Mark your calendars now; Nov. 8 is the date for one of the best galas this year. The nonpartisan James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy think tank at Rice University is turning 20 and the anniversary party promises to be one not to be missed.
Think powerful people, sparkling discussion and great food.
The gala features a conversation with President George W. Bush on “Addressing the Challenges of the 21st Century.” In addition, the James A. Baker III Prize for Excellence in Leadership will be presented to businessman and philanthropist Hushang Ansary for his many years of distinguished service in the public and private sectors. Ansary and his wife, Shahla, are the institute’s 20th anniversary chairs.
Think powerful people, sparkling discussion and great food.
The co-chairs of the gala read like a bold name list: Bucky and Cynthia Allshouse, Bobby and Phoebe Tudor and John Eddie and Sheridan Williams. The event will include remarks from Secretary Baker and Rice University President David Leebron, followed by a conversation with President Bush moderated by the institute’s founding director, Ambassador Edward P. Djerejian.
And if that’s not enough to get you going, how about the fact that six of the city’s hottest chefs will be dishing up the menu: Reef's Bryan Caswell, Hugo's Hugo Ortega, Sparrow Bar + Cookshop's Monica Pope, Underbelly's Chris Shepherd, Uchi's Philip Speer and Michael Cordúa of Americas, Churrascos and Artista fame.
It all happens on the Rice University campus under a huge white party tent.
Created in 1993 and named for James A. Baker, III, former Secretary of State and Secretary of the Treasury, the institute has 56 fellows and scholars that are experts from academia, government and industry; most hold a Ph.D. in their field and have extensive on-the-ground experience in the real world. Their research is published in policy papers and scholarly journals, given to government policy makers and journalists around the world. For example, Mark Jones, a fellow in political science, spoke to national and international reporters for 10 straight hours during State Sen. Wendy Davis’ marathon filibuster.
Today the institute is ranked No. 13 among university think tanks worldwide, 21st among all U.S. think tanks and sixth among energy research programs worldwide.
Those are strong rankings and just one reason to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Houston gem of knowledge.
But if it’s all a little bit heady for you, check out the institute's blog or Facebook page.
If you want to attend this spectacular event, tickets for the 20th anniversary gala start at $1,500 per person and may be purchased by phone at 713.348.2136 or by mail.
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The next and final article in this series details the Club Berlin event, the last 20th anniversary celebration at the Baker Institute.
This year, the Baker Institute is proud to celebrate its 20th anniversary. In that short time, the institute has become recognized as a top U.S. think tank and one of the best university-based think tanks in the world.
