Dateline Rice for Aug. 29, 2014

FEATURED ITEM

The next boom
James Turrell’s “Twilight Epiphany” Skyspace on the Rice campus is mentioned and pictured in an article about Houston becoming a more pleasant place to live and visit.
Condé Nast Traveler
http://bit.ly/1qngWNE

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Tectonic plates in the Pacific are not so rigid
Richard Gordon, the W. M. Keck Professor in Geophysics and chair of the Department of Earth Science, and his colleague, Corné Kreemer, an associate professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, have determined that cooling of the lithosphere — the outermost layer of Earth — makes some sections of the Pacific plate contract horizontally at faster rates than others and cause the plate to deform.
Futurity
http://bit.ly/VQLRXQ
Pacific plate shrinking as it cools
Terra Daily (This article also appeared in Memorial Examiner, Bellaire Examiner, Fort Bend Sun and Sugar Land Sun.)
http://bit.ly/1n3mKZf

The flawed stigma of short men in America
The height of a potential partner matters more to women than to men, and mostly for femininity and protection. Rice’s collaborative research with the University of North Texas is cited.
Playboy
http://bit.ly/VQigOd

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Why I care about the Dome
Will Rice College junior Senthil Natarajan authored an essay about the Astrodome.
Houston Chronicle (This article appeared in the Houston Chronicle’s “Gray Matters” online magazine. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1u4ZNsJ

Ensembles keeping scene vibrant in new seasons
Colombian violinist and conductor Andrés Orozco-Estrada will bring the Houston Symphony to Rice’s Alice Pratt Brown Hall for concerts and a discussion.
Houston Chronicle (This appeared on the front of the Star section. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1C9MdKd

Winning women: Erica Harris
Alumna Erica Harris ’93 is featured.
Texas Lawyer
http://bit.ly/1qn42ze

Styles clash when Bloodhounds, Bearkats meet
Alumnus Phillip Money ’84 is mentioned.
Brownsville Herald
http://bit.ly/1u4Rxci

BROADCAST

What will the opening of Mexican oil mean for Houston’s economy?
Tony Payan, the Françoise and Edward Djerejian Fellow for Mexico Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and director of the Baker Institute’s Mexico Center, discusses the opportunities Mexico’s energy regulation could provide Houston oil and gas companies.
Houston Public Media’s “Houston Matters”
http://bit.ly/1C9DPub

Iran may be unlikely ally against ISIS
Joe Barnes, the Bonner Means Baker Fellow at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted about the United States’ allies in the battle against the Islamic State terrorist group ISIS.
KTRH-AM (This article also appeared in KODA-FM.)
http://bit.ly/1rEkwXs

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Synthesis produces new antibiotic: Scientists confirm potent synthesis of natural tetracycline
K.C. Nicolaou, the Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Professor of Chemistry, and Vice Provost for Research Yousif Shamoo and their colleagues created and tested a number of variants of viridicatumtoxin B that could lead to the simplified synthesis of a new generation of more effective antibiotics.
Phys.org (This article also appeared in Science 2.0, Monthly Prescribing Reference, Bio-Medicine, Science Codex, Bio Portfolio, HealthCanal, Drug Discovery and Development, Infection Control Today and News-Medical.)
http://bit.ly/1nJzkNe
Synthesis produces new antibiotic
Infection Control Today
http://bit.ly/XWjqtb
Lab-created antibiotic could be new superbug weapon
EMPR.com
http://bit.ly/1qmXiRY
Now, fungus-derived antibiotic may help in fighting bacteria
ANINews.in (This article also appeared in Net India 123 and MedIndia.)
http://bit.ly/1thdEPO

New solutions needed to recycle fracking water
Rice scientists determined advanced recycling of water produced by hydraulic fracturing could save millions of gallons of fresh water a year. Andrew Barron, the Charles W. Duncan Jr.-Welch Professor of Chemistry and professor of materials science, is quoted.
Phys.org (This article also appeared in Science 2.0, Breaking Energy, DailyNewsEn.com, Hispanic Business, Homeland Security Newswire and Science Codex.)
http://bit.ly/1rCLi2A
Researchers recommend eco-friendly solutions to recycle frack water
Water World
http://bit.ly/XYlErW

Texas roundup: New funds for Bellicum, AirStrip and Green & Grow
The University of Texas at Austin partnered with Rice and Texas A&M University for a $3.75 million grant from the National Science Foundation for academic researchers to venture into the business world.
Xconomy
http://bit.ly/1orqCCL
3 Texas universities will work to move research into the marketplace quicker
Campus Technology
http://bit.ly/1lkO9dE

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Eve was framed, the serpent was right!
Jeffrey Kripal, the J. Newton Rayzor Professor of Religion, is mentioned for the Patheos articles about his discussions and book, “”Comparing Religions: Coming to Terms.”
Patheos
http://bit.ly/1B11mMu

Scholars: Boko Haram caliphate claim may be inspired by ISIS
David Cook, associate professor of religious studies, is quoted about Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau’s declaration of a caliphate in Nigeria.
Patheos (This article also appeared in Angelus: The Tidings Online.)
http://bit.ly/1pcxCDA

Little known black history fact: Cortlan Wickliff, the 2nd-youngest Harvard Law graduate
Alumnus Cortlan Wickliff ’10 is featured.
My Majic DC (This article also appeared in WJYD-FM.)
http://bit.ly/1oszMPr

SPORTS

Pregame 6-pack: At long last, the season begins
The Aug. 30 Rice football game against Notre Dame is featured.
NBC Sports (Similar article also appeared in Bleacher Report, WNDU-TV, Notre Dame 247 Sports, Cardinal Sports, Port Arthur News, Gillette News Record, Play USA and over 250 media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1ppL4Kj
Big neutral site games highlight opening weekend
New York Times (This article also appeared in Lancaster Eagle-Gazette, Central Florida Future, Yahoo! Sports, Herald-Journal, Henderson Daily News and Herald & Review.)
http://nyti.ms/1u53xut
CB Riggs’ role expands after Notre Dame probe
Yahoo! Sports (This article also appeared in KRIV-TV and 22 other media outlets.)
http://yhoo.it/1qblSqc
KPRC-TV
http://bit.ly/1qbkHal
KTRH-AM (Similar broadcasts appeared in 21 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/VVlVdf
WSBT-TV (South Bend, Ind.)
http://bit.ly/1B0X5bP
WBND-TV (South Bend, Ind.)
http://bit.ly/1rEg7Up

College football rewind: Kenny Hill proves Aggies fine without Manziel
The Sept. 13 football game against Texas A&M is mentioned.
CBSSports.com
http://cbsprt.co/1osq0Nh
Hill-led Aggies hang 52 on No. 9 Gamecocks in SEC opener
Fox Sports
http://foxs.pt/1n3Bibn
Mountain West coaches weigh in on Wyoming coach Craig Bohl
Trib.com
http://bit.ly/1pcD7SM

3 NBC Sports Network games highlight 2014-15 men’s basketball schedule
Rice men’s basketball will play College of William & Mary Nov. 22.
Tribe Athletics
http://bit.ly/XYnMjt

Volleyball: New-look volleyball team hopes to move up the conference ladder
Rice women’s volleyball will play California State University, Fresno.
The Collegian
http://bit.ly/1u4RVYc

NEWS RELEASE

Baker Institute expert ranks Texas counties from most liberal to most conservative
Using data from University of Texas/Texas Tribune polls of registered Texas voters, Rice University political scientist Mark Jones ranked 20 counties in the Lone Star State from most liberal to most conservative. Travis County, home to Austin, is by far the state’s most liberal county; Brazoria County is the most ideologically conservative.
http://bit.ly/1lkSXzL