Dateline Rice for May 12, 2014 (Weekend Edition)

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

‘Smart’ hydrogel degrades when new bone grows
Rice University bioengineers have created a hydrogel that instantly turns from liquid to semisolid at close to body temperature — and then degrades at precisely the right pace. Antonios Mikos, the Louis Calder Professor of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and graduate student Brendan Watson are quoted. Paul Engel, chair of Rice’s Department of Chemistry, and F. Kurtis Kasper, a senior faculty fellow in bioengineering, are mentioned.
Futurity (This appeared as the top story on the home page.)
http://bit.ly/1sl2Afg
New medical gel grows bone tissue exactly where you need it
Engadget
http://engt.co/1mQMbOj
This new gel could let doctors grow bone exactly where they need it
Gizmodo
http://bit.ly/1lnu5Ea
New hydrogel makes a nearly flawless scaffold for regrowing bone
Geek.com (This article also appeared in Rocket News.)
http://bit.ly/1nEQv4y
New medical gel helps regrow bones
The Escapist
http://bit.ly/1nzHNah
Rice University student designs ‘smart’ hydrogels for bone reconstruction
Bio News-Texas
http://bit.ly/1kSiCKO
Hydrogel repairs damaged bones
Ubergizmo.com
http://bit.ly/1nAdOPo
Bioscaffold material degrades as bone grows to replace it
Medical News Today
http://bit.ly/1jaCdct
New hydrogel for healing bond defects
Overclockers Club
http://bit.ly/1gvAU1S
WTVT-TV (Tampa Bay, Fla.)
http://bit.ly/1sljfzj
Bioingénierie: L’hydrogel qui déjoue la synérèse – Biomacromolecules
Santelog.com (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1jSNz3s

Facing challenge to execution, Texas calls its process the gold standard
An article discusses the history of executions in Texas and cites the Rice’s 33rd annual Kinder Institute Houston Area Survey finding that a higher percentage of Houstonians support alternatives to the death penalty.
New York Times
http://nyti.ms/RHhCko

3-D printed blood vessels come to Congress
Jordan Miller, assistant professor of bioengineering, brought his 3-D printer to Capitol Hill to show lawmakers and staffers the potential use of this technology.
National Journal
http://bit.ly/1iCGzTI

Annise Parker is not going away
An article about alumna and Houston Mayor Annise Parker ’78 cites Rice’s study about Houston’s metropolitan area being the most diverse in the nation.
Advocate.com (This article also appeared in Gay.com.)
http://bit.ly/1nEXxpM

How the Stanford Arts District grew from a midair inspiration
Alumni Burt McMurtry ’56 and Deedee McMurtry ’56 are featured.
SFChronicle.com
http://bit.ly/RAs3WF

HOUSTON/TEXAS

House committee faces historic decision on UT Regent Wallace Hall
Mark Jones, the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies, professor and chair of political science and fellow in political science at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted about the Texas House committee’s decision to impeach University of Texas Regent Wallace Hall.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This story appeared on the front page.)
http://bit.ly/1olOBIo

Gayle: Progress continues in fight against AIDS
Dr. Helene Gayle, president and CEO of CARE USA, mentions that she will be the commencement speaker at Rice on May 17 in an op-ed about the AIDS epidemic.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1l3qZU3

Acclaimed UT chemist named dean of natural sciences at Rice
National Academy of Sciences member Peter Rossky, currently a chemistry professor and director of two major research centers at the University of Texas at Austin, has been named dean of Rice’s Wiess School of Natural Sciences.
Bellaire Examiner
http://bit.ly/1mhlPXg

Report: Texas Hispanics more likely to enroll in insurance program
According to a new report from Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, Texas Hispanics were more than twice as likely as whites to enroll in health insurance plans offered by the Affordable Care Act. Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics at the Baker Institute for Public Policy and professor of economics, and Elena Marks, scholar in health policy at the Baker Institute, are quoted.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1iznfXn
Latinos in Texas eager to gain care
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/QAlJxz
Survey: Larger percentage of Texas Hispanics have enrolled in Health Insurance Marketplace plans than whites
Sugar Land Sun (This article also appeared in Fort Bend Sun and Bellaire Examiner.)
http://bit.ly/1lc36sj
Larger percentage of Texas Hispanics have enrolled in Health Insurance Marketplace plans
Medical Xpress
http://bit.ly/1iznpy7

UTMB working on universal flu vaccine to end need for annual shots
Rice’s bubble CPAP machine, which helps increase the survival rate of newborns with severe respiratory illness, is included in a slideshow of major medical developments. Rebecca Richards-Kortum, the Stanley C. Moore Professor and chair of the Department of Bioengineering and director of both Beyond Traditional Borders and Rice 360°: Institute for Global Health Technologies, and Maria Oden, director of Rice’s Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen and co-director of Beyond Traditional Borders, are pictured.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/RAwj8o

Jesus Rafael Soto’s kinetic sculpture unveiled at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Jesús Rafael Soto’s “Houston Penetrable” installation is on display at Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts. Rice students Hanah Millimet and Morgan McNeel are pictured.
Houston Chronicle (This story appeared on the front of the Zest section.)
http://bit.ly/1hHtoRU

Casey: Emissions studies matter to state, as long as data fits with policy
The Alamo Area Council of Governments failed to submit its air quality study to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The TCEQ’s edit of a report from Rice is referenced in this op-ed.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1sEgcV6

Report warns that violence could undermine Mexico energy reform
Mexico’s budding energy reform is being threatened by organized criminal groups and requires focused action by the Mexican government, according to Tony Payan, a fellow for Mexico studies at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and director of the Baker Institute’s Mexico Center.
Fuel Fix
http://bit.ly/1mhw4ej
Security threats may snag Mexico’s energy overhaul
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1iG2x8t
Cartels could slow Mexican energy reform
Houston Business Journal (This article also appeared in Bellaire Examiner, Argentina Star and Toronto Telegraph.)
http://bit.ly/1olXK3T

Schnurman: It’s all about education, Toyota or not
An article discusses the growth of Texas’ Hispanic population and the decline in education. Steve Murdock, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology and director of Rice’s Hobby Center for the Study of Texas, is quoted.
Dallas Morning News
http://bit.ly/1sl6cOu

Signing day: 10 Cooper athletes ink letters of intent
Carly Pratt, a swimmer at the John Copper School in the Woodlands, signed a letter of intent to study biological engineering at Rice.
The Villager
http://bit.ly/1kTqz2q

Applying paychecks to college, student lands internship and scholarships to university
San Jacinto College graduate Fernando Zuniga earned a summer internship at Rice to study biomedical engineering.
Pasadena Citizen
http://bit.ly/1l367w4

Houston sigue apreciando al inmigrante pero ve peor las relaciones interraciales
Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and co-director of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is quoted about results from the Kinder Institute Houston Area Survey.
La Voz (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1mmCL16

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

No bioengineered gut bacteria, no glory
Jeffrey Tabor, assistant professor of bioengineering, is quoted about his plan to create an edible probiotic bacterium to protect sailors and marines from obesity and depression.
Phys.org
http://bit.ly/1sEuyVu

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

IPO seen as threat to Amazon
Yan Anthea Zhang, professor of management, is quoted about Alibaba, the largest e-commerce website in China.
Journal Gazette (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
http://bit.ly/1iJvdBM

Carole Griffin: FACES of Birmingham
Alumna Carole Griffin ’82 is featured.
Style Blueprint
http://bit.ly/1mObpkx

Mothers play significant role in athletics on this day
Alumnus Courtney Hall ’90 is featured.
Pasadena Star-News (Pasadena, Calif.) (This article also appeared in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.)
http://bit.ly/1mOdJbn

SPORTS

Rice teams with Sinisi, March of Dimes
Rice is donating proceeds from ticket sales of the last home baseball game to the March of Dimes in memory of McKenzie Reese, who died six years ago just 19 days after her birth. Reese was the daughter of former Rice baseball player Vincent Sinisi.
Woodlands Online
http://bit.ly/1om8BuA

Rice baseball tops UTSA 11-2 Sunday to claim weekend series
Rice baseball won against the University of Texas at San Antonio 11-2 in San Antonio.
Boxscore
http://bit.ly/1iJp6gJ
Rice Owls baseball defeats UTSA , 11-3
Boxscore
http://bit.ly/1iJxahF
Rice again uses late surge to take series from UTSA
San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/1l3zrTi
No. 14 Rice takes series finale from UTSA, 11-2
GoUTSA.com
http://bit.ly/1sErxEo
Unbeaten Rice left-hander halts UTSA
San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/1nAb8RQ
Rice retaliates with 11-3 victory over UTSA
San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/RHc4Xg
Rice shrugged off adversity, surged into first place in C-USA
San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/1lcsQ7L

Owls blitz Pioneers to reach 3rd straight regional final
Rice women’s tennis won against the University of Denver 4-0 but fell to Baylor University 1-4 at the Hurd Tennis Center in Waco. Elizabeth Schmidt, women’s tennis head coach, is quoted.
The Rancher (This article also appeared in Memorial Examiner and Bellaire Examiner.)
http://bit.ly/1iG6IkF
3rd time not a charm as Baylor ends Owls NCAA quest
Sports Page Magazine
http://bit.ly/1loYK3I

Pirates set 2 school records at North Carolina A&T
Rice is hosting the Conference USA Outdoor Championship May 15-18.
ECUPirates.com
http://bit.ly/1jjniXu

Hagerty’s Kevin Reilly is Conference USA frosh Golfer of Year
Rice golfer Kevin Reilly was named the Conference USA Freshman of the Year for leading the Owls in seven of its 11 tournaments.
Orlando Sentinel
http://bit.ly/1slnye9

TXCN-TV (Dallas)
Senior Jeremy Eddington signed with the Green Bay Packers and senior Trevor Gillette with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
http://bit.ly/RAAOQB

Another in-state offer for Mayden
Cornerback Jared Mayden received an offer from Rice.
Scout.com (This article also appeared in IrishEyes.com, TexPreps.com and Sooners Illustrated.)
http://foxs.pt/1iK1CIs

Kansas City Chiefs draft recap
Senior cornerback Phillip Gaines is featured.
Sports Glory
http://bit.ly/1mRsEgI
Kansas City Chiefs – TeamReport
Global Post
http://bit.ly/1mOaJf7
Chiefs third-rounder Gaines reveals he failed drug tests at Rice
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1l3Ahzd
Chiefs newest draftee addresses competition, marijuana tests at Rice
Examiner.com (This article also appeared in Chiefs Spin, KC Kingdom, NFL Spin Zone and Arrowhead Addict.)
http://exm.nr/1om6KWP
KPRC-TV
http://bit.ly/1iK0Z1s
KMBC-TV (Kansas City, Mo.)
http://bit.ly/1nFlq0r
http://bit.ly/1mRO2Cm
WIBW-TV (Topeka, Kan.)
http://bit.ly/1hHyNsg
http://bit.ly/QAJqFT

NEWS RELEASE

No bioengineered gut bacteria, no glory
The motto “no guts, no glory” may need rewriting if Rice University synthetic biologist Jeff Tabor succeeds in his quest to help the Navy create an edible probiotic bacterium that can help protect sailors and marines from obesity and depression.
http://bit.ly/1lojybM