U.S. ambassador to Russia to speak at Rice

U.S. ambassador to Russia to speak at Rice

FROM RICE NEWS STAFF REPORTS

William Burns, U.S. ambassador to the Russian Federation, will speak at Rice University’s James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy Sept. 27. The lecture, “200 Years of U.S.-Russian Relations and the Road Ahead,” begins at 6 p.m.

WILLIAM BURNS

Burns, a career member of the U.S. Foreign Service, became ambassador to Russia in 2005. Before that, he served as assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs from 2001 to 2005, and was U.S. ambassador to Jordan from 1998 to 2001.

Burns has a bachelor’s degree in history from LaSalle University and master’s and doctorate degrees in international relations from Oxford University, where he studied as a Marshall Scholar. He speaks Arabic, French and Russian, and is the recipient of two Distinguished Presidential Service Awards.

The event will be held in James A. Baker III Hall’s Kelly International Conference Facility.

Rice faculty, staff and students must R.S.V.P. by e-mail to bipprsvp@rice.edu or by fax to 713-348-5993 by Sept. 26.