Dateline Rice for Oct. 2, 2013

FEATURED ITEM

ABC-TV ‘Good Morning America Live’
Two of the three Rice bioengineering students who built a device that allows a Houston-area teen to manipulate a robotic arm fitted to his motorized chair were interviewed live via Skype for the program’s post-show online webcast this morning. Nimish Mittal and Matthew Nojoomi were quoted.
http://abcn.ws/18OVr0b (Click broadcast at minute 10:40.)

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

ABCnews.com
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 Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott’s approval of an American Airlines and US Airlines merger. (This Associated Press article also appeared on nine other broadcast outlets and in 14 news outlets.)
http://abcn.ws/1g3ixnb

Denison University joins hands with Say Yes
Rice is one of the private institutions that joined the Say Yes to Education Inc. Compact, an agreement to provide low-income students with an affordable path through college.
Newark Advocate (Newark, Ohio)
http://ohne.ws/154ccTQ

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Back to school blues, er … brews
Rice’s Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies is offering a course on how to brew beer.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1eN18jl

At Methodist Hospital, there’s a special place for artists to heal
Rice alumnus Evan Collins ’13 comments on the Methodist Hospital’s new center for treating singers, musicians, dancers, actors and others who suffer from diseases or injuries related to their callings.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/17t1EhP

Houston’s not so affordable anymore: New study ranks it only 26th among US cities
A report from Rice University’s Shell Center for Sustainability revealed that the average Houstonian spends 30 percent on housing costs and 16 percent on transportation costs, putting the city at No. 26 in the nation for affordability compared with the 50 largest cities in the U.S. Lester King, author of the report and a sustainability fellow for the Shell Center, is quoted.
HoustonCulturemap.com
http://bit.ly/1aAqf4d
HoustonMatters.org
http://bit.ly/GzMmOY
Eco-ology.org
http://bit.ly/GzMn5G (Click audio.)

Tech fundraising ranked No. 5 in America
Rice is No. 13 of the top 25 university fundraising teams for 2013 ranked by Michael Chatman, founder of the Philanthropy Speakers Agency.
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (Lubbock, Texas)
http://bit.ly/1dWkwaV

BROADCAST/WEBCAST

KUHF-FM (Houston)
Melissa Marschall, professor of political science, comments on the possible impact of the federal government shutdown on public schools.
http://bit.ly/153UFv3 (Click audio.)

KPRC-TV (Houston)
George Abbey, the Baker Botts Senior Fellow in Space Policy at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy who was head of NASA’s Johnson Space Center during the last federal government shutdown in the mid-1990s, comments on the current shutdown.
http://bit.ly/1dWflri (Click broadcast.)

KROI-FM (Houston)
Richard Stoll, the Albert Thomas Chair in Political Science and scholar at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, comments on the federal government shutdown and its possible impact on U.S. foreign policy.
http://bit.ly/18OUjI2 (Click audio.)

KPRC-TV (Houston)
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 the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace insurance exchange and Medicaid coverage. Ho is also listed as an investigator of a study in the Texas Public Health Journal that found cancer is the biggest killer of Hispanics/Latinos in Texas.
http://bit.ly/1g3z2iY (Click broadcast.)
The biggest killer of Hispanic Texans is cancer
MediLexicon.com
http://bit.ly/19YIZcL

KTRH-AM (Houston)
Elena Marks, scholar in health policy at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, comments on the large number of Texans who do not have medical coverage under the governorship of Rick Perry.
http://bit.ly/1dWf73z

KROI-FM (Houston)
Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and co-director of Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, comments on the Affordable Care Act and its impact on uninsured children in Houston.
http://bit.ly/GzPxoT (Click audio.)

KATC-TV (Lafayette, La.)
An independent film by Chris Eska ’98 will screen April 14 in Lafayette, La.
http://bit.ly/1c1dPWI

WNYC-FM (New York)
David Cook, associate professor of religious studies, comments on the surge in Islamic-related violence in Africa.
http://bit.ly/GzDWa (Click audio. The NPR story also aired on four other NPR affiliates.)

KRIV-TV (Houston)
Actor Ike Barinholtz of Fox’s ‘The Mindy Project’ mentions he came to Rice as a teen to compete in a high school scholastic team competition.
http://bit.ly/18trjGK (Click broadcast.)

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Successful MEST conference
Norwegian Consul General Jostein Mykletun spoke of the close relationship between Norway and Rice at the Medicine, Energy, Space and Technology Conference hosted by Rice Sept. 18. Jan Odegard, executive director of Rice’s Ken Kennedy Institute for Information Technology, is mentioned.
Norway.org
http://bit.ly/GzPtWj

Jim Krane named Baker Institute’s Wallace S. Wilson Fellow for energy studies
Jim Krane, a scholar of Middle East politics and economics and an award-winning journalist, has been named the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow for Energy Studies at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
WorldOil.com
http://bit.ly/1hiJBN2

Nitric oxide beads beat out Viagra in treating erectile dysfunction
The article highlights a new study by Rice researchers on using nitric acid beads to treat erectile dysfunction.
MedicalDaily.com
http://bit.ly/16eZ5QF
A better erectile dysfunction treatment: Nitric oxide beads
Yahoo! Health
http://bit.ly/1g3GNpc
Beads may be better than Viagra
IOL.co.za (South Africa)
http://bit.ly/19lMx6q

Fique fibers from Andes Mountains part of miracle solution for dye pollution, find scientists
The science column notes a Rice study that examined how biochar — a charcoal that is produced typically from waste wood, manure or leaves for use as a soil additive — affects the chemical signaling that is routinely used by soil micro-organisms that interact with plants. Joff Silberg, associate professor of biochemistry and cell biology, and Caroline Masiello, associate professor of Earth science, are quoted. Daniel Wagner, associate professor of biochemistry and cell biology, graduate student Shelly Hsiao-Ying Cheng and co-authors Ye Chen, Xiaodong Gao, Shirley Liu and Kyriacos Zygourakis are mentioned.
Innovations Report
http://bit.ly/1fIR4t8
Biochar inhibits microbes’ ability to communicate
LaboratoryEquipment.com
http://bit.ly/1g3D1fp

Patients’ heartbeat could work as anti-hacking password for implants
Rice researchers have designed a secure way to dramatically cut the risk that an implanted medical device such as a pacemaker, insulin pump or defibrillator could be altered remotely without authorization. Their technology would use the patient’s own heartbeat as a kind of password that could only be accessed through touch.
Slashdot.org
http://bit.ly/GzNRw7
Electronic Engineering Journal
http://bit.ly/1hi1IT2

Oxford University study suggests robots taking our jobs
Moshe Vardi, the Karen Ostrum George Distinguished Service Professor of Computational Engineering and professor of computer science, comments on machines’ abilities to mimic those of humans.
eCanadaNow.com
http://bit.ly/1dW9zGd

Restricting Voting Rights Act could mean fewer African-Americans on city councils
Efforts to limit the reach of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the legislation that banned discrimination in voting, could negatively impact black political representation, according to a new study from researchers at Rice University, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Ohio University.
ScienceNewsline.com
http://bit.ly/1f084Ke

‘We should stop designing perfect circuits’
The article notes that Rice researchers are part of an international study of inexact circuits.
Phys.org
http://bit.ly/19XN8O1

Daylight to speed up mid-IR laser commercialization
The article notes that Rebekah Drezek, professor of bioengineering and of electrical and computer engineering, will assist Daylight Solutions Inc. in leveraging the firm’s imaging technology and applying it to new methods for detecting cancer.
CompoundSemiconductor.net
http://bit.ly/16GBNp9

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Houston: The surprising contender in America’s urban revival
The article quotes a study by Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research.
Governing.com
http://bit.ly/19T6nad
Planetizen.com
http://bit.ly/19WrGJ3

Mayoral hopefuls focus on growth, not potential for groundbreaking win
Steve Murdock, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology and director of Rice’s Hobby Center for the Study of Texas, comments on the changing demographics of Midland, Texas, where two minorities are the leading candidates in the town’s mayoral race.
TheFreeLibrary.com
http://bit.ly/1braAIW

‘Intervals 2013’ features prestigious artists, pieces
The article notes that sculptor Masaru Takiguchi of Osaka, Japan has won numerous awards including the AIA Award of Excellence from Rice.
YourHoustonNews.com
http://bit.ly/1g3B7vk

SPORTS

KHOU-TV (Houston)
The report previews the Rice-University of Tulsa Oct. 5 football game. Rice football head coach David Bailiff is quoted.
http://bit.ly/19YVC7p (Click broadcast.)
KTUL-TV (Tulsa, Okla.)
http://bit.ly/15ILyT9 (Click broadcast.)
KJRH-TV (Tulsa, Okla.)
http://bit.ly/19YW6KR (Click broadcast.)
TU is seeking a reversal of fortunes as it begins C-USA play
TulsaWorld.com
http://bit.ly/GzPVUA

Power ranking all 126 college football teams for week 6
The Rice Owls are No. 76 in the week six rankings of BleacherReport.com.
BleacherReport.com
http://bit.ly/1bqS8js

Pirates start slow in conference
The Rice Owls beat the East Carolina University Pirates in volleyball.
TheEastCarolinian.com (Greenville, N.C.)
http://bit.ly/1g1AKBx

Paint the town pink: Tough Enough offers new events, more awareness this year
In a bid to help raise awareness of the need to support breast cancer research, the New Mexico State University Aggies will wear pink jerseys when they play the Owls Oct. 19.
Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.)
http://bit.ly/1brkw50

Challenger football to play at Episcopal Wednesday evening
Rice Owls provided buddy assistance at the eighth Challenger Football game Sept. 22 at Rice.
YourHoustonNews.com
http://bit.ly/1c20JIN

NEWS RELEASE

Rice U study: Technology, not uninsured patients, driving hospital costs
Technology, not uninsured patients, likely explains the steep rise in the cost of hospital care in Texas in recent years, according to Vivian Ho, the chair in health economics at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, a professor of economics at Rice and a professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. Her findings were reported in an article appearing in the Oct. 1 online edition of the journal Healthcare Management, Practice and Innovation.
http://bit.ly/19hx39t