Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy 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.
The Baker Institute’s fall 2026 calendar, announced today, features appearances by professor Dame Angela McLean, the U.K.’s Government Chief Science Adviser; Rob Kaplan, former president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas; Paul Ryan, 54th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; former Mexican President Vicente Fox; Richard E. Besser, CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; and Ellen Ochoa, former astronaut and the first Hispanic director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. The lineup also includes major discussions on U.S.-Iran relations, migration and authoritarianism in Africa, synthetic biology, Mexico’s economic and political outlook and the challenges facing Texas’ electric grid.
“Each fall, the Baker Institute brings together an extraordinary range of voices to examine the issues that will shape our communities, our country and the world,” said David M. Satterfield, director of the Baker Institute and former U.S. assistant secretary of state and ambassador to Lebanon and Turkey. “This fall’s calendar reflects the breadth of our work — from the future of energy and technology to artificial intelligence, health, global affairs and the forces reshaping our communities. We look forward to welcoming the public to Rice for thoughtful, nonpartisan conversations that bring expertise and diverse perspectives to the issues that matter most.”
In 2025, the Baker Institute hosted more than 85 public events, welcoming over 5,000 people to the Rice campus and reaching more than 17,000 virtually. Since its founding in 1993, the institute has hosted prominent world leaders, policymakers and scholars on its stage as part of its mission to foster meaningful dialogue and make critical policy discussions accessible to the public.
The fall 2026 calendar includes:
- Aug. 12: Civic Scientist Series: Professor Dame Angela McLean, U.K.’s Government Chief Science Advisor (watch the event recording)
- Aug. 20: Conference on Energy, Technology and Grid Resilience
- Sept. 2: Town Hall: Expanding the Electric Transmission Network in Texas (offsite)
- Sept. 3: Breaking the Cycle: Understanding and Preventing Childhood Violence
- Sept. 9: The Age of Depopulation, feat. Rob Kaplan, former president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
- Sept. 15-17: AI in Health Conference (offsite)
- Sept. 18: Synthetic Biology at the Intersection of Science, Ethics and Policy
- Sept. 29: Aiding Autocrats: Migration Management, Governance and Repression in Africa
- Oct. 6-7: Annual Energy Conference
- Oct. 20: The Honorable Paul Ryan, 54th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
- Oct. 22: Mexico Country Outlook 2027, feat. former Mexican President Vicente Fox, 62nd president of Mexico (paid event)
- Oct. 28: Civic Scientist Series: Richard E. Besser, CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- Nov. 2: Joni Sue Lane Lecture: Astronaut Ellen Ochoa
- Nov. 9: Iran and the U.S. in Conflict with Danny Citrinowicz
- Nov. 19: Baker Roundtable Member Fall Reception (members-only event)
- Dec. 1: Conference on the Non-Medical Drivers of Health (paid event)
New events are added throughout the semester. The public can subscribe to Baker Institute emails to receive event announcements and updates about upcoming programs.
The institute also offers membership opportunities for individuals, families and corporations through its Baker Roundtable. Members receive first access to high-demand tickets and invitations to exclusive member-only events throughout the year.
For the full schedule and registration information, visit the Baker Institute events calendar at bakerinstitute.org/events.