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.

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