Rice University's first president, Edgar Odell Lovett, famously toured the best colleges across the globe, seeking a blueprint to build a world-class university in Houston.

When Edward Djerejian, a former U.S. diplomat who served in eight administrations, came to Rice in 1993 to launch a public policy think tank, he followed Lovett's example, visiting institutes at schools like Harvard and Princeton. Djerejian wanted to build a think tank in Houston as influential, in Washington and beyond, as those in the Ivy League.

Two decades later, that goal has been achieved. The Baker Institute is now the fourth-best university-affiliated think tank in the world, according to a comprehensive ranking of institutes built on a survey of their peers and the policy-makers who turn to them. Its Center for Energy Studies - a major part of what sets Rice's think tank apart - is the second-best in the world and the best in the nation, according to the rankings.

"The rankings are a symptom of what we've achieved," Djerejian said. "Rankings are rankings - but you have to look at what Baker has become."

The institute, named for former Secretary of State James A. Baker III, now boasts an endowment of roughly $104 million. It has brought world leaders including Nelson Mandela and Vladimir Putin to Houston.

Must analyze quickly

Baker's fellows brief congressional staffs, White House aides and State Department officials. They're working on briefings to help the winner of the presidential election transition to the White House. And the institute regularly puts on panel discussions to elevate community discussion. A talk about dealing with ISIS after the Paris attacks drew a full crowd on Wednesday.

"We've had kings and queens, every president but Obama - and he'll come when he retires" Djerejian said.

This is an important time to be an influential think tank. With unrest across the globe and a crowded U.S. presidential race reflecting a growing anti-establishment sentiment, these intellectual centers can offer clear, objective information and build bridges between the public and governments, said James G. McGann, director of the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program of the Wharton School and School of Arts and Sciences' Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania.

McGann, who puts together the annual Go To Think Tanks rankings, said the institutes are important "now more than ever."

"Policy cycles are accelerating and transforming. Think tanks need to analyze quickly to tell policy-makers and the people what the hell is going on - and to inject reason into that," McGann said. "Baker plays that role in a number of critical areas, including energy and health. The reality is, and the proof in the pudding is, that people listen and follow their research and the policy advice that's coming out of the center."

Baker's leaders stress that fellows must remain grounded in data to build credibility. The energy program, one of its first, has grown significantly, especially since becoming a full-fledged center three and a half years ago. The center operates with some autonomy within Baker, hiring its own fellows, for example. Its roster of fellows has grown from one to five.

An influential voice

The fellows work with researchers across the globe and advise leaders in Washington. The energy center just wrapped up a study of LNG exports for the Department of Energy.

Much of the energy center's success has come from focusing on solid research that is applicable to the outside world, said Kenneth Medlock, who heads the center. It hosts regular workshops to use industry leaders and policy-makers as sounding boards for the research its fellows are doing.

In addition to its energy work, Baker is an influential voice on the Middle East and on health care policy, and it has a new center focused on relations with Mexico. The goal is to keep all of the work done at Baker relevant to pressing issues facing the world.

Djerejian said he views the institute, in part, as a translation service, taking lofty ideas and research and communicating them to a broader audience. Djerejian, a noted Arab scholar who served as ambassador to Syria and Israel, teaches courses to undergraduates, as do many of Baker's fellows.

A decade ago, when the institute celebrated its 10th birthday, its namesake, Baker, declared the venture a success: "I think we have carved out a name for ourselves in the think tank echo chamber."

A decade later, Baker has carved out a spot as one of the best in the world.