Dateline Rice for May 23, 2013

FEATURED ITEMS

Shoes could help charge artificial heart pumps
Rice mechanical engineering students Carlos Armada, Julian Castro, David Morilla and Tyler Wiest have created PediPower — a device embedded in the soles of shoes that generates power to charge the batteries of mobile devices. A Rice-produced video is featured.
NBCNews.com
http://nbcnews.to/185gfkR
Stuff ‘Office Cat’s Diary’ — May 21
Stuff
http://bit.ly/14NdH6z
Shoe-mounted generator powers portable electronics
DVice.com
http://bit.ly/14xPXnz
PediPower turns your morning run into clean electricity
EarthTechling.com
http://bit.ly/10mX4eJ
College students invent a shoe that generates electricity with every step
Neatorama.com
http://bit.ly/13KWBHE
A shoe that can generate energy with each step
DigitalJournal.com
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/350624
Prototype provides pedestrian power
OnlineTMD.com
http://bit.ly/12xIVNn

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Children whose parents are married are half as likely to be obese
Children living in households where the parents are married are less likely to be obese, according to new research from Rice University and the University of Houston. Rachel Tolbert Kimbro, assistant professor of sociology and director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research’s Urban Health Program, and Jennifer Augustine, adjunct assistant professor of sociology, are quoted.
Daily Mail (U.K.)
http://bit.ly/10SGDdj
Married parents and single dads have leaner children
RedOrbit.com
http://bit.ly/14SoxYV
Children living with married parents less likely to develop obesity
NatureWorldNews.com
http://bit.ly/13NsTl3
Kids of married parents less likely to be obese
DNAIndia.com (This Asian News International article also appeared on ANINews.in and NewsTrackIndia.com.)
http://bit.ly/10ppLYv

A growing role for the president: America’s consoler in chief
When President Barack Obama travels to Oklahoma on Sunday to meet with the survivors of Monday’s tornado, it will mark the third time this year that he has journeyed to a patch of America to console a community on behalf of the country. During his five years in office, this presidential ritual has become as familiar a symbol of sadness as the sea of stuffed animals and flowers that accompany these mournful scenes. Douglas Brinkley, professor of history and fellow in history at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
Washington Post (This article also appeared in the Portland Press Herald and the Oregonian.)
http://wapo.st/11c8HnH

India takes steps to prevent ‘brain drain’
India’s new science policy aims to position the nation among the top five global scientific powers by 2020. This cannot be achieved without qualified academics, researchers and scientists, yet India has to contend with large numbers of postgraduate students leaving to complete their studies and pursue careers abroad. Alumnus Vinay Ribeiro ’99 is quoted.
Chronicle of Higher Education (This article also appeared on UniversityWorldNews.com.)
http://chronicle.com/article/India-Takes-Steps-to-Prevent/139429/

Will there be any jobs left for humans?
Moshe Vardi, the Karen Ostrum George Distinguished Service Professor of Computational Engineering and professor of computer science, is quoted in an op-ed about automation and the job market of the future.
Taipei Times
http://bit.ly/14yG5K3

Women’s tears ‘kill arousal in men’
According to research, tears contain chemical signals that decrease sexual arousal and testosterone levels in men. Denise Chen, adjunct assistant professor of neuroscience, is quoted.
Mid-Day.com (India)
http://bit.ly/10n3der

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair talks Africa at Rice
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair discussed his vision for Africa at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. A link to the broadcast version of this story is not available.
NewsFixNow.com
http://bit.ly/11ZRs0y
KIAH-TV

Suburbs, oil and gas fuel Texas population growth
Texas towns accounted for eight of the 15 fastest-growing "large cities" in the U.S. in the latest batch of population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Steve Murdock, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology and a former director of the U.S. Census Bureau, is quoted.
Dallas Morning News (subscription required)
http://dallasne.ws/11dtpcO
Are cities that lost population making a comeback?
Governing.com
http://bit.ly/1889H4Y

Defendants in Leach lawsuit seek dismissals
Lawyers in former Texas Tech University head football coach Mike Leach’s defamation lawsuit won one early agreement that came early during more than three hours of arguments. Alumnus Scott McLaughlin ’85 is quoted.
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (This article also appeared on TMCNet.com.)
http://bit.ly/16QuIky

New Caney High honors the 2013 valedictorian and salutatorian
Rice is mentioned in an article about New Caney High School’s valedictorian and salutatorian.
East Montgomery County Observer
http://bit.ly/11d3CLQ

BROADCAST/WEBCAST

KIII-TV (Corpus Christi, Texas)
A story about social media marketing cites Rice research.
http://www.kiiitv.com/story/22396678/special-report-the-social-market

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

How to tailor optical processors
Rice University scientists have unveiled a robust new method for arranging metal nanoparticles in geometric patterns that can act as optical processors that transform incoming light signals into output of a different color. 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, and Peter Nordlander, professor of physics and astronomy and in electrical and computer engineering, are quoted.
TGDaily.com
http://bit.ly/14RgcEO
Controlling light … with light
Photonics.com (This article was featured on the Photonics.com homepage.)
http://www.photonics.com/Article.aspx?AID=53928
Color-mixing light device could lead to optical computing
TheEngineer.co.uk
http://bit.ly/11cXOb6

STEM schools put high priority on digital skills
A sidebar accompanying an article about how programs build partnerships to provide the kinds of high-tech skills students need for college and careers mentions Rice’s Center for Technology in Teaching and Learning’s "Germ Blaster" iPad app.
Education Week
http://bit.ly/197on3t

To boost lithium-ion batteries, add boron
Calculations show that a graphene/boron anode should be able to hold lots of lithium and perform at the right voltage for use in lithium-ion batteries. Boris Yakobson, the Karl F. Hasselmann Chair of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and professor of chemistry, is quoted.
EMS007.com
http://www.ems007.com/pages/zone.cgi?a=92150&artpg=1&topic=0

Wison VP to speak at FLNG conference
Alumnus Tor-Ivar Guttulsrod ’88 will speak in the Strategy Roundtable of Floating LNG 2013.
MarineLink.com
http://bit.ly/188k1db

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

US restudying drug smuggling
With the Sinaloa drug cartel acknowledged as a dominant presence along the San Diego-Baja California border, U.S. agencies have launched a renewed push for information about drug trafficking groups operating smuggling routes in the region. Nathan Jones, the Alfred C. Glassell III Postdoctoral Fellow in Drug Policy at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
San Diego Union-Tribune
http://bit.ly/197otrH

Rachleff reflects before swan song at Philharmonic
Larry Rachleff, the Walter Kris Hubert Professor of Orchestra Conducting, will be named music director emeritus at a May 24 Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra concert.
Windy City Times
http://bit.ly/10MjdSE

Cowan’s back to heat up the pipes
Ken Cowan, associate professor of organ, will perform in Hamilton, Ontario.
Hamilton Spectator (Ontario)
http://bit.ly/11cJBVH

The executive diplomat
Chandler Davidson, the Radoslav A. Tsanoff Professor Emeritus of Public Affairs and Sociology, is mentioned in an op-ed about a trip to the University of Houston to give remarks at the induction ceremony for the Phi Beta Honor Society.
Executive Diplomat Newsletter
http://bit.ly/12xwWiF

Case study: Mentoring — women’s energy network and Leadership Rice
An op-ed discusses Leadership Rice’s women’s mentoring program.
Executive Diplomat Newsletter
http://bit.ly/12xwWiF

SPORTS

Kubitza, Rice shut down UAB in C-USA tourney opener
Articles discuss a baseball game between Rice and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/10psaCA
Rice 3, UAB 1
Houston Chronicle
http://www.chron.com/sports/rice/gallery/Rice-3-UAB-1-63040.php
UAB falls to No. 19 Rice in Conference USA Tournament opener
Birmingham News (Ala.)
http://bit.ly/18870Au

Robinson sisters keep Rice records in the family
Wiess College sophomore Sharae Robinson and alumni Krystal ’06 and Tina Robinson ’11 are profiled for their performance on the Rice Owls’ women’s track-and-field team.
Houston Chronicle (subscription required)
http://bit.ly/1abkurQ

Sam Houston State wins Southland opener
Rice is mentioned in an article about the Sam Houston State University and University of Memphis baseball teams.
Houston Chronicle (subscription required)
http://bit.ly/ZfPsPY
Memphis downs UCF in C-USA opener
Asheville Citizen-Times (N.C.)
http://avlne.ws/11d39JI

Who steps up after Michael Crabtree’s injury?
An article about the San Francisco 49ers mentions former Rice football player Vance McDonald. (Editor’s note: A correction on his name has been requested.)
GoldenGateSports.com
http://bit.ly/13LKFlo

NEWS RELEASE

Pollster James Zogby to discuss Iran’s decline in Arab and Muslim public opinion at Rice’s Baker Institute May 30
Arab American Institute President James Zogby will discuss the circumstances behind Iran’s "precipitous" decline in popularity among Arabs and Muslims May 30 at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
https://news2.rice.edu/?p=45714