HOUSTON, July 8, 2021 – The World Affairs Council of Greater Houston is pleased to announce bp’s Starlee Sykes and Alistair Vickers as the 2021 International Citizens of the Year. A distinction of the 23rd Annual Jesse H. Jones Award Luncheon, the International Citizen of the Year Award is presented annually to a Houstonian whose work has contributed to the city’s international stature. This year, the Council is proud to nominate not just one, but two, International Citizens of the Year who represent Houston well as the Energy Capital of the World.  “We are pleased to honor bp’s Starlee ..read more

As part of the World Affairs Council of Houston’s (WACH) recognition of various Houston Global Leaders of Influence, the WACH had the opportunity to interview David Morse, an honoree for 2020. Below summarizes this insightful dialogue of his achievements, answering of audience questions, and advice for being open minded on a global scale! Morse’s Achievements The interview immediately begins with a dive into his past and current achievements. While David Morse had an upbringing in chemistry, he currently serves as the president and lead of DBM consulting services. Through his time at DBM, he ..read more

by Niki Dashtban Social unrest erupts in Iran as the country’s economic state plummets, a result of facing years of severe U.S.-led sanctions. At the same time, negotiations for a second nuclear deal in Vienna have paused between Iran and the world powers. Despite concerning different topics, these two events are very related. Thousands of Iranians gather to protest the rising food prices and the Iranian regime. (Photo by Fatmeh Nasr / ISNA / AFP) (Photo by FATMEH NASR/ISNA/AFP via Getty Images) After the collapse of the nuclear accord four years ago, the U.S imposed harsh sanctions to press ..read more

– Cady Mulkey   What is International Affairs? International affairs is the study of interactions among sovereign states and the impact of these interactions on global politics, culture, and economics. These interactions help to seek and understand the way nations interact by learning to communicate with an international community and ultimately gaining the passion for making the world better for other people. Reasons to study International Affairs: In learning about this discipline, you will gain significant insight into issues and events that are happening around the world with the impa ..read more

Civil War by Other Means: A Conversation with Dr. Jeremi Suri about Division in America and its Historical Origins  “The problems we have are fixable” – Dr. Jeremi Suri  In every city that Dr. Jeremi Suri has visited to promote his new book, Civil War by Other Means: America’s Long and Unfinished Fight for Democracy, he has asked his audience if anyone sees the last five or six years as shocking for this country. And in every city, everyone in the audience has raised their hands in affirmation.   It is no secret that the last several years have been marred by conflict and d ..read more

by Analys Barinaga Long before 2020, Dr. Peter Hotez’s lab had been researching coronaviruses and developing vaccines to ward against them. When COVID-19 swept across the world, Dr. Hotez’s work took on a new and urgent importance. He led an initiative, along with Dr. Maria Bottazzi, to develop a low-cost COVID-19 vaccine and news networks regularly hosted him to speak about the status of the pandemic. While Dr. Hotez has long been an expert in coronavirus diseases, the pandemic has brought his work into the limelight as the science which was once confined to labs is brought into our political ..read more

-Terre Camille Alan Steinberg is an individual devoted in his belief of civic engagement. In addition to a long list of committees and councils Steinberg currently serves, he is also responsible for increasing the quality of life experience for the inhabitants of Greater West Houston. Today, Steinberg is hosting a webinar session that will increase civic engagement, more specifically he will “identify ways that participating in your community complement[s] your life.” He does this by detailing four points, Occupation, Interests, Values, and Purpose and draws connections on how we can use each ..read more

by Analys Barinaga The legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed life for people around the world, from the greater incorporation of technology into our lives to the increased awareness of communicable diseases. One particularly significant effect is the impact that the pandemic had on the relationship between journalists and governments.  Author and activist Joel Simon explores this very topic in his co-authored book Infodemic. Mr. Simon has travelled the world as a journalist, served as the Executive Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, and has published fo ..read more

by Anusha Basra As part of the Global Connections series hosted by the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston (WACH), the council had the opportunity to interview Stephen Trauber, the Global Head of Energy for Citi, a global investment bank. In addition to his duties as a Vice Chairman and Global Head of Energy, Mr. Trauber has worked with and served as lead financier for many of the industry’s IPOs in the past 30 years. Below summarizes key highlights of this dialogue. Daily duties Mr. Trauber begins explaining how he advises the corporate clients at Citi, which are producers at midstream a ..read more