Dateline Rice for June 9, 2014 (Weekend Edition)

FEATURED ITEMS

HISD high school textbooks going digital
Houston Independent School District is the first of Texas’ large districts to shift from printed textbooks to digital materials. Rice’s OpenStax College is mentioned. Daniel Williamson, managing director of Rice’s Center for Digital Learning and Scholarship and project manager at OpenStax, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared online last week but is on the front page of today’s print edition.)
http://bit.ly/1pTC0KG

Houston universities working to fix ‘gateway’ courses, keep students in STEM
Texas universities are receiving large grants to prevent students from dropping out of science, technology, engineering and mathematics — aka STEM — courses. Rice is mentioned for its high STEM student graduation rate. 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 Will Rice College senior Kamal Shah are quoted.
Houston Chronicle (This article appeared on the front of the City/State section in Sunday’s Chronicle. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1kKpXiL

Saint Arnold’s emphasis on tradition and community pays off
Rice alumnus Brock Wagner ’87 is featured in an article about the 20th anniversary of Saint Arnold Brewing Co.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This appeared on the front page of today’s paper.)
http://bit.ly/1kKQexk

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

How green policy will widen the red-blue divide
The Environmental Protection Agency’s new regulations limiting carbon emissions from power plants is a consequential policy initiative for Democrats. Charles McConnell, executive director of Rice University’s Energy and Environment Initiative, is quoted.
The Atlantic (This article also appeared in MSN News.)
http://bit.ly/1xyACSD

The new soul of Kota Tua
Alumna Diana Ang ’10 authored an op-ed on the revitalization of Kota Tua, Jakarta.
The Jakarta Post
http://bit.ly/1pd2BVC

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Ups and downs
The appointment of alumnus Josh Earnest ’97 as White House press secretary received a thumbs-up from the Chronicle.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1s0Fy2w

Human rights organization celebrates opening of new Houston office
Rice President David Leebron and University Representative Y. Ping Sun attended the reception for the opening of the new Houston office for Human Rights First at South Texas College of Law.
CultureMap
http://bit.ly/1n2gnFS

Houston’s limits
Houston has introduced a new image campaign called “Houston: The City With No Limits.” In an editorial, Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and co-director of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is referenced for the Houston Area Survey report on traffic being Houston’s No. 1 problem and the importance of light rail for mass transit.
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in Beaumont Enterprise.)
http://bit.ly/1hJSTbd
Walker, Klineberg: Many reasons translate into building a reliable transit system here
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1s0AwmH
Clifford: Don’t give up on light rail; it’s our future
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article also appeared in Beaumont Enterprise.)
http://bit.ly/1limAiI
Houston’s 5 biggest challenges
Bisnow.com
http://bit.ly/1numTXC

Parallels between the Affordable Care Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Hagop Kantarjian, a scholar in health policy at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, authored a blog post on America’s health care system.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1pw2ke5

Texas GOP: Future of party depends on minority outreach
The Texas GOP is expanding its efforts to appeal to minorities. Bob Stein, the Lena Gohlman Fox Professor of Political Science, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1uLtGiX

Houston Symphony harpist retires to a life of music
Paula Page, associate professor of harp, retired as the Houston Symphony’s principal harpist. She will continue to teach at Rice.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/Ss6Z4M

Baker Institute ‘Viewpoints’ series explores potential for marijuana legalization in Texas
Nathan Jones, the Alfred C. Glassell III Postdoctoral Fellow in Drug Policy at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, and 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, are mentioned for their contribution to the Baker Institute for Public Policy’s “Viewpoints” series on marijuana reform.
The Rancher (This article also appeared in Memorial Examiner, Fort Bend Sun and Bellaire Examiner.)
http://bit.ly/1kdC2YJ

Rice’s Boniuk Institute to participate in unveiling of prayer garden labyrinth June 7
Houston-area high school students designed and created four mosaic-tiled benches as part of the Sacred Stiles Quest organized by Rice’s Boniuk Institute for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance. They will be part of a new labyrinth at the Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church prayer garden.
Memorial Examiner (This article also appeared in Bellaire Examiner.)
http://bit.ly/1kXOsZn

Rangel: Race is on in Texas Legislature
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 in an article about Sen. Robert Duncan.
Amarillo Globe-News (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1s0pQnX

Texas cities bear financial burden of rapid growth
Steve Murdock, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology and director of Rice’s Hobby Center for the Study of Texas, is referenced for his research on the population increase in major Texas cities.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1kXsgii

Short nanotubes target pancreatic cancer
Pristine nanotubes developed at Rice have the potential to deliver drugs to pancreatic cancer cells and destroy them. Andrew Barron, the Charles W. Duncan Jr.-Welch Professor of Chemistry and professor of materials science, is quoted. Alumnus Alvin Orbaek ’10; Robert Hauge, distinguished faculty fellow in chemistry; and Wade Adams, senior faculty fellow in mechanical engineering and materials science, are mentioned.
The Rancher (This article also appeared in Memorial Examiner, Fort Bend Sun, Bellaire Examiner, My Suncoast, RedOrbit and CheckOrphan.)
http://bit.ly/1qhrbSU

Port could factor into Mexico’s energy revolution
George Baker, contributing expert and scholar for the Mexico Center at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy,attended an energy forum at La Plaza bus terminal in downtown Brownsville, Texas, to discuss South Texas taking advantage of the energy revolution in Mexico.
Brownsville Herald (This article also appeared in the Monitor.)
http://bit.ly/SrYKWo

Q-and-A with Rice Alliance
Brad Burke, managing director of the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, is interviewed.
Startup Houston
http://bit.ly/1hB3BjQ

BROADCAST

How the clothes you wear change your perceptions
Hajo Adam, visiting assistant professor of business, discusses the symbolic power of clothing on the podcast “You Are Not So Smart.”
Boing Boing
http://bit.ly/1kSEHx4

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

7 reasons we should celebrate manufacturing
Rice chemists’ creation of a flexible material with the high energy of a battery or supercapacitor is mentioned.
Spiked
http://bit.ly/1pW8yGD

Scientists show how to get real-time reaction information from Ag nanocatalysts
Scientists from Rice and the University of South Carolina have shown how to get real-time reaction information from Ag nanocatalysts that are notoriously difficult to study. Peter Nordlander, professor of physics and astronomy and in electrical and computer engineering, is mentioned.
AZoNano.com (This article also appeared in Product Design & Development, Phys.org, Science Codex, Nanotechnology Now, Science Daily, R&D Magazine and ScienceNewsline.)
http://bit.ly/1ifXSLz

Team developing mobile DNA test for HIV, Rice University study
Rice bioengineers are developing a simple, accurate test to detect signs of HIV and its progress in patients living in low-resource settings. 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 graduate students Zachary Crannell and Brittany Rohrman are mentioned.
Device Space
http://bit.ly/1kXQjxi

Hydrogels could help repair bones, researchers find
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.
Nature World News
http://bit.ly/Ss0uPp

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Recent graduates from Rice are noted.
Local students graduate from Rice University
Lake Houston Observer (Similar articles also appeared in Deer Park Broadcaster and Friendswood Journal.)
http://bit.ly/1kSTMOW
Class notes
Battle Creek Enquirer
http://bcene.ws/1hJH1WF
Our neighbors: Higher education
TheEagle.com
http://bit.ly/1pcs6Xa
Class notes, military briefs
Monterey Herald
http://bit.ly/1kX6NWz
Winning ways
The Californian
http://bit.ly/1nuf58x

Pipe organ-violin duo opens church concert series
Ken Cowan, associate professor of organ at Rice’s Shepherd School of Music, will perform at Shepherd of the Bay Lutheran Church.
DoorCountyAdvocate.com (This article also appeared in Wausau Daily Herald and Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune.)
http://bit.ly/1xxASBu

Multitasking Century grad keeping college major options open
Century High School graduate Taylor Jacobe plans to attend Rice this fall.
Carroll County Times
http://bit.ly/SrG5dj

SPORTS

Rice righty Lemond highlights day 2 of Padres’ draft
The San Diego Padres drafted Rice baseball player Zech Lemond.
MLB.com (This article also appeared in Indians.com and 73 other affiliates.)
http://atmlb.com/1oMYAne
Padres conclude 2014 first-year player draft by selecting 30 players on 3rd day
MLB.com
http://atmlb.com/1pv5qiy
2014 MLB draft results: Every team’s biggest steal
Bleacher Report
http://bit.ly/1pWxLAF
KHOU-TV
http://bit.ly/1tYOot7

Giants draft Rice’s power-hitting Ewing
The San Francisco Giants drafted Rice baseball player Skyler Ewing.
MLB.com (This article also appeared in Oakland Athletics and 41 other affiliates.)
http://atmlb.com/To2GIE

Cardinals wrap up 2014 MLB draft with 30 day 3 picks
The St. Louis Cardinals drafted Rice baseball player Matt Ditman.
Fox Sports
http://foxs.pt/1nubFT3

Rice starting DT Stuart Mouchantaf (knee) ruled out for 2014
Rice senior defense tackle Stuart Mouchantaf will miss the 2014 season, due to a knee injury.
CBSSports.com
http://cbsprt.co/1oNto7x
Owl football: DT Stuart Mouchantaf to miss 2014 season
Tomball Potpourri
http://bit.ly/1tYJUmv

Coaches who have made FCS to FBS transition lay out keys to success
Coaches who move from Football Championship Subdivision to Football Bowl Subdivision have noticed different record results. Head football coach David Bailiff is quoted.
Trib.com (This article also appeared in Casper Star-Tribune.)
http://bit.ly/1n1Tfaw

Khalid Robinson and Leo Walsh selected for NCAA Career in Sports Forum
Rice Athletics Director Joe Karlgaard will attend the 2014 NCAA Career in Sports Forum in Indianapolis.
FordhamSports.com
http://bit.ly/1hJEkEv
Hess, Hornberger participate in NCAA Career in Sports Forum
YSUSports.com
http://bit.ly/1hJZ4fv

David Pierce leaving SHSU to take over at Tulane
Former assistant baseball coach David Pierce is the new coach at Tulane University. The stories mention that Pierce was previously an assistant coach at Rice.
KBTX.com (This article also appeared in SportsNOLA.com.)
http://bit.ly/1l0jpHS
Tulane hits home run with hiring of David Pierce
College Baseball Central
http://bit.ly/1pcruRy
WDSU-TV (New Orleans)
http://bit.ly/1n2dlBs

Campbell-Brown hits best form
Olympic and World Championships medalist Shericka Williams was the best-placed Jamaican athlete at the American Track League meet at Rice.
Jamaica-Gleaner.com (This article also appeared in Entorno Inteligente.)
http://bit.ly/1l0Irqp

Fifth-rounder Soltis first outfielder taken by Marlins
Sugar Land high school outfielder Stone Garrett is committed to Rice.
MLB.com (This article also appeared in Oakland Athletics and 42 other affiliates.)
http://atmlb.com/TAvihX

2014 MLB draft: Nationals’ GM Mike Rizzo and Asst. GM Kris Kline on risk versus reward
Alumnus Anthony Rendon ’12 is featured.
FederalBaseball.com
http://bit.ly/1kT1Hfo
Nats not afraid of draft prospects deemed injury risks
CSNWashington.com
http://bit.ly/1hB8nhg

NEWS RELEASE

Baker Institute ‘Viewpoints’ series explores potential for marijuana legalization in Texas
Following the legalization of retail marijuana sales in Colorado and Washington and medical marijuana in 22 states, with more to follow, marijuana legalization across the country might appear inevitable — even in “law and order” states such as Texas. The question is no longer if Texas will legalize, but when, according to a number of experts.
http://bit.ly/1nulj89