Dateline Rice for July 18, 2014

FEATURED ITEM

KRIV-TV
Richard Stoll, the Albert Thomas Chair in Political Science and scholar at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is interviewed about the missile attack on Malaysian Airlines Flight 17.
http://bit.ly/1zR7SWm
http://bit.ly/1njjEVB

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

It takes more than practice to succeed, large-scale research finds
The importance of practice versus inborn talent is the focus of a research paper co-authored by Fred Oswald, department chair and professor of psychology.
Yahoo! (This article also appeared in Khaleej Times and 10 other media outlets.)
http://yhoo.it/1rwsQ8m

E. coli as medicine
Certain mixes of probiotics may aid in curing obesity. Jeffrey Tabor, assistant professor of bioengineering, is interviewed.
GulfNews.com
http://bit.ly/1p2pqct

Indian firms perform better with business groups and capital market: Study
According to a new study from Rice and the Indian College of Business, participating in capital markets and organization groups has a positive impact on an Indian company’s performance in the stock industry.
NewKerala.com (This article also appeared in Science Daily and 11 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1sxRrfL

Senator’s father faces Mars rocket debate
Mars Society President Robert Zubrin has challenged Franklin Chang-Diaz, adjunct professor of physics and astronomy, to a debate about whether astronauts will go to Mars.
Jamaica Plain Gazette
http://bit.ly/1n1e08K

La salud y la empresa
Janet Braam, professor and chair of biochemistry and cell biology, is featured for her research on the “entrainment” of plants.
Portafolio.co (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1n17zT2

The next religious liberty case
Gordon College President Michael Lindsay, a former sociology professor at Rice, is mentioned for his stance against President Obama’s antidiscrimination executive order.
Wall Street Journal
http://on.wsj.com/1zQMxMX

Kate Soper brings dramatic potency to Tanglewood
Alumna Kate Soper ’03 is featured.
The Boston Globe
http://bit.ly/1te2S9H

HOUSTON/TEXAS

To see the US in 2050, look at Houston now
Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth are projected to grow larger than Chicago by 2050. Rice’s 2012 study on Houston’s diversity is referenced.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1rwIwZf
Fantastika Houston
SvD Opinion
http://bit.ly/UfKfpL

BRICS bank: Not yet fully baked
Russell Green, the Will Clayton Fellow in International Economics at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and an adjunct assistant professor of economics, authored a blog post about BRICS bank’s decision to move away from Washington-style lending institutions.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1wEeNxV

Dividing Texas into 5 different states
In light of California’s recent idea to be split into six different states, a slideshow breaks up Texas into five states. Rice is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1jFnozC

Geophysicists prep for massive ‘ultrasound’ of Mount St. Helens
Scientists will set off a series of underground explosions across southwest Washington to map the plumbing system beneath Mount St. Helens. Alan Levander, the Carey Croneis Professor of Earth Science, is quoted.
Bellaire Examiner (This article also appeared in Phys.org, DailyNewsEn.com, Seattle Post Intelligencer and KOMO News.)
http://bit.ly/WmKEZ6
Scientists gathering for high-tech scan of Mount St. Helens
The Daily News
http://bit.ly/1rmCblw

Greg Abbott airs campaign ads at movie theaters to broaden audience
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 efficiency of gubernatorial candidate Greb Abbott’s movie theater ads. He is also quoted about the immigration stance of Sen. Dan Patrick and state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte.
Newsmax
http://nws.mx/1n18ras
Patrick, Van de Putte hone their immigration messages
KDBC.com (This article also appeared in Killeen Daily Herald, KWBU, KUT.org, My High Plains, KTSM.com, The Gilmer Mirror and Texas Politica.)
http://bit.ly/UfFTz3
Conservative groups: Slow state budget growth
San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/1qkwu8d

Archbishop names new Superintendent of Catholic Schools
Alumna Marti West ’88 has been named Superintendent of Catholic Schools in San Antonio.
La Prensa
http://bit.ly/1tZVN0C

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Taking great ideas from the lab to the fab
The National Science Foundation announced the first InTrans award of $3 million to a team of researchers who are designing customizable computing technologies for health care use. The research team includes experts in electrical engineering and medicine from Rice.
National Science Foundation (This article also appeared in Phys.org, Bio-Medicine and Medical Design Technology.)
http://1.usa.gov/1qkxQj6

Cell membrane proteins give up their secrets
Rice scientists have successfully analyzed transmembrane protein folding. Peter Wolynes, the D.R. Bullard-Welch Foundation Professor of Science and a professor of chemistry, is quoted.
Science 360 (This appeared on the home page.)
http://1.usa.gov/1nEMZE7
Cell membrane proteins give up their secrets
Bioscience Technology (This article also appeared in Innovations Report, Bio-Medicine, BioPortfolio, ScienceNewsline, News-Medical.net and TMCnet.com.)
http://bit.ly/1mWHoO6

Sensor amplifies molecule signatures
Rice nanophotonics experts created a unique sensor that amplifies the optical signature of molecules by about 100 billion times. Naomi Halas, the Stanley C. Moore Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of Rice’s Laboratory for Nanophotonics and professor of physics and astronomy, is quoted.
Photonics.com
http://bit.ly/1qkibQX

HealthCare.gov IT contract: Any takers?
Healthcare.gov is searching for a new technology vendor. 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.
Modern Healthcare
http://bit.ly/1tZHsBr

Arabtec PJSC: Ambition, investor greed fuel the rise and fall of top Dubai construction firm
Arabtec’s plan to expand may be halted, due to the company’s financial collapse. Jim Krane, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow for Energy Studies at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
4-Traders
http://bit.ly/1mo5MmF

Startup summer school: Houston’s Zodist, Luminostics and RaptorBird
Rice students will participate in a first-ever joint pitch day for entrepreneurs to hear from student accelerators.
Xconomy
http://bit.ly/1jU7qSQ

Daring to disrupt: Mark Dankberg’s path in satellite
Alumnus Mark Dankberg ’77 is featured.
Satellite Today
http://bit.ly/1nEFUU9

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Caged leadership fuels policy overreach
Frederick Hess, the lead faculty member for the Rice Education Entrepreneurship Program, authored an article about overcoming caged leadership.
Education Week
http://bit.ly/1mo60KA

Debate in Texas over fossil fuel-based economic growth
Texas is one of the most significant contributors to global warming, due to its excessive greenhouse emissions. 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.
Homeland Security News Wire
http://bit.ly/Wn7AYn

SPORTS

KTBC-TV
Head football coach David Bailiff is interviewed on Good Day Austin.
http://bit.ly/1qkBp8X

Rice football picked to finish 2nd in C-USA West
The Rice Owls have been picked to take second place in the West Division for the second straight season.
Examiner.com
http://exm.nr/1pjTlvk

Panthers football to be televised for 10 out of 12 games
The Rice Owls will play Florida National University Nov. 1.
FIUSM.com
http://bit.ly/1tdU2Je

Marshall’s Lattin earns spot on US track team
Rice’s Victor Lopez Classic is mentioned in an article on a high school athlete.
Sugar Land Sun
http://bit.ly/UfzyTY

CBS Sports Network
Former Owl Josh Rodriguez ’07 is profiled.
http://bit.ly/1pjLJZC

NWL notebook: Ems’ Davis on a mission
Rice baseball player Skyler Ewing is profiled.
MILB.com
http://atmilb.com/1sxCcDj

NEWS RELEASES

Expert Alert: Barnes available to comment on Malaysian Airlines Flight 17
With several different government sources now stating that Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 was brought down with a surface-to-air missile, much investigative work needs to be done to determine the missile’s origin. Joe Barnes, the Bonner Means Baker Fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is a geopolitics expert and is available to comment throughout the investigation and political fallout.
http://bit.ly/1jFjerE

Geophysicists prep for massive ‘ultrasound’ of Mount St. Helens
A small army of 75 geophysicists is set to converge on Mount St. Helens this weekend to begin final preparations for the equivalent of a combined ultrasound and CAT scan of the famous volcano’s internal plumbing. The ambitious project, a joint undertaking by Earth scientists at Rice University, the University of Washington, the University of Texas at El Paso and other institutions, requires placing more than 3,500 active seismological sensors and 23 seismic charges around the volcano over the next few days.
http://bit.ly/1mo3pQR