Dateline Rice for April 11, 2012

FEATURED ITEMS

National Public Radio’s ‘Morning Edition’ (This story also appeared on WBUR.org [Boston].)
Amy Myers Jaffe, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow in Energy Studies at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, is interviewed about America’s natural gas surplus.
http://www.npr.org/2012/04/11/150406676/natural-gas-glut-leads-to-lower-prices

Copper chains: Study reveals Earth’s deep-seated hold on copper
A link to a Rice news release about Earth’s copper was featured on the National Science Foundation’s Science360.gov homepage. The full release can be viewed at https://news2.rice.edu/?p=25462.
Science360.gov
https://news2.rice.edu/files/2012/04/Copper360.jpg

Business titans of the future? Rice’s business plan showdown
Ultraviolet cellphone disinfectants, bloodstain testers and a brand new use for dry ice are just a few of the pitches at this year’s Rice University Business Plan Competition.
Money.CNN.com
http://goo.gl/U1VLb

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Students are creating a better, safer cervical collar
Undergraduate students at Rice University have come up with what they hope will prove to be a better and safer version of cervical collars to stabilize the heads and necks of accident victims. Hanszen College senior Kelsey Horter is quoted and pictured. A Rice-produced video is featured.
Gizmag.com
http://www.gizmag.com/headcase-safer-cervical-collar/22112/

Total’s North Sea gas leak draws comparisons with BP Gulf disaster
Oil giant Total has moved to reassure investors and environmental activists over the past week that the financial and environmental damage from its gas leak in the North Sea would be limited, a task made more difficult by comparisons to BP’s handling of a catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico nearly two years ago. George Hirasaki, the A.J. Hartsook Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, is quoted.
China Post (This Associated Press article also appeared in the Everett Herald, the Bennington Banner, the Lincoln Daily News, WREX.com [Rockford, Ill.] and RR.com.)
http://goo.gl/l1X4k

HOUSTON/TEXAS

With Santorum out, Texas primary recedes in importance
Mark Jones, the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies, professor and chair of political science and fellow in political science at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in news items about GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum’s announcement that he will suspend his campaign. Links to the KTRK-TV and KXLN-TV broadcasts are not available. The KRIV-TV appearance can be viewed by clicking on the item on the right in the video pane. The KPFT-FM interview begins approximately one minute into the clip.
Austin American-Statesman
http://goo.gl/fGS7h
KRIV-TV
http://goo.gl/Dfg9Y
KPFT-FM
http://archive.kpft.org/mp3/kpft_120410_160105news.mp3
KTRK-TV
KXLN-TV

Romney’s challenge: What Bexar County’s primaries could tell America about the anti-Mormon vote
William Martin, the Harry and Hazel Chavanne Senior Fellow in Religion and Public Policy at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in an article about GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney.
SACurrent.com
http://goo.gl/l3Oea

Club members come for the run and other fun
Rice is mentioned in an article about Brian O’Neill’s Running Club.
Houston Chronicle
http://goo.gl/oIwkH

Emerson String Quartet to perform on Rice University campus
The Emerson String Quartet will perform at Rice’s Stude Concert Hall April 24.
UltimateWestU.com
http://goo.gl/GNZX1

BROADCAST/WEBCAST

KSBW-TV (Monterey, Calif.)
A story about a lecture series at the Panetta Institute mentions that Douglas Brinkley, professor of history and fellow in history at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, will speak at the next event.
http://goo.gl/3D6xk

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Turning thoughts into action
Marcia O’Malley, associate professor in mechanical engineering and materials science and of computer science, is mentioned and pictured in an article about advances in robotic prosthetics technology.
CS Bits & Bytes
http://www.nsf.gov/cise/csbytes/newsletter/vol1i9.html

When many heads are better than one
Rice is mentioned in an article about translational cancer research.
New Scientist
http://goo.gl/lNcFA

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Touch activates plants’ defense against insects
When touched, plant defenses go into overdrive to fight off fungal infections and insect invaders. Wassim Chehab, faculty fellow in biochemistry and cell biology, and Janet Braam, professor and chair of biochemistry and cell biology, are quoted.
NewKerala.com (This Asian News International article also appeared on Sify.com and NetIndia123.com.)
http://www.newkerala.com/news/newsplus/worldnews-4355.html

Transparent devices on the horizon
Researchers have developed transparent, flexible memory chips, which could lead to inventions like see-through cellphones that wrap around the wrist. James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Chair in Chemistry and professor of mechanical engineering and materials science and of computer science, is quoted.
WebProNews.com
http://www.webpronews.com/transparent-devices-on-the-horizon-2012-04

Lil B’s class is in session
An article about a New York University lecture by rapper Lil B The Based God mentions that Houston rapper Bun B co-taught a course on religion and hip-hop culture at Rice.
Redeye.com
http://goo.gl/M0Sfu

Classics for trombone at recital
Alumnus Jeremy Moeller ’00 will present a recital in DeKalb, Ill., April 13.
MidWeekNews.com
http://www.midweeknews.com/articles/2012/04/10/43470060/index.xml

SPORTS

Wade, Bradshaw capture Rice athletics’ highest honors
Martel College senior Becky Wade received the 37th Joyce Pounds Hardy Award and Rice football player Travis Bradshaw received the 2012 Bob Quin Award at the annual ‘Night of the Owl’ celebration.
Cypress Times (Texas)
http://goo.gl/x9zQJ

No. 13 Rice 6, Texas State 5
A news brief reports on a baseball game between Rice and Texas State University.
BaseballInsider.com
http://www.collegebaseballinsider.com/12atb/atb410.html

Owls, Adidas on verge of apparel deal for football program
According to sources, Rice is close to an apparel agreement for its football program with Adidas.
Houston Chronicle
http://goo.gl/1zV9z

Owls host first-annual Caray Cup competition
Rice fans will make the final call when members of the local media compete for the first Caray Cup by singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh-inning stretch at selected Owls games in May.
Cypress Times (Texas)
http://goo.gl/wAQxr