Dateline Rice for Feb. 25, 2014

FEATURED ITEM

A college project that imagines a floating city for oil workers
A story focuses on a 2012 award-winning research project by Rice architecture students. They won the inaugural Odebrecht Award for their design of an industrial floating city that would accommodate families in the oil industry. Neeraj Bhatia, a former Visiting Wortham Fellow and professor of architecture at Rice, and Alexander Yuen ’12 and Weijia Song ’12 are quoted.
National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition” (This broadcast also appeared on South Dakota Public Broadcasting and 25 other affiliates.)
http://n.pr/Mr4EUz

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Coal seam gas debate has no place for scare campaigns
Peter Hartley, professor of economics, is quoted in an article about coal seam gas and activist opposition.
Brisbane Times (This article also appeared in Canberra Times and WA Today.)
http://bit.ly/1mF21PO

UA creates new VP post
Barbara Bryson, associate vice president of FE&P, has been named vice president for strategic planning and analysis at University of Arizona, effective March 24.
Arizona Daily Star
http://bit.ly/1o3eXKL

The church of the paranormal
According to the Baylor Religion Survey, more than two-thirds of Americans have a paranormal belief unrelated to religion. Jeffrey Kripal, the J. Newton Rayzor Professor of Religious Studies, is quoted.
Pacific Standard
http://bit.ly/1eq2fAj

The real costs of a college education – Why is it so high?
Jennifer West, a former Rice professor of bioengineering, is mentioned in an article about the factors that affect tuition at Duke University.
ChicagoNow.com
http://bit.ly/1o3fwEy

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Race for governor could reach $100 million mark
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 Texas primary. He is also referenced for his analysis of the Texas House.
Houston Chronicle (This appeared on the front page.)
http://bit.ly/1fCo2JH
Why state Sen. Kel Seliger has a Republican primary challenger
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
http://bit.ly/1k9LxdG
Why Seliger has a Republican primary challenger
Amarillo Globe-News
http://bit.ly/1hP1RmT
Some predict Davis, Abbott race will break records
San Antonio Express
http://bit.ly/1fClADh
660-AM ‘The Answer’
http://bit.ly/1efMpgr

​DNAtrix snags $10.8 million from Texas cancer-research institute
Rice is cited as one of the recipients of recent grants from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1jxh8Gm

Rice to host Marti Corn photographic exhibit of Tamina residents
Rice’s Media Center will host Marti Corn’s photographic exhibit “The Ground On Which I Stand” March 13-April 15.
Atascocita Observer (This article also appeared in Lake Houston Observer, Kingwood Observer and Humble Observer.)
http://bit.ly/1fQkTT0

Hermann Park celebrates 100 with Art in the Park
Rice architecture students designed a pavilion for Hermann Park’s centennial.
The Paper Magazine
http://bit.ly/1foPBb1

23rd annual KTRU outdoor show
Rice’s student radio station KTRU’s yearly music festival will be March 15.
Free Press Houston
http://bit.ly/1lj96Ek

BROADCAST

Stockman’s odd campaign for the US Senate
U.S. congressman Steve Stockman has made few campaign appearances during his running for a U.S. Senate seat representing Texas. Bob Stein, the Lena Gohlman Fox Professor of Political Science, is quoted.
KHOU-TV (This article also appeared in Yahoo! News.)
http://bit.ly/1haC06c

KPRC-TV
A broadcast mentions last summer’s arrest of a man who stole a bike from the Rice campus.
http://bit.ly/1hP9ytg

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Nanotracer tester tells about wells
A device created at Rice gathers data on how tracers move through deep rock formations that have been opened by hydraulic fracturing. Andrew Barron, the Charles M. Duncan Jr., the Welch Professor of Chemistry and professor of materials science, is quoted. Alumnus Samuel Maguire-Boyle ’12 is mentioned.
Today’s Energy Solutions (This article also appeared in Phys.org, ECN, Science Codex, Science Newsline and R&D Magazine.)
http://bit.ly/1esTq8Y
Novel device enables rapid testing of nanotracers for evaluation of wells
AZoNano.com
http://bit.ly/1dtPV2H
Nanoparticle ‘tracers’ will help frackers track productive wells
The Engineer
http://bit.ly/Oy5hOh

Carbon nanotube fiber can carry four times more charge than copper
According to new research, carbon nanotube-based fibers invented at Rice have greater capacity to carry electrical current than copper cables of the same mass. Junichiro Kono, professor of electrical and computer engineering and of physics and astronomy, is quoted. Matteo Pasquali, professor of chemical and biological engineering and of chemistry is mentioned.
ZME Science
http://bit.ly/1hlJSRU
Carbon nanotube fibers surpass copper cables
Fibre2Fashion.com
http://bit.ly/1duAbMR
Rice’s carbon nanotube fibers outperform copper
Kurzweil Accelerating Intelligence
http://bit.ly/1mwbCoK

Artificial muscle made of fishing line is 100 times stronger than yours
Scientists at UT-Dallas have created powerful artificial muscles out of fishing line. Boris Yakobson, the Karl F. Hasselmann Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and professor of chemistry, is quoted.
Phys.org
http://bit.ly/OyZKac

Showcasing Texas talent and learning from the experts at the 2014 Texas Life Science Forum
Rice is mentioned in an article about Houston’s recent Texas Life Science Forum, co-hosted by the Rice Alliance. Brad Burke, managing director of the Rice Alliance, is quoted in the second article.
BioNews Texas
http://bit.ly/Nupbsd
Leto Solutions honored as 1 of top 10 best companies at Texas Life Science Forum
UTSA Today
http://bit.ly/1ka7CZG

Take away spreadsheets? From my cold, dead hands
Spreadsheets aided in JPMorgan’s loss of $6 billion on a series of credit default swap index transactions. Vincent Kaminski, professor in the practice of executive education at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business, is quoted.
WatersTechnology.com (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1gyXMxO

ConocoPhillips CEO on shale boom: We’ve only scratched the surface
Chairman and CEO of ConocoPhillips Ryan Lance spoke at Rice University’s Baker Institute about the surge in oil and gas production.
Oil & Gas Financial Journal
http://bit.ly/1lggyjm
La demande mondiale de gaz naturel en hausse de 50 % d’ici 2030?
LeGazdeSchiste (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1hu81nZ

Geopolitical study ponders LNG possibilities
A study launched in 2011 between Rice’s Baker Institute and Harvard University about the shale revolution in North America is referenced. Kenneth Medlock III, the James A. Baker III and Susan Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, senior director of the Center for Energy Studies at the Baker Institute and lecturer on economics, is quoted.
E&P
http://bit.ly/1duG7p1

Project could revive a neglected part of downtown
Stephen Fox, lecturer of architecture, is quoted about the renovation of the “Sunset Coffee Building” near Buffalo Bayou.
Architectural Record
http://bit.ly/1hkqAMw

Pharmaceutical strength expected to continue with Questcor Tuesday
A Rice stock market study is referenced.
Seeking Alpha
http://bit.ly/1foOZlK
Sturm, Ruger, & Co.: Starting 2014 with a bang
Investing.com
http://bit.ly/1foPr3h
Will Home Depot earnings hold up to the harsh weather?
Seeking Alpha
http://bit.ly/1poMUc8

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Pianist Jon Kimura Parker to celebrate centenary of ‘The Rite of Spring’
Jon Kimura Parker, professor of piano, is featured.
The Saratogian (This article also appeared in Troy Record.)
http://bit.ly/1mF0UzE

Robotics expert to speak at NIU conference
James McLurkin, assistant professor of computer science, is the keynote speaker for the Graduate Student Research Association Conference at Northern Illinois University. He also spoke at UT-Arlington about his advances in the field of robot swarms.
NIU Today
http://bit.ly/1lj1L7C
Column: Engineers Week offers networking, career help
The Shorthorn
http://bit.ly/1mFbrLj

Former university physicist wins award for proposal leading to creation of NCSA
Peter Wolynes, the D.R. Bullard-Welch Foundation Professor of Science and a professor of chemistry, is quoted.
The Daily Illini
http://bit.ly/1fP8BKF

Historian highlights civil rights event
Alumnus Charles Robinson ’90 discusses interracial relationships and the history of miscegenation laws.
The Oracle Online
http://bit.ly/1pp2vIO

Watch: Extraordinary 1991 doc on white supremacy ‘Blood in the Face,’ now on YouTube
Rice’s premiere of the documentary “Blood in the Face” in 1991 is mentioned.
Indie Wire
http://bit.ly/1hlKWoG

SPORTS

College baseball: Rice finishes sweep with 23-3 win over Purdue
Rice baseball swept Purdue in a three-game weekend series.
Spring Observer
http://bit.ly/1k7cimc
Rice baseball explodes for 23 runs against Purdue in series finale
College Baseball Central
http://bit.ly/1o3pW70

Richmond makes history in win
Rice men’s basketball fell to East Carolina 67-55 at Williams Arena.
The East Carolinian
http://theeastcarolinian.com/?p=32150

Kats travel to No. 10 Rice Tuesday
Rice men’s baseball will play Sam Houston Feb. 25 at Reckling Park.
KBTX.com
http://bit.ly/1fn6cpK

NEWS RELEASE

Rice alumnus remembered at Tuskegee ceremony
Rice highlights the late alumnus Noel Parrish ‘28, who is credited with making it possible for blacks to serve as aviators in the U.S. armed forces when he was a colonel.
http://bit.ly/1mwBlNV