Founded in 1993, Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy has established itself as one of the premier nonpartisan public policy think tanks in the country. The institute is ranked No. 1 among the top university-affiliated think tanks in the world, according to a 2020 study by the University of Pennsylvania's Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program. As an integral part of Rice University, the Baker Institute has a strong track record of achievement based on the work of its fellows, scholars, Rice faculty scholars and staff. Located in Houston, Texas, the nation's fourth-largest city and the energy capital of the United States, the Baker Institute brings a unique perspective to some of the most important public policy challenges of our time. Key research programs include energy, the Middle East, health, Mexico studies, public finance, and entrepreneurship and economic growth.