Dateline Rice for May 15, 2014

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Next stop for Laura and John Arnold: Disrupting higher ed
Rice received a major gift from trustee Laura Arnold and her husband, John Arnold, to continue developing open source textbooks for OpenStax College.
Inside Philanthropy
http://bit.ly/1nKHLfJ

The urban wild
Architect Jeanne Gang, the former Cullinan Visiting Professor, is featured for her research and design of aquariums. Gang led a group of Rice students on a trip to the Gulf Coast to observe dolphins in the wild.
The New Yorker (Subscription required for the full article.)
http://bit.ly/1iP8wba (PDF of first page)
http://nyr.kr/1nyi9CB (link to The New Yorker)

Automation to make human presence obsolete in future workplaces: expert
Moshe Vardi, the Karen Ostrum George Distinguished Service Professor of Computational Engineering and professor of computer science, is featured for his insight on the future of jobs in America.
Metro News
http://bit.ly/1mvnYib

The political inevitability of Eva Longoria
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 Eva Longoria being the celebrity face of the Democratic Party and Wendy Davis’ recent political strategy.
Voxxi.com
http://bit.ly/1oTreDG
Pro-Wendy Davis group exploits cancer deaths to attack Abbott
Breitbart (This article also appeared in CNM Newz.)
http://bit.ly/1swl3Ws

Richard G. Baraniuk: Offering free textbooks on the Lego plan
Richard Baraniuk, the Victor E. Cameron Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and founding director of Rice’s OpenStax College, is interviewed about Rice’s Connexions.
Edutopia
http://bit.ly/1lk923M

Les 10 innovations les plus marquantes dans le secteur de la mobilité
Rice engineering students created a shoe device that generates power while walking. The story includes a video produced by Public Affairs’ Brandon Martin.
La Tribune (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1hMjFtE

OSN estrenará tres piezas en Bellas Artes
The Mexican National Symphony Orchestra will give the world premiere of the orchestra piece “Impact” by Charles Halka, a doctoral candidate at Rice.
El Universal Cultura (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1nSmoXm
Abre la Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional el Foro Internacional de Música Nueva Manuel Enríquez
Maya Communicacion (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1nSIB7O
Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional
Bellas Artes Música (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1jXBWse
Estrenará OSN tres piezas en Bellas Artes
Pulso Politico (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1mYhNpw

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Black males ‘smart’n up’
Reginald Gordon with OGI Operation Outreach spoke at the Black Male Summit held at Rice in partnership with the Office of Multicultural Community Relations to encourage young men to pursue their educational and career goals.
Defender Network
http://bit.ly/1iXLsLR

Scientists say Antarctic melt now unstoppable, Gulf must prepare for change
John Anderson, the W. Maurice Ewing Chair in Oceanography, professor of Earth science and academic director of Rice’s Shell Center for Sustainability, is quoted about the sea-level implications of the melting Antarctic.
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in Beaumont Enterprise and San Antonio Express-News.)
http://bit.ly/1v9SAd6

Mexico’s foreign minister assures oil companies on security issues
Foreign Minister José Antonio Meade Kuribreña discussed foreign investment in Mexico at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1svSGaE

Chevron close to first deal with Pemex following Mexico energy reform
Chevron Corp. and Petroleos Mexicanos could partner soon from Mexico’s recent energy reform legislation. Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy is referenced for remarks by Tony Payan, a fellow for Mexico studies at the Baker Institute and director of the Baker Institute’s Mexico Center, on Mexican drug cartels’ influence on energy companies’ efforts.
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1otMXoo

Culture scene: May 15-21
The Apollo Chamber Players will perform at Rice’s Alice Pratt Brown Hall.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article also appeared in the Beaumont Enterprise.)
http://bit.ly/1ltTN7d

Expert says Obama will back exporting of US crude
Former Baker Institute energy fellow Amy Myers Jaffe comments on the White House lifting the nation’s 40-year-old ban on exporting oil.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1iPf3lX

Talented trio: 3 Unicorns sign with colleges
New Braunfels High School volleyball player Katie Steel plans to attend Rice next year.
New Braunfels Herald Zeitung (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1sw4kCo

Daniel Ngo earns Eagle Scout Award
Clements High School senior Daniel Ngo will attend Rice in the fall.
Fort Bend Star
http://bit.ly/1nOvXZN

East Texas Communities Foundation awards $237,650 in scholarships
Rice is mentioned as a recipient of scholarship funds from the East Texas Communities Foundation.
Gilmer Mirror
http://bit.ly/RVjyWz

BROADCAST

KXXV-TV (Waco, Texas)
Waco Independent School District is going to test the use of Rice’s STEMscopes for hands-on learning.
http://bit.ly/1otQDXf
http://bit.ly/1lDOgh0

Opportunity, danger as Mexico opens energy sector
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.
News 92-FM
http://bit.ly/1lA3bc6

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Smart wireless peg assesses motor abilities of cerebral palsy patients (video)
Rice engineering students created a Bluetooth-enabled device to boost cerebral palsy therapy. Senior Sonia Garcia is quoted. Gary Woods, professor in the practice of electrical and computer engineering; Eric Richardson, lecturer in bioengineering; and seniors Shaurya Agarwal, Allison Garza, Vivaswath Kumar and Andrew Schober are mentioned.
MedGadget
http://bit.ly/1iUkIvr

Freshmen create ‘ladder’ to help kids improve balance
Five first-year engineering students designed a device for physical therapists to use to treat children with balance issues. Students Fanny Huang, Lauren Wood, Lauren McCarley and Nicole Moes are quoted. Matthew Wettergreen, a lecturer in Rice’s George R. Brown School of Engineering; Ann Saterbak, professor in the practice of bioengineering education; and student Denise Yee are mentioned. The story includes a video produced by Public Affairs’ Brandon Martin.
My4.org
http://bit.ly/1otT1NE

3-D ‘fitting room’ lets online shoppers try on clothes
Rice engineering students invented a virtual fitting room for online shopping. Will Rice College senior Lam Yuk Wong and Wiess College senior Cecilia Zhang are featured. The story includes a video produced by Public Affairs’ Brandon Martin.
My4.org
http://bit.ly/1nOtHBM

Study: Companies need to marry creativity and innovation
Jing Zhou, the Houston Endowment Professor of Organizational Behavior and professor of psychology, is featured for her research on employee creativity and idea implementation.
Business Administration Information
http://bit.ly/1qDNmXh

Properties of water at nanoscale will help to design innovative technologies
Mechanical engineers from the Department of Energy at Politecnico di Torino and the Translational Imaging Department at Houston Methodist Research Institute provide insight of water properties at the nanoscale. Rice is mentioned as a collaborator.
Medical Design Technology (This article also appeared in DailyNewsEn.com.)
http://bit.ly/1jyrVNq

Deepwater Gulf drilling creates demand for lighter, stronger proppants
Oxane Materials’ products were developed with the help of Rice’s nanotechnology research.
Rigzone
http://bit.ly/1mwbWoR

INGAA Chairman David Devine outlines agenda
Alumnus David Devine ’79 is featured.
Pipeline & Gas Journal
http://bit.ly/QN5s8q

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Rice EMBA program gets a spring cleaning
Rice’s Executive MBA Program is revamping its calendar to include forums and seminars for concentrated learning. Barbara Ostdiek, associate professor of finance at Rice’s Jones School of Business, is quoted.
Poets and Quants
http://bit.ly/1swuipr

Mercy College welcomes new president
Alumnus Timothy Hall ’82 began his new role as president of Mercy College.
Lohud.com (This article also appeared in Hudson Valley Reporter.)
http://lohud.us/1sRyq5x

19 rappers and hip-hop executives with a key to the city
Bernard “Bun B” Freeman, the Center for Engaged Research and Collaborative Learning’s Distinguished Lecturer, is mentioned.
XXL Mag
http://bit.ly/1goTiPM

Jay Evensen: Ukrainian crisis may be a good thing for space program
John F. Kennedy’s speech given at Rice in 1962 is referenced.
Deseret News
http://bit.ly/1oTkTYT

SPORTS

Tech wraps up season at Rice
Rice baseball will play Louisiana Tech University May 15 at Reckling Park.
The News Star
http://tnsne.ws/1g8J3P4
@LATechBSB set to wrap up season at No. 14 Rice
SportsNOLA.com
http://bit.ly/1lu3Nx0
La. Tech wraps up season at Rice
Shreveport Times (This article also appeared in Opelousas Daily World, the Times and News-Star.)
http://bit.ly/1oTpzhs

Men’s college golf: Rice to begin NCAA tournament on Thursday
Rice men’s golf will compete at the NCAA Raleigh Regional at North Carolina State’s Lonnie Poole Golf Course May 15-17.
Atascocita Observer (This article also appeared in Humble Observer.)
http://bit.ly/1grSPMy

All 245 2012-2013 NCAA football APR scores ranked: 12 teams penalized
Rice is included in the 2012-2013 NCAA football academic progress rate scores list.
SBNation.com
http://bit.ly/1sS6oXH

Kenney to kick off C-USA championships for T&F in the heptathlon
Rice is hosting the Conference USA Outdoor Championships Thursday to Sunday at Holloway Field and Ley Track.
SportsNola.com
http://bit.ly/1n0TenE

Kansas City Chiefs 2014 draft breakdown
Senior cornerback Phillip Gaines is profiled.
Yahoo! Voices
http://yhoo.it/1oTFmwP

Condara delivers hit to lift St. Thomas to 23rd TAPPS state crown
St. Thomas High School senior Michael Rodgers, who signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Rice, is quoted.
Memorial Examiner
http://bit.ly/QK8E4K

One goal down, one still coming for Gwin
Enid, Okla., tennis player Zach Gwin discusses his future plans to attend Rice.
Enid News
http://bit.ly/1iXliZB

NEWS RELEASE

Baker Institute expert available to comment on Kerry’s upcoming Mexico visit
Secretary of State John Kerry is scheduled to be in Mexico City May 21-22 for talks on trade, education and security. Under new Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto’s administration, the U.S.-Mexico relationship has become more focused on the North American economic agenda, 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.
http://bit.ly/1v9UGcT