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Jul 30

33: Why Oil Markets Bounced Back

Oil markets have experienced significant volatility across much of July, particularly after the dissolution of a ceasefire between Iran and the U.S., which temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz. The resumption of conflict — Iranian strikes on vessels transiting the strait, Houthi threats to vessels attempting to transit the Bab el-Mandeb Strait from the Red Sea, the reimposition of the U.S. blockade, and 13 consecutive days of U.S. strikes on Iran — saw oil prices climb over $100 per barrel, only to settle back again as tensions abated. In this episode of “The Energy Forum,” Abhi Rajendran and Skip York examine why the market seems increasingly able to absorb geopolitical shocks. Featured: Abhi Rajendran, https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/abhi-rajendran. Skip York, Ph.D., https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/harold-skip-york. You can follow @BakerInstitute and @CES_Baker_Inst on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.
Jul 14

42: A New Iranian Era Emerges, Cloaked in Red

The funeral procession of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, wound through major holy cities across the region last week. The mourners, traditionally clad in black, carried red banners conveying a clear message: The regime is seeking vengeance. The apparent collapse of a fledgling ceasefire and renewed hostilities between the U.S. and Iran chart a troubling course for the region. Iranian leaders are seeking to reassert leverage, and that strategy may depend less on uranium enrichment and centrifuges than on control of the narrow strip of water that has become one of the conflict’s most consequential flashpoints. Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar, Baker Institute Fellow for the Middle East, joins Ambassador David M. Satterfield to discuss how one critical week could mark a turning point for Iran and the broader region. Mentioned in this episode: Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar, “Iran Embraces a Forever War,” by Mohammad Tabaar in Foreign Affairs, June 2, 2026. This conversation was recorded on July 10, 2026. You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.
Jun 30

41: How the Supreme Court Is Reshaping American Law

The U.S. Supreme Court is issuing decisions that could shape American law for years to come. In this conversation, Ambassador David M. Satterfield speaks with David W. Leebron, president emeritus of Rice University and former dean of Columbia Law School, about what the current term’s rulings reveal about the direction of the institution, how the Roberts Court has evolved over the past two decades, and what these developments could mean for public confidence in the nation’s highest court. This conversation was recorded on June 12, 2026. Listen and subscribe to “Baker Briefing” on Apple, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform. You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.
Jul 21

32: From Mechanical to Molecular: What ‘Advanced Recycling’ Actually Means

The Center for Energy Studies recently hosted its second annual sustainability summit, bringing together experts to examine sustainability challenges from a systems-level perspective. In this episode of “The Energy Forum,” Rachel A. Meidl is joined by two speakers from the summit: Marco Castaldi, professor at City College of New York and cochair of the Recycling Science Council, and Katherine Hofman, sustainability strategic initiatives manager at Eastman. Together, they unpack the growing confusion around plastics recycling, particularly the terminology and taxonomy surrounding advanced recycling. They discuss how mechanical recycling differs from advanced, molecule‑level processes; why oversimplified narratives about recycling can mislead policymakers and the public; and how clearer definitions can shape more informed regulations, investments, and waste‑reduction strategies. Featured: Dr. Marco Castaldi: http://ccny.cuny.edu/profiles/marco-castaldi. Dr. Katherine Hofman: greenseal.org/team/katherine-hofmann/. You can follow @BakerInstitute and @CES_Baker_Inst on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.
Jul 2

14: The Future of Social Security

The annual Social Security Trust Fund report, published June 9, 2026, presents a troubling outlook for the future. If no action is taken, the trust fund will be depleted, requiring a 22% reduction in scheduled retirement benefits beginning in 2032. In this episode of “The Two-Handed Economist,” John W. Diamond discusses the history of Social Security, previous reforms to the system, and the need for Congress to act before those reductions take effect. Looking back at the last major reform during the Reagan administration, Diamond outlines possible solutions and compares them with the measures that helped address the program’s financial challenges at that time. Special guest Bill King joins Diamond to discuss the long-term need for reform in light of a shrinking workforce and a growing retirement-age population. They examine a demographic challenge that is reshaping the program’s finances and discuss potential policy approaches to help ensure the long-term sustainability of Social Security. This conversation was recorded on June 18, 2026. Featured guest: Bill King, Fellow in Public Finance Mentioned in this episode: The 2026 OASDI Trustees Report Follow John Diamond on X (@jw_diamond) and LinkedIn. You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.
Jun 3

36: Why Health Insurance Costs Vary So Dramatically

Americans know healthcare is expensive, but what’s less understood is why the cost of coverage can vary so dramatically, even for people doing similar jobs in the same state. Host David M. Satterfield talks with Baker Institute fellows Vivian Ho and Marah Short about a new report examining health insurance premiums across Texas universities. The findings reveal striking differences in what institutions and employees pay for comparable coverage, with gaps that can reach thousands of dollars per year. This conversation was recorded on May 28, 2026. Listen and subscribe to “Baker Briefing” on Apple, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform. You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.
Jun 17

38: Politics Behind the 2026 FIFA World Cup

As the 2026 World Cup begins, the world’s biggest sporting event is also becoming a stage for broader debates about politics, access, and global influence. Questions surrounding visa restrictions, rising travel costs, international tensions, and the role of sport in shaping national image have shifted attention to issues that extend beyond the game itself. Host David M. Satterfield is joined by Baker Institute Fellow Kristian Coates Ulrichsen to examine how the World Cup has become intertwined with geopolitics, soft power, and the evolving relationship between sports and diplomacy. Together, they explore whether a tournament designed to unite the world can still fulfill that mission amid growing political and economic pressures. This conversation was recorded on June 12, 2026. Listen and subscribe to “Baker Briefing” on Apple, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform. You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.
Jul 1

30: Beyond Recycling: The Global Systems Behind E-Waste

In this episode, Rachel A. Meidl is joined by Natalie Messer Betts, vice president of sustainability at the Recycled Materials Association (REMA), to discuss the growing challenge of discarded electronics — from phones and laptops to data center equipment and medical devices. They explore why the term “e-waste” can be misleading, how reuse and refurbishment can provide greater environmental benefits than recycling alone, and why only a small share of discarded electronics enters formal recovery systems. The conversation follows electronics across their full life cycle — from mining and critical minerals to trade, standards, and informal recycling — and examines how improved design, policy, measurement, and certified recycling practices can support more circular and globally connected supply chains. Featured guests: Natalie Messer Betts This conversation was recorded on June 5, 2026. Follow Rachel A. Meidl, LP.D., CHMM on X (@MeidlRachel) and LinkedIn. You can follow @BakerInstitute and @CES_Baker_Inst on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.
Jun 11

37: One Year In, How Trump and RFK Jr. Reshaped Federal Health Policy

How is the Trump administration reshaping American healthcare? Ambassador David M. Satterfield sits down with Heidi Russell, director of the Baker Institute Center for Health Policy, to discuss a new report examining major health policy changes during the administration’s first year — from Medicaid cuts and federal agency restructuring to vaccine policy and public health priorities. What do these changes mean for patients, providers, states, and the future of public health in the United States? This conversation was recorded on May 28 2026. Listen and subscribe to “Baker Briefing” on Apple, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform. You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.
May 14

33: Why the Middle East Oil Shock Is Raising Gas Prices

As conflict and instability in the Middle East continue to shape global energy markets, Americans are beginning to feel the effects far beyond the gas pump. Host David M. Satterfield speaks with energy experts Kenneth B. Medlock III and Mark Finley about why oil prices react so sharply to geopolitical shocks. They discuss how those shifts ripple through airline fares, travel costs, inflation, and household budgets, and what could transpire in the months ahead as conflict in the Middle East continues. This conversation was recorded on May 13, 2026. Featured: Mark Finley Kenneth B. Medlock III Listen and subscribe to “Baker Briefing” on Apple, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform. You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.

High-quality discussions with policy experts on the most critical issues facing the U.S., Texas, and the world. Brought to you by Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy in Houston, Texas.

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Baker Institute

Top Shows

33: Why Oil Markets Bounced Back

42: A New Iranian Era Emerges, Cloaked in Red

41: How the Supreme Court Is Reshaping American Law

32: From Mechanical to Molecular: What ‘Advanced Recycling’ Actually Means

14: The Future of Social Security

36: Why Health Insurance Costs Vary So Dramatically

38: Politics Behind the 2026 FIFA World Cup

30: Beyond Recycling: The Global Systems Behind E-Waste

37: One Year In, How Trump and RFK Jr. Reshaped Federal Health Policy

33: Why the Middle East Oil Shock Is Raising Gas Prices

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