Dateline Rice for July 15, 2013 (Weekend Edition)

FEATURED ITEMS

Air pollution: Scientists focus on the small stuff
A team of researchers at Rice University is gearing up to address a critical knowledge gap in the southeast Texas health picture — small-particle air pollution and who is being exposed to it. Rob Griffin, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering; Justin Denney, associate professor of sociology; and Rachel Tolbert Kimbro, assistant professor of sociology and director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research’s Urban Health Program, are quoted in this front-page article.
Houston Chronicle (subscription required)
http://bit.ly/1aEmcre

KUHF-FM
The Arnold Foundation is giving nearly $2 million dollars to expand a partnership between Rice and the Houston Independent School District. Ruth Lopez Turley, associate professor of sociology and director of the Houston Education Research Consortium, is quoted.
http://bit.ly/13KhOEC

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

History says Obama, in second term, has time yet to make impact
President Obama has little to show for the first six months of his second term beyond gridlock in Congress, turmoil in the Middle East and assorted administration controversies. Douglas Brinkley, professor of history and fellow in history at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
New York Times
http://nyti.ms/13KhHJc

Conservative Texas attorney general announces gubernatorial bid
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 about the future of the Democratic Party in Texas and Attorney General Greg Abbott’s chances for becoming governor of Texas.
Reuters (This article also appeared on Yahoo.com, the Hartford Courant, GlobalPost.com, KDAL610.com [Duluth, Minn.], KFGO.com [Fargo, N.D.], Trust.org, Townhall.com, WHTC.com [Holland, Mich.], WLMI.com [Lansing, Mich.], WNMTRadio.com [Hibbing, Minn.], WTAQ.com [Green Bay, Wis.], WTBX.com [Hibbing, Minn.] and WYDRTheDrive.com [Green Bay, Wis.].)
http://reut.rs/1422ORr
Democrats energized, but still face uphill climb
KETK-TV (Tyler, Texas)
http://www.ketknbc.com/news/democrats-energized-but-still-face-uphill-climb
Abbott to announce for governor in San Antonio on Sunday
1200 News Radio WOAI (San Antonio)
http://bit.ly/1ahszNA
KTSA-AM (San Antonio)
http://bit.ly/1dztxVc

Stand-alone emergency rooms popping up
Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and professor of economics, is quoted in an article about stand-alone emergency rooms.
USA Today (This article also appeared in Kaiser Health News, the Sheboygan Press and nearly 40 other media outlets.)
http://usat.ly/12y8Uav

37 Fulbright awardees announced
One of the 37 Fulbright awardees announced in Dublin, Ireland, will study at Rice University.
BusinessAndLeadership.com
http://bit.ly/13UR7vF

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Immigration reform now
A Houston Chronicle editorial about immigration reform mentions an immigration task force meeting at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Houston Chronicle (subscription required)
http://bit.ly/14Ttemi

Seeking degrees: Engineering students find wealth of choices
Students are beginning to catch onto the hiring trend in the oil and gas industry, and Houston is a prime location to study. 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.
Houston Chronicle (subscription required)
http://bit.ly/178Az1s

Four Texas schools make list of world’s 100 best universities
Rice placed 94th in the 2013 Center for World University Rankings.
Culturemap.com
http://bit.ly/12BtLF8

3 Texas universities make global list of ‘best buys’
Fiske Guide to Colleges has ranked Texas A&M University, Rice University and the University of Texas at Austin among its Best Buys of 2014, based on per-semester cost and academic rankings.
Beaumont Enterprise
http://bit.ly/139sR2A
3 Texas universities make global list of ‘best buys’
KETKNBC.com
http://bit.ly/1bC54Ay

Life expectancy in county grows — but so do waistlines
The three-mile running track around Rice University is mentioned in a front -page article about rising obesity rates in Harris County.
Houston Chronicle (subscription required)
http://bit.ly/144fNSD

Residents fight high-rise developments in affluent neighborhoods
Museum District residents plan to fight the announced development of a high-rise apartment complex planned for the neighborhood, claiming it would disrupt the nature of the neighborhood.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/15BiycY

Rice Global Engineering and Construction Forum set for Sept. 17
The Rice Global Engineering and Construction Forum will hold its 16th annual forum Sept. 17 at Rice’s BioScience Research Collaborative.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/18XVOXP

Early detection key to combating bladder cancer
A column about detecting bladder cancer mentions Rice.
El Paso Times
http://bit.ly/12Aj0rx

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Portable device needs only sunlight and nanoparticles to sterilize materials
A team at Rice University has built a solar-powered sanitizer with a combination of off-the-shelf parts and nanotechnology. Oara Neumann, research scientist in electrical and computer engineering, and 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, are quoted.
Chemical & Engineering News
http://bit.ly/143GO8S

Natcore, Rice University collaborate to develop inorganic flexible thin film solar cell
Natcore Technology scientists and Rice University researchers have made the first inorganic flexible thin film solar cell by leveraging solution processes.
Green Technology World
http://bit.ly/12wRt5k
Natcore Technology demonstrates first flexible solar cell made with its proprietary LPD process
Alternative Energy E-Magazine
http://bit.ly/12Jx7XJ

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

NASA’s deep space future is taking shape
An article about NASA mentions Rice research.
Vice.com
http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/nasas-deep-space-future-is-shaping-up

7 signs you have terrible people skills
A Rice University study is cited.
College Recruiter.com
http://bit.ly/135JoJn

SPORTS

Rice pitcher has major surgery
Hanszen College sophomore Jordan Stephens underwent surgery to remove his gall bladder.
Houston Chronicle (subscription required) (This article also appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle.)
http://bit.ly/13KfbCP

Nationals’ lineup vs. Marlins: Anthony Rendon sits; Steve Lombardozzi plays second
Former Rice standout Anthony Rendon is mentioned in an article about the Washington Nationals.
FederalBaseball.com
http://bit.ly/16AR9F0