Free and open to the public, the panel discussion begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Toyota Auditorium at Baker Center.

The panel discussion will be led by Glenn Reynolds, law professor and creator of Instapundit.com. He will provide an overview of the Fourth Amendment and then launch into the discussion about privacy and transparency.

Other panelists are:

• Suzi Allard, associate professor of information sciences, who will discuss the impact on her field of information science.
• Michael W. Berry, professor of electrical engineering and computer science and director of the Center for Intelligent Systems and Machine Learning, who will discuss data mining.
• Brandon Prins, professor of political science, who will discuss these issues from a global and national security perspective.

From 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., the Baker Center Ambassadors will take a copy of the Constitution to the Pedestrian Walkway and invite students to sign it. They also will have a copy in the center’s rotunda that students can sign from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. They will be handing out pocket-size copies of the Constitution.

C O N T A C T :

Nissa Dahlin-Brown (865-974-8681, nissa@utk.edu)

Former Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana will deliver the Ashe Lecture on August 27, and journalist and author Tom Brokaw will give the Baker Distinguished Lecture on November 13.

The center will highlight its first decade of work with an exhibit and reception in the Baker Center Rotunda on September 4.

“This is an exciting time for the Baker Center,” Director Matt Murray said. “Senator Baker, who celebrates his eighty-eighth birthday on November 15, wanted to create a place where the campus and community could learn more about major issues facing our country.

“He also envisioned a place where students and faculty could nurture a ‘think tank’ atmosphere and become a source of expertise in the national discussion. We’ve made great strides toward that goal, and we’re excited as we plan the center’s future, focusing especially on energy and environmental issues, governance, and global security.”

Here’s the fall lineup. Events are free and open to the public unless other noted:

August 27—1:30 p.m., Baker Center Toyota Auditorium—Lugar will present Ashe Lecture.

August 29—3:30 to 5:00 p.m., Toyota Auditorium—Joshua Fu, UT associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, will talk about modeling in climate change as part of the Baker Forum on Energy and the Environment.

September 4—4:30 to 6:00 p.m. Tenth anniversary reception will be held in the Baker Center Rotunda.

September 17—5:30 p.m., Toyota Auditorium—Constitution Day panel discussion will feature several UT faculty members: Suzie Allard, associate professor of information sciences; Michael Berry, professor of electrical engineering and computer science and director of the Center for Intelligent Systems and Machine Learning; Brandon Prins, associate professor of political science; and Glenn Reynolds, law professor.

September 26—3:30 to 5:00 p.m., 416 Dougherty Engineering Building—Jim Shortie, a professor at Penn State University, will talk about agricultural and environmental economics as part of the Baker Forum on Energy and the Environment.

October 12—10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Toyota Auditorium—Working in collaboration with UT and city officials, students will develop suggestions for a parking policy for the future renovated Cumberland Strip. Check bakercenter.utk.edu for more information about how to participate.

October 24—6:00 to 7:30 p.m, Toyota Auditorium—Panelists from several universities will discuss emerging challenges to global security.

October 24—3:30 to 5:00 p.m., Toyota Auditorium—J.B. Ruhl, David Daniels Allen Distinguished Chair in Law at Vanderbilt University, will talk about environmental law as part of the Baker Forum on Energy and the Environment.

November 6—12:40 to 2:10 p.m., Toyota Auditorium—2013 Women’s Leadership Summit. The topic will be “Sustainable Quality of Life.” Co-sponsored by UT Center for Sustainable Business and Development.

November 13—1:30 p.m., University Center Auditorium—Tom Brokaw will give the Baker Distinguished Lecture. A Patrons Lunch will be held prior to the lecture. Cost is $250 per person and reservations are required. The free public lecture will be held at 1:30 p.m. in University Center Auditorium, 1502 Cumberland Avenue.

November 14—3:30 to 5:00 p.m., Toyota Auditorium—Bruce McCarl, a professor of agricultural economics at Texas A & M University, will talk about biofuels and climate change as part of the Baker Forum on Energy and the Environment.

Established in 2003, the Baker Center seeks to further the public’s knowledge of the US government and public policy and to encourage civil leadership and public service. The center sponsors programs to encourage informed discussion, with a special focus on engaging young people in policy issues and public service.

For more information about the Baker Center, visit bakercenter.utk.edu.

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CONTACT:

Nissa Dahlin-Brown (865-974-8681, nissa@utk.edu)

Left to right, front row: Professor Bill Park, Elliot Bertasi, Associate Professor Brandon Prins, Matthew Dillon, MacKenzie Higgins, Visiting Assistant Professor Karen Boyd, Kristen Kennedy, Associate Professor Carol Myers, Jeremy Williams, Professor Carl Pierce, and Baker Center Director Matt Murray. Back row: Richard Lusk and Eric Dixon.

Some recent graduates and seniors were recently awarded Baker Scholar medallions for completing the program sponsored by the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy.

Baker Scholars are selected via a competitive application and interview process. They propose a research project, which they complete over the course of an academic year under the mentorship of a faculty member or community professional.

These 2012-2013 Baker Scholars were

• Elliot Bertasi of Germantown, Tennessee, who graduated from the College Scholars program with an emphasis in international post-conflict development studies. His project was entitled Post-Conflict Development: A Case Study on Northern Uganda. His advisor was Tricia Hepner, associate professor of anthropology. Bertasi is an intern with the US Agency for International Development in the Office of Development Planning, Africa Bureau. He plans to attend law school at Georgetown University.

• Matthew Dillon of Knoxville, who graduated from the College Scholars program with an emphasis in international relations and modern foreign languages. His project was entitled A False START: The Role of Ballistic Missile Defense in US-Russian Relations. His advisor was Brandon Prins, associate professor of political science. Dillon plans to enroll in a dual master’s program in international affairs from the Paris Institute of Political Studies and the London School of Economics.

• Eric Dixon of Knoxville, who has completed four majors–philosophy, economics, global studies, and sociology with a concentration in environmental issues—and will graduate in December 2013 after attending a National Student Exchange program at the University of Arizona, Tucson. His project was Growing the Clean Energy Economy of Central Appalachia: A Policy Approach. His advisor was Jon Shefner, professor of sociology. Dixon plans to hike the Appalachian Trail before attending graduate school for public policy.

• Mackenzie Higgins of Indianapolis, Indiana, who graduated with a major in Global Studies and Spanish. Her project was United States and Canada: A Comparative Analysis of the Effect of the Socioeconomic Gap on Education Performance in Two Education Systems. Her advisor was Karen Boyd, visiting assistant professor of education. Higgins will be teaching high school math in Indianapolis through the Teach for America Corps.

• Kristin Kennedy of Knoxville, is a senior in political science and history. Her project was Chronic Absences, Truancy and Dropouts. Her advisor was Bob Kronick, professor of education.

• Blair West Kuykendall of Kennesaw, Georgia, who graduated from the College Scholars program, served as editor of the Daily Beacon and was named Torchbearer, the highest student honor at UT. Her project was Analyzing the Effectiveness of OECD Economic Regulation in Compliance with ICESCR. Shefner also served as her advisor. Kuykendall plans to attend Georgetown University Law School.

• Richard Lusk of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, who graduated with a degree in business analytics and international business. His project was The Evolving Rare Earth Supply Chain: A Case Study. His advisor was John Bell, assistant professor of marketing and logistics. Lusk is interning at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and will return to UT in the fall to pursue a master’s degree in business analytics.

• Ryan Roberts of Nashville, who graduated with a College Scholarsdegree in public health policy with an emphasis in dental public health. His project was Oral Health Initiatives: Improving Access to Oral Healthcare. His advisor was Paul Erwin, head of UT’s Department of Public Health. Roberts will be attending UT Health Science Center’s College of Dentistry this fall.

• Jeremy Williams of Memphis, who graduated with a degree in political science. His project was An Examination of the Individual Mandate. His advisors were Carol Myers, associate professor of nursing, and Carl Pierce, law professor. Williams plans to apply for law school.

Established in 2003, the Baker Center seeks to further the public’s knowledge of the US government and public policy and to encourage civil leadership and public service. The center sponsors programs to encourage informed discussion, with a special focus on engaging young people in policy issues and public service.

For more information about the Baker Center and the Baker Scholars program, visit the Baker Center website.

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C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, ablakely@utk.edu)

Nissa Dahlin-Brown (865-974-8681, nissa@utk.edu)

Those questions prompted the development of Foreign Policy Week, which will be held September 10–13. Foreign Policy Week is collaboration of the Center for International Education, the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy, and the Department of Political Science.

Each night of the week, there will be a different event:

September 10—Introduction to US Foreign Policy, 6:00 p.m., International House

James Todhunter will discuss the history of foreign policy in America. Todhunter recently earned his doctorate in political science from UT. He specializes in international relations.

September 11—Global Security and Defense, 6:00 p.m., Baker Center Toyota Auditorium

Brandon Prins will discuss how US foreign policy changed after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and compare President Barack Obama’s and presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s security and defense policies. Prins is an associate professor of political science at UT and a Global Security Fellow at the Baker Center.

September 12—Globalization, the Global Economy, and Austerity Policy, 6:00 p.m., Baker Center Toyota Auditorium

Tony Spiva and Jon Shefner will talk about the economy and globalization as they relate to US policies in the last forty years. The discussion will focus on the economic impact of US relationships with Latin America and Asia. They will discuss austerity, the process of reducing deficit spending by lowering government benefits. Spiva is professor emeritus in economics and has worked as an adviser in economic projects in several different countries. Shefner is a professor and department head of sociology and has also worked internationally.

September 13—Student Debate, 6:30 p.m., University Center, Shiloh Room

The student Speech and Debate Society and the Central Program Council Issues Committee are hosting this event. Students from the Speech and Debate Society will debate Obama’s and Romney’s foreign policy stances.

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C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, ablakely@utk.edu)