Dateline Rice for Aug. 27, 2013

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Civil rights and immigration history connected
Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and co-director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research, comments on the civil rights movement in this article on the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington.
Denver Post (This Associated Press article also appeared in 73 other news outlets and 42 broadcast outlets.)
http://bit.ly/14AEWUd

Cruz won’t endorse fellow Texan Cornyn
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, commented on U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s plans to stay out of primaries involving Republican senators, recent political gaffes made by Texas candidates and the odds of a Medicaid expansion in Texas under the U.S. Affordable Care Act.
MSNBC
http://on.msnbc.com/18fO0vd
GOP: People do notice foot in mouth
San Antonio Express News (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/15fciDN
Medicaid expansion: Can Texas be turned?
Elsevier Business Intelligence
http://bit.ly/17hcUM3

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Kwabena Mensah named principal at 2 schools
Alumnus Kwabena Mensah ’00 has been named principal at Clark Primary and Clark Intermediate schools in Spring, Texas.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/17aEE8S

BROADCAST/WEBCAST

KROI-FM
Syrian Americans hope US can bring regime change in Syria
Richard Stoll, the Albert Thomas Chair in Political Science and scholar at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, commented on the likely U.S. response to a use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government.
http://bit.ly/1cccfyH
KIRV
http://bit.ly/1cboOKy (Click broadcast.)

KROI-FM
Robert Stein, the Lena Gohlman Fox Professor of Political Science and fellow in urban politics at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, commented on the decision by Harris County Judge Ed Emmett not to place a proposal on the ballot that would have added a one-cent increase in the county tax rate to fund early learning programs.
http://bit.ly/14YlxZV (Click audio.)

KODA-FM
Elena Marks, scholar in health policy at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, discussed health insurance enrollment options under the U.S. Affordable Care Act.
http://bit.ly/16JBYc5

KALB-TV (Alexandria, La.)
A team of Rice students was named as one of six semi-finalists in the RESNA Student Design Competition for their design of a belt that monitors signs of epileptic seizures and sends information to the caregiver’s bedside. The team members were former bioengineering students Ethan Leng, Tiffany Varughese and Andrew Wu and electrical and computer engineering students Mihir Mongia and Charles Park. They built the belt last spring as their senior capstone design project.
http://bit.ly/15t4Au0 (The article also appeared on eight other broadcast outlets.)

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Rice, MD Anderson researchers win NIH grant to study protein networks
Researchers at Rice and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have received a $1.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to create processes that will look more deeply into the protein networks that drive cells. Michael Diehl, associate professor of bioengineering and of chemistry, and Amina Qutub, assistant professor of chemistry, are quoted.
Phys.org
http://bit.ly/16Nm1oO
Bio-Medicine.org
http://bit.ly/15et4tA
Team will dive deep into cell structures
HealthCanal.com
http://bit.ly/18XQznY

What is graphene? 5 incredible facts about the ‘miracle material’ you need to know
The extraordinary features and benefits of graphene make it sound like it was taken out of a comic book, but graphene must overcome several obstacles related to viability before it’s ready for mass usage. James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Chair in Chemistry and professor of mechanical engineering and materials science and of computer science, is mentioned.
International Business Times
http://bit.ly/16LO8EI

2013 water management and nano energy summit
The 2013 Water Management and Nano Energy Summit will take place Nov. 13-14 at Rice’s Shell Auditorium.
GreenManufacturer.net
http://bit.ly/181phfh

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

6 things you’ll be talking about in September
The new “Rap Coloring and Activity Book” by Bernard ‘Bun B’ Freeman, the Center For Engaged Research and Collaborative Learning’s Distinguished Lecturer, is listed.
Texas Monthly
http://bit.ly/17h5EBF

Chinese scientist quits to become full-time comedian: Watch this video to see why
Alumnus Joe Wong ’00 turns from science to comedy. A video of Wong speaking is included.
The Straits Times Stomp (Singapore)
http://bit.ly/15f1wxr (Click broadcast.)

SPORTS

College football weather outlook: Aug. 31
The forecast calls for 94 degrees, 30 percent sky cover and no chance of rain at the kickoff of the Owls’ opener against Texas A&M.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/12EQeWg
Texas A&M unlikely to turn focus from Johnny Manziel investigation until questions are answered directly
The Owls’ season opener against Texas A&M and Aggie quarterback Johnny Manziel is mentioned.
DallasNews.com
http://bit.ly/1dkVWn7
ESPN
http://bit.ly/19WEhAR (Click broadcast. Similar articles mentioning the Owls’ game Aug. 31 against Texas A&M appeared in 42 news outlets.)

After successful 2012, Rice keeping eyes focused on this year’s prize
Not only are the Owls picked to make back-to-back bowl appearances — something they haven’t done in half a century — they are considered legitimate contenders for the Conference USA title. Football head coach David Bailiff and players Taylor McHargue and Turner Petersen are quoted. Several players are mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1fgyi71

Rice hoping to build off first winning season since 2008
Football head coach David Bailiff is quoted in this preview of the 2013 team and several players are mentioned. Bailiff is also quoted in an article on the one-game suspension of senior cornerback Phillip Gaines and the Owls’ defensive strategy.
http://bit.ly/16NT789
Rice star cornerback suspended for Texas A&M game
Examiner.com
http://exm.nr/145MJFU
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/17hg3gI

Power ranking all 126 college football teams
Rice is No. 77 is BleacherReport.com’s rankings for the 2013 season.
BleacherReport.com
http://bit.ly/1fguVgi

KRIV-TV
Men’s basketball head coach Ben Braun is interviewed about the Owls’ rivalry with the University of Houston. He is also pictured in the Houston Chronicle article.
http://bit.ly/15g5GoE (Click broadcast.)
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/17hg3gI

Canadian rookie tight end Luke Willson catching on fast with Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks rookie and Rice alumnus Luke Willson ’12 is quoted in this feature.
Toronto Sun
http://bit.ly/14Z8PKl

NEWS RELEASES

Pollutant-eating bacteria not so rare
Dioxane, a chemical in wide industrial use, has an enemy in naturally occurring bacteria that remove it from the environment. Researchers at Rice have found that these bacteria are more abundant at spill sites than once thought.
http://bit.ly/18h5MhA