Baker Institute

A nonpartisan public policy institute @RiceUniversity. Ranked the No. 1 university-affiliated think tank in the world.

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

🎙️ Why does health insurance cost thousands more for some people, even in the same state and in similar jobs?

A new Baker Institute study of Texas universities helps explain what’s driving these gaps in U.S. healthcare costs.

🎧 New episode of Baker Briefing:https://t.co/nkCBVLlOjP

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

Why might Iran prefer conflict to diplomacy?
In @ForeignAffairs, BIPP Fellow Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar examines Tehran’s evolving strategic calculus and argues that Iran increasingly views prolonged confrontation as a source of leverage and influence.
Read: https://t.co/oPjl0o6RXK

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

Predictability is essential for investment & supply chains, yet the 2026 #USMCA review faces major hurdles.

In a new commentary, @BakerInstMexico’sDavid A. Gantz examines how U.S. trade priorities, policy volatility, & institutional erosion undermine regional stability.
https://t.co/bcvLVegov3

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

More than half of U.S. critical minerals aren’t mined directly. So why is supply still difficult to scale?

A new working paper by @ashzforbes shows how byproduct recovery economics shape mineral supply, investment incentives, & financing gaps — revealing why federal policy often misaligns with geological realities. https://t.co/Xw6Gkyo3yB

#CriticalMinerals #Mining #SupplyChains

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

Is the AI boom hiding the real impact of U.S. tariffs?

New research by @Baker_CTAB's @jw_diamond shows how AI infrastructure investment is inflating import totals even as traditional manufacturing sectors weaken. https://t.co/iWXYG1KS38

#TradePolicy #AI #Economics #Manufacturing

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

On June 10, join Aaron Miller (@aarondmiller2) and Daniel Kurtzer (@DanKurtzer) for a discussion on the future of U.S. leadership in the Middle East and the challenges shaping U.S. policy across the region, from Gaza and Lebanon to Iran. Moderated by Baker Institute Director David Satterfield.

Register today: https://t.co/6xXMSdft3f

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

Why do family health insurance premiums vary by as much as $25k within the same industry? 💸

A new Baker Institute Health Economics Program report examines insurance cost disparities across Texas universities & explores how plan design & transparency may improve affordability. https://t.co/UUEOPM2rxH

#HealthPolicy #Insurance #HigherEd

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

Civilian support can help legitimize military coups, but those alliances often don’t last.

In a new piece for @POMEPS, our postdoctoral research associate @SalahBHPoliSci explores “post-coup buyer’s remorse,” a pattern in which civilian supporters are later sidelined or repressed once juntas consolidate power.

Read his full analysis: https://t.co/rhag0Gt0Nj

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

Last chance to register!

This Thursday: “Redrawing Risk,” a one-day conference on FEMA’s updated flood maps and what they mean for Greater Houston. In collaboration with @RiceKinderInst, this event is free & open to the public.

📅 May 21 | 9 am–4 pm
📍 Baker Hall
RSVP: https://t.co/mcQJ7xW9Ww

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

How has U.S. health policy shifted in the second Trump administration’s first year?

A new brief from the Center for Health Policy examines how federal budget cuts are expected to affect insurance access, coverage, & care costs. https://t.co/kKBkdl7Fty

#HealthPolicy #USHealthcare #PublicHealth

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

Why are military regimes in the Sahel becoming increasingly personalized?

In a new piece for @ConversationUS, @SalahBHPoliSci & coauthor Hiba Naciri examine how Mali’s General Assimi Goïta has consolidated authority following the killing of General Sadio Camara, & how similar patterns are emerging in Burkina Faso &Niger. https://t.co/BykSuQY0b5

#Mali #Sahel #WestAfrica #MilitaryRule #Governance

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

How resilient is the global plastics system to geopolitical shocks?

@CES_Baker_Inst’s Rachel A. Meidl analyzes how Middle East conflict is exposing fragility in petrochemical supply chains & how circular carbon pathways may improve resilience through diversification & flexibility. https://t.co/0NhFW38bT3

#Plastics #SupplyChains #CircularEconomy #EnergySecurity #CarbonManagement

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

On April 20, the Trump administration invoked five Defense Production Act orders to expand energy infrastructure & supply. Gabe Arrington’s new brief examines how the orders frame energy as a national security priority & the uncertainties surrounding their scope. https://t.co/WL87Enk0hT

#EnergySecurity #USPolicy #CriticalInfastructure

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

🌍 Protracted displacement in the MENA region is driven by political, security, & climate dynamics. This series spotlights innovative responses, offering lessons on governance, inclusion, & durable solutions.

Read more: https://t.co/8Oy9XaNxaY

#MENA #Refugees #DisplacementPolicy #HumanitarianAid

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

How is U.S. competition with China reshaping Mexico’s economy? Alfonso Ortiz Brenner & @PayanTony examine rising geoeconomic pressures in a new brief & outline policy considerations to strengthen resilience & strategic autonomy. 🌎 📈 https://t.co/1jjqdPGCFM

#Mexico #Geopolitics #TradePolicy

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

The U.S. faces rising instability across Venezuela, Iran, and the Middle East. How will its diplomacy adapt?

On May 20, join Elliott Abrams and David M. Satterfield as they will examine how evolving relationships across these regions are shaping U.S. diplomacy, security and economic priorities. Registration is now open: https://t.co/sWz5PocaFX

#Event #Houston #Free

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

Mexico is closely watching evolving U.S. political dynamics, and the implications for the bilateral partnership are significant.

Baker Institute experts convened in Mexico City for the second annual U.S. Policy Outlook, examining how potential U.S. policy shifts could impact USMCA renegotiations, energy, immigration, and the growing importance of the Texas-Mexico relationship.

Learn more: https://t.co/8S8WbcGvab

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

Why do critical minerals projects stall? In a new working paper, @CES_Baker_Inst’s Ashley Zumwalt-Forbes examines how technical disclosure is not only a compliance task but also a financing pathway to support project development. https://t.co/x4vCuyE5MB

#CriticalMinerals #Finance #EnergySecurity

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

🎙️ How did Guyana become one of the fastest-growing energy producers in the world?

In a special two-part series from @BakerInstitute and @CES_Baker_Inst, President Mohamed Irfaan Ali discusses Guyana’s rapid rise in global energy markets, the challenges of managing historic growth, & the strategy behind turning an oil boom into long-term national development.

🎧 Episodes 1 & 2: https://t.co/xiutsFkHtU

[Baker Institute @BakerInstitute]

The circular carbon economy reframes carbon as a managed system asset — not just waste.

A new working paper by @CES_Baker_Inst's Rachel A. Meidl examines plastics & advanced recycling, arguing policy should shift from definitional purity to system-level performance across the carbon cycle. https://t.co/cKR9LbngMz

#CarbonEconomy #CircularEconomy #ClimatePolicy #EnergyTransition