Dateline Rice for Sept. 2, 2014 (Weekend Edition)

FEATURED ITEM

2015 best colleges preview: Top 10 best value schools
Rice is included and pictured in an alphabetical listing of U.S. News & World Reports’ top 10 Best Value Schools in the national universities category for 2015.  The actual rankings will be announced Sept. 9. Rice’s 2014 ranking among national universities is mentioned in a Texas Monthly article.
U.S. News & World Report
http://bit.ly/1qx2q6h
Are Texas A&M and UTEP 2 of the top 10 schools in America?
Texas Monthly
http://bit.ly/1ugzyAK

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

What ISIS’s leader really wants
David Cook, associate professor of religious studies, is quoted about the appointment of Abu Bakr al Baghdadi as Caliph of all Muslims and the Prince of the Believers.
New Republic
http://bit.ly/1rd43XT
African extremists: Islamic State offers grim inspiration
Yahoo! News South Africa (This article also appeared in Yahoo! Maktoob and 15 other media outlets.)
http://yhoo.it/1oAoV66
The secrets of Isil: A revealing history of the new caliphate
FreeNewsPOS.com
http://bit.ly/1utYjIL

Is Wendy Davis’ political star fading in Texas gubernatorial race?
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 Sen. Wendy Davis’ current standing in the Texas governor campaign, the battle for Senate District 10 and Sen. Ted Cruz’s speech at the Labor Day Weekend Americans for Prosperity National Convention in Dallas.
Fox News
http://fxn.ws/1lwfKbS
Davis still running, but scenery isn’t changing
Star-Telegram
http://bit.ly/1qXmqwj
Abbott’s Houston raid didn’t end with arrests, but shut down voter drive
Dallas Morning News
http://bit.ly/VY99ep
Battle for Senate District 10 escalates
Star-Telegram
http://bit.ly/1A1FPkj
Texas governor’s race: Sure thing? Or stunning upset?
Star-Telegram
http://bit.ly/1qxaFza
How Greg Abbott backing out of only statewide debate could help his campaign
Texas Public Radio
http://bit.ly/1Cmr6EL
Perry versus Cruz?
KTSA.com
http://bit.ly/1plrPf7

New digital textbook that adapts to your level of knowledge as you read
Rice’s OpenStax College will add 10 new titles to its catalog of free textbooks by 2017, thanks to grants from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, Rice alumni John Doerr ’73 and Ann Doerr ’75 and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Richard Baraniuk, the Victor E. Cameron Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and founding director of Rice’s OpenStax College, is quoted.
International Business Times
http://bit.ly/1qXE4zU

Morning roundup for Sept. 2
Michael Emerson, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology, is mentioned for the research he co-authored on the race perception difference among black and white Christians.
Christianity Today
http://bit.ly/1w2Lu9q

Tesla aims to create new batteries capable of going 500 miles on single charge
Tesla Motors is creating a battery that will last 500 miles with graphene-based anodes. Rice researcher’s study of graphene mixed with vanadium oxide to create battery cathodes that recharge in 20 seconds is referenced.
Examiner.com
http://exm.nr/1oAtQUu

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Texas shouldn’t settle for third on R&D spending
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. Brad Burke, managing director of the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1ufCrl8

Critics question Abbott’s 2010 Houston voter raid
Rice’s Houston census data is cited.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This Associated Press article also appeared in Montgomery County Courier, Jacksonville Daily Progress, KOSA-TV and Longview News-Journal.)
http://bit.ly/1B9RdNH

Shelton, Vickery: Houston not chained to re-create sprawling past
Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research’s 2014 Houston Area Survey is cited in an article about the outlook of Houston’s future.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1oAuNMy

Jewish studies programs going ‘mainstream’
Administrators at Texas Christian University contacted Matthias Henze, the Isla Carroll and Percy E. Turner Professor of Biblical Studies and professor of religious studies, for guidance on establishing a larger Jewish studies program for the university. Henze’s Jewish studies program at Rice is mentioned as a valued part of Houston’s Jewish community.
Jewish Herald-Voice
http://bit.ly/Y8CEvQ

Abbott to call for credit for massive online courses
Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott’s proposed education plan allows students to receive college credit for completing massive open online courses. Rice is mentioned for its Coursera courses.
Texas Tribune
http://bit.ly/1q6RWfa

Burnam claim about Russia having greater partisan representation than Texas is misleading
Jonathan Ludwig, senior lecturer of Russian, is quoted about Russia’s interest in partisan representation.
PolitiFact Texas
http://bit.ly/1sQm5O1

Arty real estate: Bold painter’s unique Houston home and studio goes on sale for $200,000
The unique home designed by alumnus Brett Zamore ’99 is for sale.
CultureMap Houston
http://bit.ly/1qiH2CJ

Bold new Astrodome plan: A mega farmers market with a high-tech twist would blossom into real revenue
Rice’s farmer’s market is mentioned.
CultureMap Houston
http://bit.ly/1tXfN1P

Houston Symphony announces November events
Colombian violinist and conductor Andrés Orozco-Estrada will bring the Houston Symphony to Rice’s Alice Pratt Brown Hall for concerts and a discussion.
Lake Houston Observer (This article also appeared in the Humble Observer, Kingwood Observer and Atascocita Observer.)
http://bit.ly/W6USMh

BROADCAST

Where cotton is king, controversy erupts over rail yard
The increase in Houston train traffic is due to oil and gas demands, which may disrupt the cotton fields in Mumford, a town northwest of Bryan-College Station. Kenneth Medlock III, the James A. Baker III and Susan Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics and lecturer of economics, is quoted.
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/1ugCjSw

Houston family whips up new twist on the Ice Bucket Challenge
The family of 4-year-old Bennett Nester, who is treated for brain cancer, challenged the Rice tennis team to participate in the “whipped-cream pies in the face challenge” to “whip” childhood cancer.
KHOU.com
http://bit.ly/1A0YDAm

Roundtable: Minimum wage, Bill Fulton and Bud Selig Plaza
William “Bill” Fulton will be the new director of Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research.
KPBS.org
http://bit.ly/1qc6slC

Dreams and hallucinations: Cellist Patrick Moore performs new work
Alumnus Patrick Moore ’07 is featured.
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/1q7Kkcp

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Binary metal oxide surface goes electrocatalytic
Rice researchers developed an inexpensive simple way to fabricate binary metal oxides with active edges for electrocatalytic reactions. James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, is quoted.
Nanotechweb.org
http://bit.ly/1plImQ8

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.
Environmental Research Web (This article also appeared in Fierce Energy and Laboratory Talk.)
http://bit.ly/1CmgMfP
Rice researchers propose solutions for recycling fracking water
World Industrial Reporter (This article also appeared in Green Car Congress.)
http://bit.ly/1plUgJW
Rice University scientists seek long-term answers to stem increase of water use at wells
Spring Observer (This article also appeared in the Bellaire Examiner, Memorial Examiner and Fort Bend Sun.)
http://bit.ly/1rKB4xf

CMOS biomimicry: Biomimetic photodetector ‘sees’ in color
Rice researchers created a CMOS-compatible, biomimetic color photodetector that responds to red, green and blue light much like the human eye. 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.
Science Codex (This article also appeared in New Electronics and Electronics Weekly.)
http://bit.ly/1reCzBi

Now, fungus-derived antibiotic may help in fighting bacteria
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.
Business Standard (This article also appeared in NewKerala, WebIndia123.com, Sify.com, TopNews.in, NetIndia123 and Asian News International.)
http://bit.ly/1plS05e
Da un fungo la soluzione ai batteri resistenti agli antibiotic
La Stampa (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/Y8UTBl
Batteri resistenti: da un fungo, forse l’idea vincente per sconfiggerli
Benessere.Guidone.it (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1utEeSP

Pacific tectonic plates contracts as lithosphere cools
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.
Angle Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1rKTkGw
Tectonic plates in the pacific are not so rigid
Epoch Times
http://bit.ly/1nvxb8e

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Facebook data scientists: Who are they and what do they do?
Hadley Wickham, adjunct assistant professor of statistics, is quoted about the use of data scientists.
Liberty Voice
http://bit.ly/1x6h62d

A moderate Bush wins NYT kudos for climate change concern, unlike anti-‘climate science’ ideology of Texas GOP
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 Texas’ “state of denial” concerning climate change.
NewsBusters.org
http://bit.ly/1reOLlp

UL struggles to close gender pay gap
Alumna Judith Gentry ’69 is featured for her fight for gender equality at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
The Advertiser
http://bit.ly/1nSi34K

SPORTS

Golson, Notre Dame overpower Rice
Rice football fell to University of Notre Dame 48-17 at Notre Dame Stadium. Head football coach David Bailiff is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/Y8ZByU
Golson leads No. 17 Irish to 48-17 win over Rice
CBSSports.com (Similar articles appeared in more than 1,000 media outlets.)
http://cbsprt.co/1sXfqlh
ESPN News
http://bit.ly/1A1U1d3 (Similar broadcasts appeared in more than 400 other media outlets.)

NCAA week one review: Sumlin makes the difference at Texas A&M
The Sept. 13 Rice football game against Texas A&M is mentioned.
KPRC-TV (This article also appeared in WDSU-TV and 55 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1ugstQA

A long trip to ND didn’t stop the faithful Owl fans
A group of Rice students traveled to Indiana to attend Rice’s game against Notre Dame.
ABC57.com
http://bit.ly/1oAmlx1

Lamar soccer blanked by Rice
Rice women’s soccer won against Lamar University 2-0 at the Lamar Soccer Complex.
12NewsNow.com
http://bit.ly/1utfeeG

Jones part of Rice University football team
Baker College sophomore Adrian Jones is featured.
The Ridgefield Press
http://bit.ly/1lwdIIV

NEWS RELEASES

NSF renews grant for biological physics research at Rice
Rice University has received a five-year, $11.75 million grant from the National Science Foundation to support the Center for Theoretical Biological Physics.
http://bit.ly/Z5REL9

Rice’s Glasscock School invites Houston to head back to school Sept. 3
Rice University’s Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies invites the Houston community to head back to school this fall at its first “Fall Preview” Sept. 3.
http://bit.ly/W6L0m2