Dateline Rice for June 14, 2013

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Explosion rocks Louisiana chemical plant
An explosion ripped through a chemical plant in Louisiana Thursday morning, killing at least one person and injuring 73 others. Michael Wong, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, is quoted.
Wall Street Journal (This article also appeared on PressTV.ir.)
http://on.wsj.com/162J5ys

Groups seek ways to reduce obesity among poor children
Rachel Tolbert Kimbro, associate professor of sociology and director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research’s Urban Health Program, is quoted in an article about childhood obesity.
Voice of America News
http://bit.ly/13FuSYb

Riverstone’s Hackett to balance divinity with energy
Rice trustee James Hackett, adjunct professor of management at the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business, plans to attend Harvard Divinity School following his retirement from Anadarko Petroleum.
Bloomberg.com (This article also appeared in Businessweek.)
http://bloom.bg/14zchxV

HOUSTON/TEXAS

No place for hate while singing the national anthem
Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and co-director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is quoted in a column about reaction to the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner by a young boy at a San Antonio Spurs game.
Houston Chronicle (subscription required) (This column appeared on the front of the City & State section.)
http://bit.ly/143Mc8b

BioNews Texas attends inaugural eHRI forum to promote biotech collaboration; MD Anderson, Baylor, Rice in attendance
Jan Odegard, executive director of the Kennedy Institute for Information Technology, is quoted in an article about the eHealth Research Institute.
BioNews-TX.com
http://bit.ly/1767urI

White population dwindling in United States
Texas saw rapid growth of its Hispanic population between 2010 and 2012, — a continuation of robust increases during the past decade, according to census estimates. Steve Murdock, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology and a former director of the U.S. Census Bureau, is quoted.
KTRH.com
http://bit.ly/18G6JpF
KTRH-AM
http://bit.ly/198cn0s

Ben Hall visits the Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club
Houston mayoral candidate Ben Hall spoke at a Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club meeting. Research by Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research is cited.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/11e90mW

Houston Hillel’s fundraising garners unrestricted grant
Houston Hillel reached its goal of securing 25 legacy gift commitments. Rice is mentioned.
Jewish Herald-Voice
http://bit.ly/10fZh0P

HMH hires new executive director
An article reporting that Kelly Zuniga was hired as executive director of the Holocaust Museum Houston mentions that Zuniga teaches at Rice’s Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies.
Jewish Herald-Voice
http://bit.ly/19vZFeJ

Houston Science Group honors consul general Harish
Consul General Harish Parvathaneni was honored by the Houston Science Group. Robert Curl, University Professor Emeritus and the Kenneth S. Pitzer-Schlumberger Professor Emeritus of Natural Sciences, is mentioned.
IndoAmerican-News.com
http://www.indoamerican-news.com/?p=17702

Piland saw space center transform over 3 decades
An article about Joe Piland, former director of operations with the Johnson Space Center, notes that the land for the complex was donated by Rice.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/13KHPhJ

Cypress Falls High School freshman Nguyen earns Music Doing Good scholarship
Rice is mentioned in an article about a Cypress Falls High School student.
UltimateCyFair.com
http://bit.ly/153sd8A

BROADCAST/WEBCAST

KUHF-FM’s ‘Bauer Business Focus’
Moshe Vardi, the Karen Ostrum George Distinguished Service Professor of Computational Engineering and professor of computer science, discusses automation and the job market of the future.
http://bit.ly/14AOi1s

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

2-D electronics: Researchers improve hexagonal material
Scientists at Rice University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have advanced on the goal of two-dimensional electronics with a method to control the growth of uniform atomic layers of molybdenum disulfide. The article includes quotes from Sina Najmaei, a Rice graduate student, and Jun Lou, associate professor of mechanical engineering and materials science. Pulickel Ajayan, the Benjamin M. and Mary Greenwood Anderson Professor in Engineering, professor of mechanical engineering and materials science, professor in chemistry and professor in chemical and biomolecular engineering, and Boris Yakobson, the Karl F. Hasselmann Chair of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and professor of chemistry, are mentioned.
EETimes
http://bit.ly/11ETBZt

Is a bear market just around the corner?
Mahmoud El-Gamal, Chair of Islamic Economics, Finance and Management, professor of economics and statistics and Rice Scholar at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in an article about oil markets.
EENews.net
http://www.eenews.net/stories/1059982793

What do a general, a professional speaker and a professor have in common?
Richard Tapia, University Professor and the Maxfield-Oshman Professor in Engineering, will serve as commencement speaker at Portland State University.
Portland Business Journal
http://bit.ly/11ACmHD

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

University health programs and initiatives
Rice is cited as having one of "the most standout university urban and rural health initiatives" in the country. Rob Griffin, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, and the Kinder Institute for Urban Research’s Urban Health Program, are mentioned.
NerdScholar
http://bit.ly/14AJol7

Campus notes ending June 14
News briefs report on students who graduated from Rice May 11.
Hastings Star Gazette (Minn.)
http://www.hastingsstargazette.com/event/article/id/30079/
Seaside woman graduates from Rice
The Californian
http://bit.ly/13KLKev

Pastor’s humble approach, calm presence will missed
Martel College junior Justin Cho is mentioned in an article about his father.
Gilroy Dispatch (Calif.) (subscription required)
http://bit.ly/ZOCA1r

Bun B and Shea Serrano to publish rap coloring and activity book
An article about "Bun B’s Rap Jumbo Coloring and Rap Activity Book" notes that Houston rapper Bun B once co-taught a class on religion and hip-hop culture at Rice.
HipHopDX.com
http://bit.ly/11yTHAR

St. Paul: Top high school graduates 2013
Rice is mentioned in an article about Minnesota high school graduates.
St. Paul Pioneer Press (Minn.)
http://bit.ly/ZOBVgq

SPORTS

Rice AD Greenspan leaving after 3 years on job
Rick Greenspan, director of athletics, announced that he is leaving Rice June 30. Rice President David Leebron is quoted. A link to the KUHF-FM broadcast is not available.
Houston Chronicle (subscription required) (This article appeared on the front of the Sports section.)
http://bit.ly/1aaSYO5
Rice AD Greenspan leaving school to pursue other opportunities
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1a8uVPB
Rice AD Rick Greenspan resigns
ESPN.com (This Associated Press article also appeared on FoxNews.com, KTRK.com [Houston], KRGV.com [Rio Grande Valley, Texas], WTOP.com [Washington, D.C.], NorthJersey.com, TheScore.com and nearly 20 other media outlets.)
http://es.pn/16mrC4R
AD Rick Greenspan leaving Rice University
MyFoxHouston.com
http://bit.ly/196Quyy
KRIV-TV
http://bit.ly/14ALAsT
Rick Greenspan stepping down as Rice AD
Click2Houston.com
http://bit.ly/10hU08W
Rice AD Greenspan to leave university June 30
KHOU.com
http://bit.ly/11KP1Mn
Greenspan quits as Rice athletics chief
Spokane Spokesman-Review (Wash.)
http://bit.ly/11e6tt7
KPRC-TV
http://bit.ly/198cc5u
KPRC-TV
http://bit.ly/11kHpNu
KTRK-TV
http://bit.ly/11AF8ws
KTRK-TV
http://bit.ly/11AFaVe
KHOU-TV
http://bit.ly/11EXKMZ
KHOU-TV
http://bit.ly/11kHyAJ
KUHF-FM

LSU’s Raph Rhymes makes prophetic return to Omaha
Rice is mentioned in an article about a Louisiana State University baseball player.
Shreveport Times (La.) (This article also appeared in the Alexandria Town Talk.)
http://bit.ly/12L8Kia

NEWS RELEASES

Former Census director available to discuss deaths surpassing births among white Americans
The number of deaths surpassed births among non-Hispanic white Americans for the first time in at least a century, according to new figures from the U.S. Census Bureau. Former Census Director and Rice University demographer Steve Murdock is available to comment on this significant demographic change.
https://news2.rice.edu/?p=46527

Unzipped nanotubes unlock potential for batteries
Researchers at Rice University have come up with a new way to boost the efficiency of the ubiquitous lithium ion battery by employing ribbons of graphene that start as carbon nanotubes.
https://news2.rice.edu/?p=46505

Baker Institute fellow available to discuss Supreme Court decision on patenting of human genes
In a unanimous decision, the United States Supreme Court ruled Thursday that human genes cannot be patented. Kirstin Matthews, a fellow in science and technology policy at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is available to discuss the court decision.
https://news2.rice.edu/?p=46522