Dateline Rice for Aug. 30, 2013

FEATURED ITEMS

Top 10 colleges for tech CEOs
Rice is in a four-way tie for No. 7 in Bloomberg’s rankings of top 10 colleges for tech CEOs. To create their rankings, Bloomberg analyzed the alma maters of 250 chief executive officers of U.S. tech companies with a market value of more than $1 billion. Alumni Mark Durcan ’83, Jim Whitehurst ’89 and Lanham Napier ’93 are mentioned.
http://bloom.bg/143jbOG

Democrats see value in Texas in candidacy for governor
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, comments on support for Texas Sen. Wendy Davis as she considers a run for Texas governor.
New York Times
http://nyti.ms/14IoFga

Economy is being eclipsed as top campaign issue
Douglas Brinkley, professor of history and fellow in history at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, comments on the economy in this article about issues that President Barack Obama has been addressing.
Yahoo!Finance (This Associated Press article appeared in 24 news outlets and three broadcast outlets.)
http://yhoo.it/1fnAAkO

Tough task ahead for insurance navigators
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, comments on federal grants that three nonprofits recently received to assist uninsured Texans in selecting health insurance options under the U.S. Affordable Care Act.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front page.)
http://bit.ly/12TmvsE

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

GTT: The big build
Rice alumnus Gerald Moorhead ’69 will present his new book, “Buildings of Texas: Central, South and Gulf Coast,” at the Oak Forest Neighborhood Library in Houston Sept. 5.
New York Times (Scroll down to Houston.)
http://nyti.ms/18pzd0Y

Bacteria turn nasty chemical into harmless water
Bacteria that remove the industrial chemical dioxane from the environment are more abundant at spill sites than once thought. Pedro Alvarez, the George R. Brown Professor and chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is quoted.
Futurity.com
http://bit.ly/12RbwzY

John U. Guillory Jr., physicist
Alumnus John U. Guillory Jr. ’62, an expert in plasma physics research who helped develop the graduate program at George Mason University’s Institute for Computational Sciences and Informatics, died July 28. He was 73.
Washington Post
http://wapo.st/17mGstM

HOUSTON/TEXAS

President shouldn’t make decision in haste
In this op-ed, Andrew Bowen, the Baker Institute Scholar for the Middle East at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, suggests President Barack Obama should wait for the United Nations to complete its investigation of alleged chemical weapons use in Syria before making a decision about intervening.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/12Tjvwv

State to measure air pollution along freeways
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality will begin measuring pollution levels along U.S. Highway 59 in Houston in January as part of a federal requirement to monitor the health risks of living near major roadways. Loren Raun, faculty fellow in statistics, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/14GYqqn
Texas to assess air pollution near Houston freeway
BaytownSun.com (This Associated Press article appeared in eight other news outlets.)
http://bit.ly/16VSPvW

Bhattacharyya receives the Professor Visitante Especial (PVE) award from Brazil
Rice alumnus S. P. Bhattacharyya ’69 received the Professor Visitante Especial (PVE) award from the Brazilian Research Council.
Engineering.tamu.edu
http://bit.ly/17q88Qh

JTS to hold first ‘Jewish women’s university for a day’ in Houston
The Jewish Theological Seminary will host a “Jewish Women’s University for a Day” to celebrate women, Judaism and higher learning at Rice Oct. 27.
YourHoustonNews.com
http://bit.ly/15BH51X

Bun B returns to Rice for lecture series
Rice invited rapper Bernard ‘Bun B’ Freeman, the Center For Engaged Research and Collaborative Learning’s Distinguished Lecturer, to again teach a hip-hop and religion class.
NewsFixNow.com
http://bit.ly/14JDn6C

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Computer models help to develop improved gene therapy vectors
Rice investigators used an advanced computer algorithm to predict how different adeno-associated viruses can be combined to form the optimum carriers of therapeutic genetic material. Junghae Suh, assistant professor of bioengineering, is quoted.
BioTechDaily.com
http://bit.ly/18pW90i

Attack on Syria expected to bring response in cyberspace, Baker Institute experts says
Chris Bronk, fellow in information technology policy at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, comments on cyber security.
TechNews.tmcnet.com
http://bit.ly/12T4CKI

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Lee University College of Arts and Sciences welcomes new faculty
Alumnus Drew Bledsoe ’10 is assistant professor of history at Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn.
Cleveland Daily Banner (Cleveland, Tenn.)
http://bit.ly/15DtnLY

Best of Both Worlds
In this op-ed, Lovett College senior Clare Jensen writes about her involvement with Rice’s Catholic Student Association.
AmericaMagazine.org
http://bit.ly/1950Y1g

SPORTS

Rice: ‘Might as well play the best’
The Rice Owls aren’t going to change their game plan for No. 7 Texas A&M just because Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel will be on the bench for the first half as a result of a suspension. Owls football head coach David Bailiff and safety Paul Porras are quoted. Other players are mentioned.
ESPN.go.com
http://es.pn/1a24XQJ (Click broadcast.)
College football week 1 picks: Rice Owls vs. Texas A&M Aggies
The Aggies are 27-point home favorites in the NCAA football odds.
BleacherReport.com
http://bit.ly/19Qs1hS
ESPN-TV
The Owls-Aggies Aug. 31 game is mentioned.
http://bit.ly/14dThST (Click broadcast.)

Johnny Football gets away again
The football season opener between Rice and Texas A&M is referenced in a front page commentary on the NCAA ruling regarding Aggie quarterback Johnny Manziel and in a news story on the front of the Sports section in the Houston Chronicle. The ruling also is mentioned in Time Magazine and in 258 other news outlets and 57 broadcast outlets.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/15m4ib6
A&M, NCAA agree on half-game suspension for Manziel
http://bit.ly/17rRIa1
Johnny Manziel ‘suspension’ is the world’s most confusing punishment
Time Magazine
http://ti.me/16VWqdo

Will we attend sporting events in the future?
The article mentions the Owls-Aggies Aug 31 game, where temperatures during the second half are forecast to reach 100 degrees.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/17nNDSp

2013 C-USA college football predictions
The Owls are predicted to come in second in the C-USA West Division.
AllVoices.com
http://bit.ly/17rbz5A

Rainmen sign Riley, Gillespie to contracts
The Halifax Rainmen, a Canadian professional basketball team, have signed former Owl Brock Gillespie ’05.
The Chronicle Herald (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
http://bit.ly/19SaBBx
Rainmen beef up roster with 2 more signings
MetroNews.ca (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
http://bit.ly/14Ij0GS