"When We Say America First, I Hope Other Countries Do The Same" - Dr. Ann Bluntzer Pullin, Hamm Institute

This week we were on the road in Oklahoma City and had the exciting opportunity to sit down with Dr. Ann Bluntzer Pullin, Executive Director of the Hamm Institute for American Energy at Oklahoma State University. Ann was appointed to Executive Director in August and has over 25 years of experience in higher education as a professor and administrator, most recently serving as Executive Director of the Ralph Lowe Energy Institute at TCU’s Neeley School of Business where she served in several leadership capacities for a tenure of eleven years. Ann started her career as a Foreign Service Officer in Education and Agriculture and served in Poland, Lithuania, Indonesia, and Australia. Established in 2021, the Hamm Institute is at the forefront of energy geopolitics and international energy security initiatives, in addition to driving technological and policy innovations through research to address domestic and global energy challenges. It was our pleasure to visit with Ann on-site at the Hamm Institute to discuss their latest updates and observations on today’s energy world. In our discussion with Ann, we explore the critical intersection of energy security and national security, the Hamm Institute’s mission to foster informed dialogue around energy and economic growth, and the importance of partnerships with responsible energy producers to improve global security and sustainability. Ann shares insights from a recent trip to Taiwan, Korea, and Japan with Governor Stitt of Oklahoma, highlighting discussions with energy ministries, economists, and industry representatives about the energy security challenges faced by these countries, as well as the global trend to prioritize national interests and how a strong and self-reliant America can serve as an example for other nations. We touch on the role of the U.S. in exporting natural resources and fostering energy security, the challenge of balancing short-term geopolitical stability with long-term innovation and sustainability, the Hamm Institute’s efforts alongside OSU to shape global energy discussions and support developing nations’ energy needs, the potential for Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy’s DOGE initiative to disrupt conventional thinking, the positive opportunity for media to bring awareness to government issues and necessary reforms, and much more. We greatly enjoyed the discussion and appreciate the important contributions Ann and the Hamm Institute team are making around energy, particularly with issues around national security and energy security and how they are completely intertwined. Thanks to Ann for joining and thanks to you all for your friendship and support!