientists, business leaders and scholars to Houston this fall for a series of public conversations on energy and grid resilience, artificial intelligence and health, global affairs, demographics, science policy and the future of Texas.
Rice student startups take the stage at Lilie’s Summer Venture Studio Preview Day
Seven student startups showcased their ventures at the Summer Venture Studio Preview Day hosted by Rice University’s Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The three-month intensive program is meant to provide equity-free funding and individualized support.
Global energy demand hits record high, raising new questions for energy policy
Global energy use reached an unprecedented milestone in 2025, highlighting both advances in clean energy and the continued dominance of fossil fuels, according to the 75th annual Statistical Review of World Energy. Experts at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy hosted a conversation the Review’s producer, the Energy Institute, July 29 to provide context and discuss the projected future of energy consumption.
