Dateline Rice for Nov. 19, 2012 (Weekend Edition)

FEATURED ITEM

Tiny antenna speeds up light modulation
New research by the Rice University lab of Qianfan Xu has produced a micron-scale spatial light modulator like those used in sensing and imaging devices, but with the potential to run orders of magnitude faster.
Futurity.org
http://www.futurity.org/science-technology/tiny-antenna-speeds-up-light-modulation/
Antenna-on-a-chip rips the light fantastic
Product Design and Development
http://www.pddnet.com/news/2012/11/antenna-chip-rips-light-fantastic

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Douglas Brinkley, professor of history and fellow in history at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in articles on the ethics of authors getting intimate with subjects, presidential pets and response to Hurricane Sandy.
Biographers: How close is too close?
Minneapolis Star Tribune
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/179737211.html?refer=y
Author surveys adorable White House pets
Detroit Free Press
http://www.freep.com/article/20121119/FEATURES01/311190010/Chief-members-of-first-families?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|p
Christie, Cuomo and Bloomberg win high marks for responses to storm
Associated Press (This article also appeared in more than 20 other publications.)
http://on.cpsj.com/XWaFw2

Nanomaterial can stop a speeding bullet, strengthen soldiers’ body armor
Researchers are firing microscale ammo in an effort to identify materials that can offer better protection to soldiers, aircrafts and satellites. Ned Thomas, the William and Stephanie Sick Dean of Engineering, professor of mechanical engineering and materials science and of chemical and biomolecular engineering, is quoted.
ABCNewsRadioOnline.com (This article also appeared on WJR.com [Detroit], GoWatertown.net, AkronNewsNow.com [Ohio] and 670KBOI.com [Boise, Idaho].)
http://bit.ly/T0NcnM
The bulletproof super material that’s paper-thin
The Week
http://bit.ly/TIy0Kj
Polyurethane nanomaterial can stop bullets in their tracks
SlashGear.com
http://bit.ly/WfbQWV

Gas drilling dilemma in US
Energy companies, environmental groups and even Hollywood stars are watching to see what decisions President Barack Obama makes about regulating or promoting natural gas drilling. Ken Medlock, the James A. Baker III and Susan Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics at the Baker Institute, senior director of the Center for Energy Studies and adjunct assistant professor in economics, is quoted.
Associated Press (This article appeared more than a dozen other publications.)
http://bit.ly/Xt7w8b

RIP: Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Wonder Bread, Hostess brands
Articles about reports that Hostess Brands will go out of business mention a series of experiments conducted by Rice students on Twinkies snack cakes in 1995.
GlobalNews.ca (This article also appeared in the Toronto Star and CHBCNews.ca [Kelowna, British Columbia].)
http://bit.ly/UaH6El
Seven things you probably didn’t know about Twinkies, an American icon
PegasusNews.com
http://bit.ly/TUCnok
WBAP-AM (Dallas)
http://tinyurl.com/cezo86r

Around Town: Highest degree of honor
Naomi Halas, the Stanley C. Moore Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering, director of Rice’s Laboratory for Nanophotonics and professor of physics and astronomy, chemistry and biomedical engineering, received an honorary doctorate of science from the University of Victoria.
Times Colonist
http://bit.ly/WgF42W

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Cronkite’s place in Texas history comes alive
Douglas Brinkley, professor of history and fellow in history at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, received the San Jacinto Star Award at the “Special Evening with Texas History” at the San Jacinto Monument and Museum. Brinkley discussed late newscaster Walter Cronkite at the event.
Pasadena Citizen
http://bit.ly/QMRLpD

Goodbye Texas?
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 in articles about the likelihood that Texas might secede from the Union. Jones is also quoted in an article about the results of Texas elections. English translations of the Spanish-language articles are not available.
NBC-2.com (This story was broadcast on KPRC-TV.)
http://bit.ly/RUWTX6
NC petitioners seek break from America Daily Tarheel
http://bit.ly/TUtpHC
USA: Why the press can support a party
Etcetera.com
http://bit.ly/SyJ65T
Reaffirmation of Texas’ strong Republican ties in Tuesday’s elections
Diarolaestrella.com
http://bit.ly/TTQw4H

BROADCAST/WEBCAST

KPRC-TV
A science news segment for children explains nanoscience research that Rice researchers use to create nanocapsules.
http://tinyurl.com/c79pmek

KRIV-TV
“Fox 26 Morning News Weekends”
Tani Barlow, director of the T.T. and Wei Fong Chao Center for Asian Studies and the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Asian Studies, discusses the Houston Asian-American archive.
http://tinyurl.com/cs87blm

CNN
“CNN Saturday Morning”
Ambassador Edward Djerejian, founding director of Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, discusses the crisis in Gaza. The segment begins at 8:30 a.m.
http://tinyurl.com/boxdwja

KTRK-TV
Paul Brace, the Clarence L. Barter Professor of Political Science, discusses the impending fiscal cliff.
http://tinyurl.com/cxgslez

KTRK-TV
Michael Cline, associate director of Rice’s Hobby Center for the Study of Texas, discusses the changing demographics and how they affected the election.
http://tinyurl.com/bprefyg

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Poor neighborhoods home to more obese kids
Children living in neighborhoods where poverty levels are high and education levels are low are more likely to be obese than children in more affluent communities. Justin Denney, assistant professor of sociology, is quoted.
DoctorsLounge.com
http://www.doctorslounge.com/index.php/news/hd/33683

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Beyond the fantasy
Justin Cronin, distinguished faculty fellow in English, is profiled for his career as a novelist.
Eyre Peninsula Tribune (Australia) (This article also appeared in the Advocate, the Ballarat Courier, the Barossa and Light Herald, the Bega District News, the Bendigo Advertiser, the Bombala Times, the Border Mail, the Bunbury Mail, the Central Western Daily, the Cooma-Monaro Express, the Cowra Guardian, the Eden Magnet, the Examiner, the Illawarra Mercury, the Maitland Mercury, the Moorabool Weekly, the Moonee Valley Community News, the Mudgee Guardian and Gulgong Advertiser, the Brimbank Weekly, the Port Lincoln Times and the Western Advocate.)
http://bit.ly/TIzV1q

National Charity Challenge Champion celebrates 20th anniversary at Rice University
Houston-based Overseas China Education Foundation celebrated its 20th’s anniversary with a ceremony at Rice University Nov. 4.
River Oaks Examiner
http://bit.ly/SVRWui

SPORTS

Rice denies that two former basketball players suffered discrimination
Former Rice student-athlete Arsalan Kazemi has been granted a waiver to play basketball this season at the University of Oregon. Some of the articles quote a statement from Rice explaining why Rice opposed the waiver.
Stamford Advocate (Conn.)
http://bit.ly/Sy1gE8
Visitors for the Stanford game, Alex Redmond de-commits, plus other recruiting notes
AddictedToQuack.com
http://sbn.to/T5J3B4
Kazemi cleared to hoop it up for the Ducks
KPIC.com (This article also appeared on KPIC.com [Eugene, Ore.] and KATU.com [Portland, Ore.].)
http://bit.ly/Qj48tF
UO basketball transfer Kazemi cleared to play this season by NCAA
LaneToday.com
http://bit.ly/SS6WcL

Warlick, Lady Vols roll past Rice 101-48
An article recaps a women’s basketball game between Rice and the University of Tennessee.
Tennessee Journalist
http://tnjn.com/2012/nov/15/warlick-lady-vols-roll-past-ri/

School’s out: Rice star Rendon adjusts to pro ball
Former Rice standout Anthony Rendon is profiled for his career in baseball.
MLB.com
http://atmlb.com/Qj4Nv3

Berkman to volunteer at Rice
Outfielder/first baseman Lance Berkman, who played little with the Cardinals last season because of bad knees, has joined the Rice University baseball staff as a volunteer assistant.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
http://bit.ly/ZJPLja

NEWS RELEASES

Reception for Frankfort’s ‘THINK’ at Rice Nov. 19
The opening reception for artist Dana Frankfort’s site-specific painting “THINK” on view in the first-floor lobby of Rice University’s BioScience Research Collaborative will be held Nov. 19.
https://news2.rice.edu/?p=37396

Antenna-on-a-chip rips the light fantastic
New research by the Rice University lab of Qianfan Xu has produced a micron-scale spatial light modulator like those used in sensing and imaging devices, but with the potential to run orders of magnitude faster.
https://news2.rice.edu/?p=37313