Scholars and professionals interested in becoming affiliated with research centers at the new Baker School for 2023-2024 are invited to apply to become a Baker School Expert, by July 28.

The Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy became the Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs, effective July 1. The new School will offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in public policy, public administration, and public affairs. The original research programs at the Baker Center – Energy & Environment and Global Security –are now the Center for Energy, Transportation, & Environmental Policy (CETEP) and the Center for National Security & Foreign Affairs (NSFA), both of which will coordinate with the new Baker School curriculum. Applications are being accepted for Affiliates for both research centers.

CETEP will work to combine sound science and thoughtful policy to address energy, transportation, and environmental challenges facing the state of Tennessee, the U.S., and the world. Particular focus areas include electric vehicles, decarbonization, water and air pollution, endangered species, climate adaptation, and land use change. NSFA will focus on research and policy engagement related to national security, U.S. foreign policy, Indo-Pacific security with a particular focus on Japan, international disputes, conflict and political violence, international trade and economics, and international challenges such as cyber, nuclear, environmental, human, and economic security.

The Baker School Experts Program connects scholars and professionals at all career stages to each other and to public policy stakeholders with the purpose of advancing the land grant mission of the University of Tennessee and informing public policy decisions. Experts play a key role in the research centers, identifying solutions to policy challenges of our time, and are essential to achieving the centers’ mission of providing critical insights on domestic and international challenges through interdisciplinary research, experiential education, and policy engagement.

Those interested in affiliation with CETEP or NSFA as part of the Experts program are welcome to apply from across the UT system, as well as external organizations. Experts will support the research centers by participating in events and programs, collaborating with each other and with other UT faculty on research, and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in public policy. Experts may also find themselves called upon in a variety of other ways to support the policy process (i.e., policy engagement, media request, grant proposal, policy brief).

Last year the Fellows program was formalized as the Baker School Experts program and expanded to include Affiliates, Fellows, and Senior Fellows. All Experts start as Affiliates unless invited by a research center to be named Fellow or Senior Fellow.

Baker School Experts at all levels share these benefits:

• Interaction with like-minded scholars, professionals and practitioners to share ideas, form new interdisciplinary working groups, and promote research to practitioners and policymakers at various levels of government;
• Invitations to activities, speakers, and events designed specifically for Experts;
• Promotion of research through communications channels, including e-newsletters and social media platforms of the research centers and Baker School;
• Invitations to Baker School Experts professional development programs, mentorship, and training activities;
• Recognition as a Baker School Expert including a headshot and public announcement on the Baker School website; and right to list affiliation on a CV and on publications or other work products.

Baker School Experts at all levels are expected to:

• Attend the annual Baker School Policy Symposium on September 29, 2023;
• Consistently attend and actively participate in policy research development activities with the research centers;
• Share updates on projects, grants, and other newsworthy information related to policy research;
• Serve as an ambassador for the research centers and the Baker School to University leadership and external partners;
• Write occasional white papers, policy briefs, and reports for the research centers; and
• Share feedback and ideas about the direction and function of the research centers and Baker School.

Affiliates

Affiliates are scholars and practitioners at all career stages who are motivated by the desire to have their research and expertise inform conversations around public policy. Baker School Affiliates represent a diverse mix of perspectives, objectives, and backgrounds. Through their affiliation, Baker School Affiliates acquire the skills to more actively and effectively communicate their research to other like-minded scholars and the broader policy community.

Affiliates participate in professional development activities , including programming on practitioner- scholar connections, policy engagement, media engagement, grant proposal writing, opinion writing, and team science. Affiliates are encouraged to join or create working groups and to produce at least one policy brief or other policy-related writing for one of the research centers. Affiliates can retain their affiliation if they remain active in the research centers and Baker School community. Affiliates who are particularly active may be selected for the Fellows program.

Fellows

Fellows are established scholars and practitioners who have a demonstrated history of applying their research or expertise to real-world policy challenges. Fellows are expected to have a significant publication record, record of grant funding, or equivalent record of professional accomplishments, and are actively engaged with the research centers.

Fellows may be tenured faculty, pre-tenured faculty who have served previously as Baker School Affiliates, or non-tenure track research scholars who have a particular policy focus, or individuals from external organizations who meet a similar professional standard.

In addition to the expectations guiding all Baker School Experts, Fellows are expected to:

• Be active in the research centers and Baker School community;
• Participate in Baker School working groups, and contribute expertise to specific and timely public policy problems; and
• Contribute to the Baker School community by mentoring Affiliates, speaking at workshops and seminars, interacting with the media, and serving on committees within the Baker School.

In addition to the benefits granted to Affiliates, Fellows:

• May apply for Baker School funding to support their research programs and working group activities;
• May request to work with Baker School graduate students, research associates, and undergraduate researchers to assist in their research programs and working group activities;
• May request access to Baker School program and grant managers to help facilitate larger grants and give feedback on grant opportunities with the research centers.

Senior Fellows

Senior Fellows have a demonstrated track record of informing public policy and experience serving as a Fellow for several years and a record of grant funding through or in collaboration with the research centers at the Baker School.

Application process:

Applications are open in the summer.

Selection Committee

The Selection Committee responsible for selecting annual Affiliate cohorts and periodically selecting new Fellows and Senior Fellows is composed of program directors, Fellows, and Senior Fellows from departments and colleges across campus.

Printable Document of Experts Program.