Dateline Rice for Oct. 24, 2012

FEATURED ITEMS

Best values in private colleges 2012-13
Rice University is ranked the country’s No. 2 best value among private universities by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.
Kiplinger’s
http://bit.ly/SsmeVZ
Kiplinger’s best values in private colleges
Kiplinger’s
http://bit.ly/9EUYkC
Local schools make Kiplinger’s best values in private colleges list
WHEC.com (Rochester, N.Y.) (This article also appeared on NBCNews.com.)
http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S2810117.shtml?cat=566
WHEC-TV (Rochester, N.Y.) (Similar stories appeared on KMIR-TV [Palm Springs, Calif.], KSL-TV [Salt Lake City] and nearly 50 other television stations.)
http://bit.ly/TTXwgh

Connecting the past to the present
Centennial Historian Melissa Kean is profiled for her work at Rice.
Change
http://bit.ly/RVwC7K

Hawaii’s dueling volcanoes share deep link
A deep connection about 50 miles underground can explain the enigmatic behavior of two of Earth’s most notable volcanoes, Hawaii’s Mauna Loa and Kilauea. Helge Gonnermann, assistant professor of Earth science, is quoted. This story was also featured on Science360.gov.
Futurity.org
http://bit.ly/VE9t0E
Explaining the connection between Hawaii’s dueling volcanoes
Science360.gov
http://1.usa.gov/RCfoNw
Scientists study lava link between Kilauea, Mauna Loa
BigIslandNow.com
http://bit.ly/Teq33I
Dueling Hawaiian volcanoes have a deep connection
RedOrbit.com
http://bit.ly/XeBcTt
Mauna Loa and Kilauea linked in Earth’s upper mantle
CivilBeat.com
http://bit.ly/TfRKck

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Latino Democrat narrows race for Senate in Arizona
A Latino Democrat who rose from a hardscrabble childhood to become U.S. surgeon general has tightened the race for an open Senate seat in Arizona, a state that hasn’t elected a Democratic senator in almost 25 years. Mark Jones, the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies, professor and chair of political science and fellow in political science at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted. Jones is also quoted in stories about the influence of religion in politics and the recent presidential debate. An English translation of the KXLN-TV broadcast is not available. The KPFT-FM interview begins approximately two minutes into the clip.
Reuters (This article also appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Yahoo.com, the Baltimore Sun, the Hampton Roads Daily Press, the Allentown Morning Call, the South Bend Tribune, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the Hartford Courant, NewsMax.com, Comcast.net, KDAL610.com [Duluth, Minn.], KTWBTV.com [Denver], KY3.com [Branson, Mo.], TheUSDaily.com, WDBJ7.com [Roanoke, Va.], WHTC.com [Holland, Mich.], WNMT.com [Hibbing, Minn.], WSAU.com [Wausau, Wis.], WTAQ.com [Green Bay, Wis.], WTBX.com [Hibbing, Minn.] and CTNow.com [Hartford, Conn.].)
http://reut.rs/WHp0Mi
KXLN-TV
http://bit.ly/TzffiJ
KPFT-FM
http://archive.kpft.org/mp3/kpft_121023_160001news.mp3

Why women choose careers outside hard sciences
New research at Rice reveals differences in the way male and female scientists view disparities in the proportion of women in some science disciplines. Elaine Howard Ecklund, associate professor of sociology, director of the Religion and Public Life Program and Rice Scholar at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
Times of India (This article also appeared on NewKerala.com, AlbuquerqueExpress.com and NewsTrackIndia.com.)
http://bit.ly/XTyORC

Billy Graham’s decision to endorse Romney is his own, son says
Confronting criticism that he has commandeered the voice of aging evangelist Billy Graham and turned him into "a mouthpiece for the religious right," Franklin Graham said his father’s entrance into a tightening presidential race was his own choice. William Martin, the Harry and Hazel Chavanne Senior Fellow in Religion and Public Policy at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
McClatchyDC.com (This article also appeared in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Charlotte Observer, the Winston-Salem Journal, the Raleigh News & Observer, the Bradenton Herald, the Olympian, the Macon Telegraph, the Sacramento Bee, the Tri-City Herald, the Knoxville News-Sentinel, the Wichita Eagle, the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, the Kansas City Star, the Rock Hill Herald, the San Luis Obispo Tribune, the Biloxi Sun-Herald, the Bellingham Herald and the Tacoma News Tribune.)
http://bit.ly/TfvkYS
Why is Billy Graham so involved in the 2012 elections?
ReligionNews.com
http://bit.ly/PmldlV

Banish cronyism
Rice is mentioned in an editorial about the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.
Nature
http://www.nature.com/news/banish-cronyism-1.11642

Leveraging our American energy revolution
Research by Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy is cited in an op-ed about American energy independence.
The Hill
http://bit.ly/QEhcWE

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Rice University names KTRU studio after former manager
Rice University recently named its KTRU studio after late alumnus and former station manager Ben Horne ’02. Alumnus Johnny So ’01 and Will Robedee, KTRU general manager, are quoted.
UltimateWestU.com
http://bit.ly/RiPwqo

Demographer warns of increasing education costs as Latino population rises
Investing in education for Hispanic children is essential to Texas’ economic future, according to Steve Murdock, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology and a former director of the U.S. Census Bureau, in the ongoing school finance trial.
Austin American-Statesman
http://bit.ly/RUCH4s
Texas public schools require more funding to serve Hispanics, expert testifies in finance trial
Dallas Morning News (subscription required)
http://dallasne.ws/TfxyYc

100 Creatives 2012: Justin Cronin
Justin Cronin, distinguished faculty fellow in English, was named one of the Houston Press’ "100 Creatives for 2012."
Houston Press
http://bit.ly/Vou9Us

Rice University’s Baker Institute expands energy program
Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy is working to expand its energy program through the development of a new Center for Energy Studies. Ken Medlock, the James A. Baker III and Susan Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics at the Baker Institute and adjunct assistant professor in economics, and Edward Djerejian, founding director of the Baker Institute, are quoted.
UltimateWestU.com
http://bit.ly/T92Prd

More than 54,000 sign up for Rice Coursera class
Enrollment for Rice’s first Coursera class topped 54,000, with hundreds of students signing up each day. Joe Warren, professor and chair of computer science, is quoted. Scott Rixner, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and of computer science, is mentioned.
UltimateWestU.com
http://bit.ly/VmFrbN

Friendswood High honors distinguished alumni
Alumnus Steven Jamail ’02 is mentioned in an article about Friendswood High School’s homecoming weekend.
Friendswood Journal
http://bit.ly/Uxt2Gp

Providing accurate science, history information top priority for state education candidate
An article discusses alumnus Steven Schafersman’s ’83 State Board of Education campaign.
Midland Reporter-Telegram
http://bit.ly/S28P9F

District continues strategic planning efforts
Rice is mentioned in an article about a Plano Independent School District Board of Trustees meeting.
Plano Courier
http://bit.ly/XQalMN

BROADCAST/WEBCAST

KHOU-TV
Bob Stein, the Lena Gohlman Fox Professor of Political Science and fellow in urban politics at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in a story about early voting in Houston.
http://bit.ly/S3PMfd

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Rice University uses ‘Skyrim’ to teach Norse Mythology
An article discusses the Rice course "Scandanavian Fantasy Worlds: Old Norse Sagas and Skyrim." Donna Beth Ellard, a postdoctoral fellow in English, is mentioned.
Gamezone.com
http://bit.ly/SmFi7X
You can take a ‘Skyrim’ class at a Texas university
TheMarySue.com
http://www.themarysue.com/skyrim-college-course/

Borderline slavery in Mexico
Tony Payan, scholar for immigration studies at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in an article about human trafficking in Mexico.
TheCuttingEdgeNews.com
http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=76780

University of St. Thomas presents ‘The Opera Workshop’ Oct. 26-28
Debra Dickinson, artist teacher of opera at the Shepherd School of Music, will participate in an opera workshop at the University of St. Thomas.
Examiner.com
http://exm.nr/TfyDiA

WKU forensic team finds success at five tournaments
Rice is mentioned in an article about the Western Kentucky University forensics team.
SurfKY.com
http://bit.ly/VmGBnO

SPORTS

McDonald expected back, Hill passes test
An article discusses recent events in Rice Owls football.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/S4hWqm

Lynx: Coming back with a vengeance
An article about the Minnesota Lynx women’s basketball team mentions Taj McWilliams-Franklin and notes that she will serve as assistant women’s basketball coach at Rice.
Rochester Post-Bulletin (Minn.)
http://www.postbulletin.com/news/stories/display.php?id=1512552

Conference USA power rankings week nine
Rice is mentioned in an article about Conference USA football.
MinerRush.com
http://sbn.to/TdSTkE

NEWS RELEASES

Kiplinger ranks Rice No. 2 best-value university
Rice University is ranked the country’s No. 2 best value among private universities by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.
https://news2.rice.edu/?p=36246

Building green economies in the Americas topic at Rice’s Baker Institute Oct. 25
A panel of experts will explore the roles of government, the private sector and civil society in implementing policies that lead to stronger green economies in the Americas Oct. 25 at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
https://news2.rice.edu/?p=36226

Congressional subcommittee to host forum on domestic drone surveillance Thursday at Rice University
The U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security will hold a public forum on domestic drones Oct. 25 at Rice University’s McNair Hall.
https://news2.rice.edu/?p=36229