Dateline Rice for March 20, 2013

FEATURED ITEMS

Engineering new tissue for pediatric heart surgery
An article discusses work by Jeffrey Jacot, assistant professor of bioengineering, to help infants suffering from birth defects. It’s currently one of the featured stories on the National Science Foundation home page.
NSF.gov
http://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=127316&org=NSF

Senate OKs term limits for statewide office holders
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 Texas legislative session. Jones also appeared on Lithuanian National Radio to discuss the dispute between the U.K. and Argentina over the Falkland Islands.
Houston Chronicle (subscription required) (This front-page article also appeared in the San Antonio Express-News.)
http://bit.ly/ZT8ZQd
Chambers get behind Medicaid
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
http://bit.ly/YP7t41
Lithuanian National Radio
http://bit.ly/XpDL2T

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

The mathematics of averting the next big network failure
Leonardo Dueñas-Osorio, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, is quoted in an article about preventing mass network failures.
Wired (This article also appeared on SimmonsFoundation.org.)
http://bit.ly/YQZ5AX

US researchers find way to defeat antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Rice environmental engineers have discovered a way to stop a particular strain of bacteria from passing on a drug-resistant DNA element to subsequent generations. Pedro Alvarez, the George R. Brown Professor and chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is quoted.
CNTV.com (China)
http://english.cntv.cn/20130316/102317.shtml

Louisiana science education law targeted for repeal by Dem lawmaker
Hanszen College sophomore Zack Kopplin is quoted in an article about efforts to repeal the Louisiana Science Education Act.
HuffingtonPost.com
http://huff.to/Ymplnz

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Personality traits linked to high college grade point averages
Rice University researchers say there is a link between a personality trait and high grade point averages among college students. Sam McAbee, a graduate student in psychology, and Fred Oswald, professor of psychology, are quoted.
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in the Stamford Advocate, the Connecticut Post, the Darien News, the Greenwich Time, the Greater New Milford Spectrum, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and the Westport News.)
http://bit.ly/16HFDuT
College GPA linked to single personality trait
PsychCentral.com
http://bit.ly/ZZDENk
Being conscientious may help boost academic performances
ZeeNews.com (India) (This article also appeared on BigNewsNetwork.com and Sify.com.)
http://bit.ly/10hNEDT
KEYE-TV (Austin, Texas)
http://bit.ly/14bRDW7

Rice University tuition jumps for next academic year
Rice University’s undergraduate tuition for the 2013-14 school year will be $38,260, up 4.5 percent from 2012-13. Rice President David Leebron and Chris Muñoz, vice president for enrollment, are quoted.
Houston Chronicle (subscription required) (This article also appeared in the Connecticut Post, Darien News and the Greater New Milford Spectrum.)
http://bit.ly/XYUAp2

Ball-Nogues, Gaspar Enriquez and Mysterious Davidoff chosen for El Paso stadium commissions
An article about artists commissioned to create artwork for a baseball stadium in El Paso, Texas, mentions a Rice Gallery exhibition.
Glasstire.com
http://bit.ly/10hTdlO

BROADCAST/WEBCAST

KTRH-AM
Christopher Johns-Krull, associate professor of physics and astronomy, appeared on KTRH-AM to discuss a House of Representatives hearing on asteroid detection. A link to this broadcast is not available.

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Study shows just how fast censorship can occur in social media
The operator of a Twitter-like social media site in China tracks individual users and key topics and deletes 90 percent of offending posts within 24 hours, new research shows. Dan Wallach, associate professor of computer science and in electrical and computer engineering, is quoted.
ACM Tech News
http://bit.ly/11eUaKt

Enabling real-time analytics using an in-memory data grid
An article discusses a lecture by alumnus William Bain ’75 at the Cloud Expo New York.
Sys-Con.com
http://www.sys-con.com/node/2584572

Axia
Axia, a typeface that started out as a custom design for the Rice School of Architecture, was named to Typographica.org’s list of "our favorite typefaces of 2012."
Typographica.org
http://typographica.org/typeface-reviews/axia/

2013 Edmund Optics European Research & Innovation Award
Rice is mentioned in an article about the 2013 Edmund Optics European Research & Innovation Award.
NovusLight.com
http://bit.ly/XYYwGD

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Douglas Brinkley to discuss ‘Cronkite’ at Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
An article profiles Douglas Brinkley, professor of history and fellow in history at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, for his work chronicling the life of Walter Cronkite.
New Orleans Times-Picayune
http://bit.ly/11eKfbx

Today in hip-hop: Bun B celebrates his 40th birthday
News briefs about Houston rapper Bun B’s birthday mention that he co-taught a class on religion and hip-hop culture at Rice.
XXLMag.com
http://bit.ly/14aikud
Happy 40th birthday Bun B!
NorthDallasGazette.com
http://northdallasgazette.com/2013/03/19/happy-40th-birthday-bun-b/

Why President Obama should not visit the Western Wall
An op-ed about President Barack Obama’s trip to Israel by Melissa Weininger notes that she once taught at Rice.
Religion Dispatches
http://bit.ly/YpZo3j

Wheeling Township Highway Commissioner candidate: Mike MacDonald
Alumnus Mike MacDonald ’78 is a candidate for Wheeling Township highway commissioner.
Patch.com
http://bit.ly/11iNjUd

SPORTS

SFA baseball falls to Rice in extra innings
A news brief recaps a baseball game between Rice and Stephen F. Austin State University.
Lufkin Daily News (Texas)
http://bit.ly/15qpTc1

Islander women’s tennis absorbs loss against No. 27 Rice
An article recaps a women’s tennis match between Rice and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
KRISTV.com (Corpus Christi, Texas)
http://bit.ly/ZZTWpj

Media faves in it to win Rice Owls’ singing competition
Rice will host a second Caray Cup singing competition at baseball games in March and April.
News92FM.com
http://bit.ly/XYW4Ql

No contract offered to Clement: Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are denying that they have made a contract offer to alumnus Chase Clement ’10. Clement is mentioned in a separate article about the Blue Bombers.
Winnipeg Free Press (Manitoba)
http://bit.ly/ZXZdhc
Blue Chase ex-NCAA star
Winnipeg Free Press (Manitoba)
http://bit.ly/ZJqFzo
Bombers looking at 2 QBs
CJOB.com (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
http://www.cjob.com/Channels/Bombers/Story.aspx?ID=1915565

13 questions with former Cavaliers pitcher John Simms
Jones College junior John Simms is interviewed about his performance with the Rice Owls baseball team.
Woodlands Villager
http://bit.ly/YRFZKZ

NEWS RELEASES

United States should execute new strategy toward Syria, Baker Institute special report says
As Syria’s raging civil war approaches the two-year mark, the United States should prepare a more focused strategy that strengthens the moderate political forces in Syria and engages Syria’s regional and international stakeholders, according to a new special report from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
https://news2.rice.edu/?p=42073

Rice Theatre to present ‘Mauritius’ April 5-13
Rice University Theatre will present "Mauritius," written by Theresa Rebeck, creator of the Golden Globe-nominated TV show "Smash," at Hamman Hall.
https://news2.rice.edu/?p=42064