This is Part 2 of our deep dive into the world of advanced recycling. In this episode, Rachel Meidl continues her conversation with Marco Castaldi, professor of chemical engineering at the City College of New York, to examine the science and policy landscape shaping the future of plastic waste management.

They unpack the major categories of advanced recycling and explore why these technologies are often misunderstood or mischaracterized. This episode looks at what it will take to scale advanced recycling responsibly and why nuanced, science-based decisions are critical for building public trust and resilient systems.

This conversation was recorded on July 7, 2025. 

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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.

Despite decades of effort, only about 9% of plastic waste is successfully recycled. The vast majority ends up in landfills or incinerators. In Part 1 of this two-part episode of “The Energy Forum,” Rachel Meidl is joined by Marco Castaldi, professor of chemical engineering at the City College of New York, to unpack the complex world of advanced recycling, also known as chemical or molecular recycling.

They discuss what advanced recycling actually is, how it differs from traditional mechanical recycling, and why it’s become such a hot topic globally, plus:

• Can advanced recycling reduce dependence on fossil-derived plastics?
• Will it complement or compete with current systems?
• What policies and investments are still missing?

This conversation was recorded on July 7, 2025. 

Follow Rachel 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.

In this episode of “The Energy Forum,” Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies experts Jim Krane, Osamah Alsayegh, and Salem Alhajraf explore the dynamic energy landscape of the Middle East. Together, they examine how the region balances economic growth with environmental priorities, the influence of OPEC on global energy markets, and the economic impacts of Kuwait’s heavily subsidized electricity. This episode is Part 1 of a two-part discussion.   This episode was recorded on Jan. 24, 2024.

Discussants

Salem Alhajraf, Ph.D. Visiting Research Scholar, Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies

Osamah Alsayegh, Ph.D. Nonresident Fellow, Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies

Jim Krane, Ph.D. Diana Tamari Sabbagh Fellow in Middle East Energy Studies, Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies

In this episode of “The Energy Forum,” we delve into a pivotal report authored by Gabriel Collins, Baker Botts Fellow in Energy and Environmental Regulatory Affairs at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, and commissioned by Texas 2036. The study outlines the immense economic risks posed by prolonged droughts and emphasizes the critical need for strategic investments in water infrastructure to protect Texas’ $2.5 trillion economy. Join host Gabriel Collins as he engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Jeremy Mazur, director of infrastructure and natural resources policy at Texas 2036. Together, they explore the economic stakes, the cost of inaction, and opportunities to build a more resilient and sustainable future for Texas. Tune in to learn more about how targeted water infrastructure investments can secure the state's economic prosperity and set a global standard for drought resilience.

This episode was recorded on Dec. 16, 2024. 

Discussants

Gabriel Collins, J.D. Baker Botts Fellow in Energy and Environmental Regulatory Affairs, Baker Institute

Jeremy Mazur Director of Infrastructure and Natural Resources Policy, Texas 2036

In this episode of The Energy Forum, we tackle the future of fuel in two essential sectors of the global economy: trucking and air transport. These industries are vital for moving goods and people worldwide but also have high fuel demands and significant emissions. As climate goals and regulatory pressures intensify, how are these sectors evolving to meet the demand for greener, more sustainable energy?

Join host Ed Emmett, fellow in energy and transportation policy at Rice University's Baker Institute, as he dives into this timely discussion with Peter Zonneveld, president of Neste US, a leader in renewable fuels. Tune in to learn how the trucking and air travel industries are preparing to power their engines sustainably and the pivotal role renewable fuels could play in the transition to a lower-carbon world.

This episode was recorded on Nov. 14, 2024.

Discussants

Ed Emmett Fellow in Energy and Transportation Policy, Baker Institute

Peter Zonneveld President, Neste US

 

In this episode, we dive into the world of mining, minerals, and materials and explore the critical role they play in the evolving energy system. With the rapid increase in demand for new energy technologies, such as solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles, the need for essential minerals and materials is rising significantly. But with this growing demand comes a host of challenges — including supply chain constraints, environmental impacts, and economic and national security concerns. 

Michelle Michot Foss, fellow in energy, minerals, and materials, joins Ken Medlock, senior director of the Center for Energy Studies, to discuss the complexities of sourcing, refining, and managing these resources and what it all means for the future of energy.

This conversation was recorded on Oct. 24, 2024.

Discussants

Kenneth B. Medlock III, Ph.D. James A. Baker, III, and Susan G. Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics; Senior Director, Center for Energy Studies, Baker Institute

Michelle Michot Foss, Ph.D. Fellow in Energy, Minerals, and Materials, Baker Institute

In this episode of “The Energy Forum,” we explore what’s shaping the global oil market as we head into the second half of 2025 and beyond. Center for Energy Studies nonresident fellows Abhi Rajendran and Skip York break down why oil demand surprised to the upside in early 2025, how OPEC+ is phasing out production cuts, and why non-OPEC supply growth is slowing. They examine the factors influencing prices through 2026 and what global demand might look like heading toward 2030 and beyond.

This conversation was recorded on July 22, 2025. 

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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.

The health care sector produces a significant amount of plastic waste, much of it non-contaminated and potentially recyclable. In this episode of “The Energy Forum,” Rachel Meidl, deputy director of the Center for Energy Studies and fellow in energy and sustainability, speaks with Peylina Chu, steering committee chair at the CPHI Sustainability Collective and former executive director of the Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council, about opportunities for the industry to advance sustainability while maintaining patient safety.

 

They discuss the challenges of recycling medical plastics, the potential of advanced technologies, and how petrochemical companies can help drive progress toward a more circular economy.

 

Featured guest:

• Peylina Chu, https://www.cphi.com/en/about/about/sustainability-collective.html

This conversation was recorded on June 26, 2025.

Follow Rachel 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.

In this episode of “The Energy Forum,” Ken Medlock sits down with Julie Cohn, a Center for Energy Studies (CES) nonresident scholar and research historian, and Miaomiao Rimmer, CES research manager, to explore how the Texas electric grid is adapting to compounding risks from storms, demand growth, and new technologies. They trace the evolution of ERCOT, unpack the dynamics of solar inverters and grid stability, and introduce a new CES dashboard that visualizes 75 years of disaster exposure alongside population growth and critical energy infrastructure.

Key topics include:

• Why the Texas grid is an island — and why it matters.
• Dealing with grid disturbances like those that surfaced in Odessa, Texas, in 2021 and on the Iberian Peninsula earlier this year.
• Reconciling planning assumptions and regulations with rising demand.
• The CES “Natural Disaster Resilience” dashboard and understanding the evolution of risk.

Explore the dashboard: https://www.bakerinstitute.org/ces-data-and-research-visualizations.

Featured:

• Julie Cohn, Ph.D., https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/julie-cohn 

• Miaomiao Rimmer, https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/miaomiao-rimmer

• Ken Medlock, Ph.D., https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/kenneth-b-medlock-iii

This conversation was recorded on June 18, 2025.

Follow Ken Medlock, Ph.D., on X (@Ken_Medlock) 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.

Conflict in the Middle East is shaking the global oil market. In this episode of “The Energy Forum,” Abhi Rajendran, a nonresident fellow at the Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies and director of research and advisory at Energy Intelligence, speaks with Skip York, a Center for Energy Studies nonresident fellow and expert in global market dynamics and upstream strategy, about how escalating geopolitical risk has elevated concerns about global oil supply and is driving oil price volatility.

Together, they discuss this and more to facilitate a better understanding of a very dynamic market.

Topics include:

• What recent Israel-Iran escalations mean for global oil flows.
• How markets are pricing risk and uncertainty.
• OPEC+ policy moves and whether more barrels will materialize.
• Why U.S. shale supply may have plateaued.
• The evolving shape of China’s oil demand.
• What oil prices might look like in late 2025 and into 2026.

This conversation was recorded on June 16, 2025.

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.

This episode of “The Energy Forum” takes a deep dive into critical minerals and materials geoeconomics, a space where national security, industrial policy, and global competition intersect.

 

Featuring Michelle Michot Foss, Baker Institute fellow in energy, minerals, and materials; Gabriel Collins, the institute’s Baker Botts Fellow in Energy and Environmental Regulatory Affairs; and Vinod Veedu, assistant vice president of Rice University’s Office of Research, the conversation builds on a new Baker Institute report exploring how past wars and strategic competitions can inform today’s mineral supply chain challenges.

 

Read the report here: https://www.bakerinstitute.org/critical-minerals-materials-geoeconomics-2025-report

 

This episode was recorded on April 1, 2025.

Medical plastic waste is a growing environmental and public health concern, yet only a small percentage is recycled, with the majority ending up in landfills or incinerators.

In this episode of “The Energy Forum,” Rachel Meidl, Center for Energy Studies deputy director and fellow in energy and sustainability at the Baker Institute, sits down with Linette Leadon, director of environmental health and safety at MD Anderson, to explore the complexities of medical plastic waste management. They discuss regulatory challenges, innovative solutions, and the need for systemic change to create a more sustainable and resilient health care system. Tune in for a critical conversation on the intersection of health care, waste management, and sustainability.

Can ammonia be the next big fuel for transportation?

In this episode of “The Energy Forum,” Ed Emmett sits down with Joel Moser, chief executive officer of First Ammonia LLC, to explore the potential of ammonia as a scalable, low-carbon energy source. They discuss the technology behind ammonia fuel, its advantages over other alternatives, and the hurdles that must be overcome for widespread adoption.

With industries looking for cleaner fuel solutions, could ammonia be a key player in the future of shipping, heavy transport, and beyond? Tune in for an insightful conversation on the road ahead for ammonia in the energy transition.

This episode was recorded on Feb. 13, 2025.

In Part 2 of their two-part discussion, Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies experts Jim Krane, Osamah Alsayegh, and Salem Alhajraf continue to explore the evolving energy landscape of the Middle East. They further examine the region’s approach to balancing economic growth with environmental priorities, assess OPEC’s evolving role in global energy markets, and explore the long-term economic and policy implications of Kuwait’s heavily subsidized electricity.   This episode was recorded on Jan. 24, 2024.

Discussants

Salem Alhajraf, Ph.D. Visiting Research Scholar, Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies

Osamah Alsayegh, Ph.D. Nonresident Fellow, Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies

Jim Krane, Ph.D. Diana Tamari Sabbagh Fellow in Middle East Energy Studies, Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies

Nonresident fellows Abhi Rajendran of Energy Intelligence and Skip York of Turner Mason & Co. joined “The Energy Forum” to examine the state of global oil markets in 2025. Drawing on themes from the Annual Energy Summit (Panel: 1:15:49 – 2:20:39) and the latest “Energy Insights” report, they discuss market flexibility, risk premiums, shale’s slowdown, and what to watch as prices test new lows heading into 2026. This episode was recorded on Oct. 20, 2025. 

The energy sector is evolving fast, and so are the opportunities for the next generation. In this episode of “The Energy Forum,” Michael Maher, chief of research operations at the Center for Energy Studies, and Nicole Van Den Heuvel, associate dean of students and executive director of Rice University’s Center for Career Development, explore how students are preparing for careers across oil and gas, renewables, consulting, finance, and beyond. They discuss what employers value most, how recruiting has shifted in a digital world, and the skills that set students apart.

 

This episode was recorded on August 14, 2025. 

 

Featured:

• Michael Maher, Ph.D., https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/michael-d-maher 
• Nicole Van Den Heuvel, https://profiles.rice.edu/staff/nicole-van-den-heuvel 

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.

In this episode of “The Energy Forum,” Center for Energy Studies nonresident fellows Abhi Rajendran, director of oil markets research at Energy Intelligence, and Skip York, energy economist and industry strategist, explore why markets look more resilient today than a decade ago, how supply chains have adapted, and the signals to watch as we move toward 2026. 

This year’s Energy Summit, which the Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies and Baker Botts will co-host on Oct. 7-8, will further examine resilience in global energy supply chains and the innovations shaping the industry’s future.

This conversation was recorded on Sept. 10, 2025.

Featured guests:

• Abhi Rajendran, https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/abhi-rajendran
• Harold “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.

In this episode of The Energy Forum, host Michael Maher sits down with former CES Graduate Student Luke Min, who now works at ExxonMobil and current doctoral fellow Stan Kannegieter to discuss what it’s like pursuing a PhD through Rice University’s Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies (CES).

They explain how the program blends rigorous academic training with real-world application, and how working alongside policy researchers, industry experts, and global stakeholders builds not only technical expertise but also communication and credibility. The conversation explores career pathways beyond academia, how energy economists translate complex models into decisions companies trust, and why global perspective matters in modern energy systems.

Since 2006, CES has supported 47 PhD students and 8 postdoctoral fellows, and this episode offers a firsthand look at how that training turns research into impact across industry, government, and policy.

Artificial intelligence, data centers, and industrial growth are driving a new wave of electricity demand, while also placing growing pressure on water systems that underpin energy and infrastructure development.

In this special cross-posted episode from "Talking Under Water," hosted by Bob Crossen of Endeavor Business Media, Gabriel Collins of the Center for Energy Studies at the Baker Institute examines how water availability and cost are increasingly shaping decisions across energy and industrial sectors. The conversation explores data centers, oil and gas operations, power generation, and advanced manufacturing, with a focus on trade-offs among efficiency, resilience, and scale.

This episode appears on "The Energy Forum" feed as part of an ongoing partnership between the Center for Energy Studies and Endeavor Business Media, highlighting where energy and water challenges intersect — and why those connections matter for infrastructure planning and policy.

Oil markets are entering 2026 with rising geopolitical risk and an uneasy global supply balance. In this episode of “The Energy Forum,” Abhi Rajendran and Skip York break down what recent political developments in Venezuela and Iran could mean for crude oil production, prices, and long-term investment decisions.

This episode provides a timely look at where oil markets may be headed, what could tighten or loosen global balances, and why Venezuela could once again become strategically important for long-term supply portfolios.

Featured:

• Abhi Rajendran, https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/abhi-rajendran 
• Skip York, Ph.D., https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/harold-skip-york

This conversation was recorded on Jan. 12, 2026. 

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.

Oil markets are heading into 2026 with more uncertainty than prices suggest.

In this episode of “The Energy Forum,” Abhi Rajendran and Skip York discuss why oil prices have remained resilient despite apparent oversupply. They examine OPEC+ supply discipline, non-OPEC production growth, China’s oil stockpiling, and what these forces mean for market balance.

The conversation also explores geopolitics, sanctions, and tightening refining capacity, raising the risk that today’s soft crude prices could give way to higher fuel prices and a sharper rebound later this decade.

This conversation was recorded on Dec. 12, 2025. 

Featured guests:

• 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.

In this episode of “The Energy Forum,” energy and transportation policy fellow Ed Emmett talks with Michael Graff, former chairman and CEO of American Air Liquide, about hydrogen’s past, present, and future. Together, they explore how this versatile fuel fits into today’s energy transition and what it will take to make it a truly global solution.

This conversation was recorded on Oct. 29, 2025. 

Follow Ed Emmett on X (@EdEmmett) 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.

Recorded live at CERAWeek in Houston, this episode of The Energy Forum features Kenneth B. Medlock III in conversation with Francisco J. Monaldi on the forces reshaping oil markets across Latin America. They examine Venezuela’s changing outlook after Maduro’s capture, the investment prospects ahead, and how countries like Brazil, Guyana, Argentina, and Bolivia are redefining the region’s role in global energy.   This episode was recorded on March 25, 2026 on-site at CERAWeek.

Tensions in the Middle East are reshaping global energy markets, and the impacts are already being felt.

In this episode of The Energy Forum, Abhi Rajendran, Skip York, and Kristian Coates Ulrichsen break down the latest developments around the Strait of Hormuz and what they mean for oil supply, global trade, and energy security. As supply chains tighten and demand rises heading into summer, this episode explains why global energy markets may face continued pressure and what to watch for next. This episode was recorded on April 1, 2026. 

 

The conflict in Iran is sending shock waves through global energy markets, tightening supplies, driving up prices, and placing energy security at the center of strategic and economic considerations.

On this episode of “Baker Briefing,” Ambassador David M. Satterfield, director of Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, and Kenneth B. Medlock III, director of the Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies, examine developments following U.S. and Israeli strikes that began on Feb. 28.

They discuss potential impacts on energy flows, country responses, and what the evolving dynamics could mean for the global economy in the weeks and months ahead.

This conversation was recorded in front of a live studio audience on March 27, 2026. Learn about future live recordings of the “Baker Briefing” podcast by subscribing to our “Events Digest” newsletter at https://www.bakerinstitute.org/newsletter.

 

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.

 

In this episode of The Energy Forum, Abhi Rajendran and Skip York unpack the latest developments discussed at the Center for Energy Studies’ Oil Market Roundtable. The conversation examines how tensions involving Iran, evolving policy in Venezuela, and disruptions across global energy trade are influencing oil prices and market expectations.

They also explore the emerging divide between sanctioned and unsanctioned oil barrels, the ripple effects on diesel and LNG markets, and whether U.S. shale producers will respond to higher prices. With geopolitical risk rising and supply uncertainty growing, the discussion highlights why some analysts now see $70 as the new floor for oil prices.

This episode was recorded on March 5, 2026.

The United States has launched strikes on Iran — and global energy markets are already reacting. How far could this escalation reach, from the Strait of Hormuz to gasoline prices and electricity bills here at home?

Ambassador David Satterfield, director of Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is joined by Ken Medlock, director of the Center for Energy Studies, to unpack the energy implications of rising tensions in the Middle East.

They explore how potential disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz could affect oil and liquefied natural gas flows, the difference between kinetic threats and commercial risk, and how insurers and transport markets respond in moments of geopolitical uncertainty. The conversation also examines the short- and long-term impacts on global energy trade — including consequences for Europe, China, South Asia, and Russia — before turning to what American consumers may feel most directly: price changes at the pump and shifts in electricity costs tied to natural gas.

This conversation was recorded on March 3, 2026.

Listen and subscribe on your favorite platform.

 

Featured:

• Ken Medlock, Ph.D., https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/kenneth-b-medlock-iii 

You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.

Nearly a decade into Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia’s diversification drive is entering a more constrained phase: some initiatives are moving ahead, while others are being resized, delayed, or quietly shelved.

In this episode of ”The Energy Forum,“ host Jim Krane (Diana Tamari Sabbagh Fellow in Middle East Energy Studies) speaks with Karen Elliott House (journalist, author, and former managing editor at The Wall Street Journal) about what is changing inside the Kingdom, from the Public Investment Fund’s shifting priorities to the rise in women’s workforce participation, the AI push, regional security risks, and evolving relations with Iran. What does this shift mean for global energy markets and geopolitics? Subscribe and listen to “The Energy Forum” on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform. This episode was recorded on Feb. 18, 2026.