Dateline Rice for Sept. 3, 2013 (Labor Day Weekend Edition)

FEATURED ITEMS

On world stage, Obama faces risks over war strategy
Douglas Brinkley, professor of history and fellow in history at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, comments on President Barack Obama’s decision to seek congressional approval for a military strike in Syria. Brinkley also comments on the economy in an article about issues that President Obama has been addressing.
Wall Street Journal
http://on.wsj.com/17AifhB
CNN
http://bit.ly/1agMC2g (Click broadcast.)
Economy is being eclipsed as top campaign issue
MytleBeachOnline.com (Mytle Beach, S.C. This Associated Press article also appeared in 39 other news outlets and on seven broadcast outlets. )
http://bit.ly/1cy6iw8

NPR ‘All Things Considered’
Chris Bronk, fellow in information technology policy at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, comments on the possibility of cyber attacks by Syrian interests against American companies in retaliation for a U.S. strike in Syria.
http://n.pr/15PzBZc (Click audio. This story aired on 11 other broadcast outlets.)

Young students against bad science
Hanszen College junior Zack Kopplin, currently taking a year off from Rice, is trying to overturn a law that allows creationism to be taught in Louisiana schools and has expanded his campaign to fight similar laws across the country. The article includes a photo of Kopplin in Rice’s Academic Quad.
New York Times
http://nyti.ms/137JKQ0

Houston pivotal in Dewhurst race
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 Houston’s role in deciding the race for Texas lieutenant governor. In separate articles, he comments on the likely repercussions in Texas Senate District 10 should Texas Sen. Wendy Davis run for governor and suggests most Texans will remain unaware of the state’s hundreds of new laws.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front page above the fold.)
http://bit.ly/1cC1ypm
Who would run for Senate 10 if Davis seeks higher office?
Star-Telegram.com (Fort Worth)
http://bit.ly/14m0ekS
More than 600 new Texas laws take effect Sunday
Star-Telegram.com (Fort Worth)
http://bit.ly/15ucgbt

A growing crisis greets Labor Day
Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and co-director of Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, comments on growing support for a rise in the U.S. minimum wage. He also is quoted on the civil rights movement in an article featuring maps of the ethnic ancestry of every U.S. county.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front page above the fold.)
http://bit.ly/139mCR2
The map that shows where America came from: Fascinating illustration shows the ancestry of every county in the US
DailyMail.co.uk (United Kingdom)
http://dailym.ai/19cc4BH

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

A view of the earth from the Hubble Space Telescope. Which I nearly broke.
NASA astronaut Michael Massimino, adjunct professor in mechanical engineering and materials science and former director of Rice’s Space Institute, tells how he helped fix the Hubble Space Telescope.
Esquire.com
http://bit.ly/179yoZ5

Megan O’Grady, Thorsten Trimpop
Rice alumna Megan O’Grady ’97, a contributing editor and the book critic at Vogue, was married in Rowley, Mass., Aug. 31.
The New York Times
http://nyti.ms/17orSOk

Technion makes the cut on Bloomberg listing
After analyzing the alma maters of 250 CEOs of U.S. tech companies with a market value of more than $1 billion, Bloomberg found the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology tied for seventh with Rice, MIT and the University of Texas, Austin.
JewishJournal.com (Los Angeles) (This article appeared in five other news outlets.)
http://bit.ly/14d62mb

3 reasons polls may be overstating support for same-sex marriage
A Rice study on changing attitudes towards same-sex marriage is analyzed.
ChristianPost.com
http://bit.ly/138HQPa

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Superstar soprano stays in spotlight on and off stage
A feature on soprano Renee Fleming notes she will hold a master class with students from Rice’s Shepherd School of Music at Alice Pratt Brown Hall Sept. 5.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/19eUhK3
Chorus master says Fleming makes lasting impression
Richard Bado, director and professor of opera studies, is quoted on accompanying Fleming during her early training.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1dLjEt1

The Woodlands Salon Series commences Sept. 27
Brinton Averil Smith, associate professor of cello, will preform in The Woodlands, Texas, Sept. 27.
YourHoustonNews
http://bit.ly/17ALSiS

Final Museum Experience: Zone 4 set for Sept. 28
Rice’s Art Gallery will offer free gallery talks about its current art installation Sept. 28 as part of Houston’s Museum Experience for 2013.
YourHoustonNews.com
http://bit.ly/1cAEGGz

Byron LaBurt Howard Jr.
Rice alumnus Byron LaBurt Howard Jr. ’62 died Aug. 3. He was 73.
Daily Times.com (Kerrville, Texas)
http://bit.ly/14kOmzA

BROADCAST/WEBCAST

KUHF-FM
Former US ambassador to Syria says Obama has tough choice
Edward Djerejian, founding director of Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, comments on possible U.S. intervention in Syria.
http://bit.ly/172XNXU

MPR (Saint Paul, Minn.)
Richard Stoll, the Albert Thomas Chair in Political Science and scholar at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, comments on whether the British vote not to strike Syria hurt the U.S.
http://bit.ly/17xmLiP (Click audio.)
KPFT-FM (A link was not available.)

KPRC-TV
Andrew Bowen, Baker Institute Scholar for the Middle East at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, expresses concern about a U.S. strike.
http://bit.ly/1cCnyQK (Click broadcast.)

KUT (Austin, Texas)
Ken Medlock, the James A. Baker III and Susan Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics and senior director of the Center for Energy Studies at the Baker Institute and lecturer in economics, comments on the recent problems at a Motiva refinery in east Texas.
http://bit.ly/1a37CWJ (Click audio.)

KENS-SAT (San Antonio)
Rice’s low student applicant acceptance rate is mentioned.
http://bit.ly/17BrpKP (Click broadcast.)

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Pioneering work in inorganic nanoparticle synthesis honored with ACS Schoellkopf Medal
Alumnus Mark T. Swihart ’92 is the recipient of the 2013 Jacob F. Schoellkopf Medal.
AZoNano.com
http://bit.ly/19WNiGA
Director of University at Buffalo nanotechnology research initiative awarded 2013 Jacob F. Schoellkopf Medal
NanoWerk.com
http://bit.ly/17bja5N

Why it matters: Long-lived microbes in the deep and others
Scientists have found the properties of a form of carbon called carbyne to be far superior to many known metals and polymers.
TheHindu.com
http://bit.ly/1e78koF

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Houston preforming arts
The Miro Quartet chamber group will perform at the Stude Concert Hall at Rice’s Shepherd School of Music Sept. 17.
HoustonLifestyles.com
http://bit.ly/1futevI

Buzz about town
Alumnus Travis Covington ’13 will wed in April.
TanglewoodBuzz.com (Houston)
http://bit.ly/14dGDss

SPORTS

ESPN-TV
The Aggies beat the Owls 52-31 in the football season opener.
http://bit.ly/17ArLoX (Click broadcast.)
KTRK-TV
http://bit.ly/18z3t9L (Click broadcast.)
KHOU-TV
Owls quarterback Taylor McHargue threw for 180 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions and Charles Ross had 107 yards rushing with two scores for the Owls. In separate links, Owls football head coach David Bailiff comments on the game.
http://bit.ly/1e1zLjN (Click broadcast.)
http://bit.ly/19e0OEP (Click broadcast.)
KPRC-TV
http://bit.ly/18z2YwG (Click broadcast.)
KRIV-TV
http://bit.ly/17APFwC
Johnny Manziel sparks, exasperates Texas A&M in victory
USA Today
http://usat.ly/16Z9H4P
Despite loss, Rice’s arrow still pointing up
Owls head coach David Bailiff and quarterback Taylor McHargue are quoted. Other players are mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1dLgfKK
Rice heartened after giving good, old college try against A&M
Owls head coach David Bailiff and players Taylor McHargue and Christian Covington are quoted. Other players are mentioned.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/14nr10q
Back to school
The Rice Owls: Outside of Manziel himself, did anyone get a single bigger boost by all the Johnny-melodrama last week?
MSN.FoxSports.com (Results of the Owls-Aggies game was mentioned over the weekend in more than 3,800 other news outlets and more than 1,400 other broadcast outlets.)
http://bit.ly/134YDCv

KVIA-TV (El Paso, Texas)
The football teams in the USA Conference, including Rice, are listed.
http://bit.ly/15MzSfz (Click broadcast.)

KU’s Weis uses the off week to scout opponents on TV
Kansas University head football coach Charlie Weis scouts the Owls during the televised game against the Aggies.
http://bit.ly/14TlWAE (Articles mentioning Rice’s Sept. 14 football game against Kansas University appeared in 20 other news and broadcast outlets.)

Candidate out of Rice search
Longtime Duke athletics’ administrator Mike Cragg withdrew his name from consideration for the Rice athletics director’s job.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/17wTUvc
Duke’s Mike Cragg interviews for vacant Rice AD post
TheHeraldSun.com (Durham, N.C.)
http://bit.ly/12ZjHdz

Meissner commits to Rice University
Nationally ranked American junior golfer Mitchell Meissner has committed to play at Rice and cites golf head coach Justin Emil and excellent academics as reasons.
GolfWeek.com
http://bit.ly/174bkOJ

KTRH-AM
Former Owl and NFL player N.D. Kalu ’97 comments on the long-term consequences of head hits.
http://bit.ly/175kWZL

NEWS RELEASES

Rice taps McConnell to direct Energy and Environment Initiative
Rice has chosen former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Energy Charles McConnell to lead the university’s campuswide Energy and Environment Initiative (e2i) in its mission to partner with the energy industry to develop sustainable technologies and practices for all types of energy.
http://bit.ly/14fVimX

Clay key to high-temperature supercapacitors
Clay is a key ingredient in a supercapacitor that can operate at very high temperatures, according to Rice researchers who have developed such a device. The Rice group of materials scientist Pulickel Ajayan reported today in Nature’s online journal, Scientific Reports, that the supercapacitor is reliable at temperatures of up to 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit) and possibly beyond. It could be useful for powering devices for use in extreme environments, such as oil drilling, the military and space.
http://bit.ly/14gf0iq

Rice BRC hosts Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute
“Print a copy” means something different than it used to at Rice’s BioScience Research Collaborative (BRC). In a monthlong crash course in August, the BRC hosted members of the burgeoning “maker” community in an experiment designed to bridge the gap between the worlds of professional science and hobbyist manufacturing. The four-week Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute was the brainchild of Jordan Miller, a new assistant professor of bioengineering who joined Rice July 1.
http://bit.ly/17BX5jh