Published•
Thu, Jun 18, 2026
Israel, Greece, Cyprus and the United States officially launched the East Med Energy Center in Houston on June 11, Hosted by Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. The Center will serve as a collaborative hub focused on energy security, cybersecurity, technological innovation, resilience of critical infrastructure and academic research.
This initiative unites governments, universities, researchers and private-sector leaders to tackle shared challenges and seize opportunities in the energy sector.
Attending the launch were Consul General of Israel to the Southwest Livia Link-Raviv; Deputy Chief of Mission and Consul Elad Shoshan; Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter; Hon. James White, vice president for Governmental Affairs and Civic Engagement at Texas Southern University; Hon. Ben Proler, Texas Southern University board of regents member; and Brandon Simmons, director of Institutional Policy and Oversight of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Office of the Ombudsman.
By engaging in joint research and policy development, and by fostering innovation-centered partnerships, the Center aims to bolster energy security, drive technological advancements, enhance the robustness of critical infrastructure and foster closer cooperation among Eastern Mediterranean nations and the United States.
— JTA