Kate S. Kirkland is the author of Captain James A. Baker of Houston, 1857–1941 (Texas A&M University Press, 2012), published in conjunction with Rice University’s centennial, and The Hogg Family…

Brian Connelly's career embraces an unusually broad range of historical and modern repertoires and styles. He has premiered works by a host of contemporary composers, and is widely known for…

John B. Boles retired in 2019 as the William Pettus Hobby Professor of American History at Rice University, where he taught for 38 years. He is the author of the…

Clive Swansbourne studied at the Royal College of Music in London 
and received his doctorate from the Yale School of Music. He has won prizes in international competitions, and performed…

Sean Theriault is a Distinguished Teaching Professor of government at the University of Texas in Austin. His primary focus is American political institutions with specialties in congressional politics, elections and…

Rebecca Rabinow, director of the Menil Collection since 2016, was formerly a curator in the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art since 1990. She…

François de Menil, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C; is Principal and founder of FdM:Arch, an internationally acclaimed architecture firm. He is also a filmmaker. One of his first films, "Hanging Max…

Colin Ure was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and studied music, majoring in voice, at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Later he sang professionally throughout the UK and…

Cindi Strauss is the Bill and Sara Morgan Curator for Decorative Arts, Craft and Design at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. She holds a BA with honors in Art…

Charlene Cerny is a founder and executive director of the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, the largest event of its kind in the world. For 16 years, Ms. Cerny…