Dateline Rice for Sept. 26, 2014

FEATURED ITEMS

The desperation of migrant children
Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Sonia Nazario, who spoke at Rice as part of its President’s Lecture Series, is featured.
Houston Chronicle (This article appeared in the Houston Chronicle’s “Gray Matters” online magazine. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1n9oRk2

Rice alumni get insider tour of China
Rice President David Leebron and University Representative Y. Ping Sun discuss the upcoming educational trip to China for 40 Rice alumni. Sonny Lim, special assistant for international collaborations; Richard Smith, the George and Nancy Rupp Professor of Humanities and professor of history; Steven Lewis, the C.V. Starr Transnational China Fellow at the Baker Institute and professor in the practice and interim director of the Chao Center for Asian Studies; and Qian Nanxiu, associate professor of Chinese literature, are mentioned.
China Daily
http://bit.ly/ZWLRbf

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Biochar changes how water flows through soil
New research from Rice and Colorado College explains the contradictory ability to make clay soils drain faster and sandy soils drain slower. Caroline Masiello, associate professor of Earth science and co-author of the study, and Brandon Dugan, associate professor of Earth science, are quoted.
Futurity (This article also appeared in Tri-State Neighbor, Innovations Report and Environmental Research Web.)
http://bit.ly/1BgNTOU

GTT ★
Japanese artist Yusuke Asai’s “Pay Dirt” installation will be on display at Rice Gallery Oct. 2-Nov. 23.
New York Times (Subscription required.)
http://nyti.ms/1sxUeGP

He’s no longer a prisoner of the war on drugs
Billy Ray Wheelock was granted clemency by President Barack Obama and released from prison despite his life sentence for cocaine as part of the nation’s mandatory drug-sentencing laws. Nathan Jones, the Alfred C. Glassell III Postdoctoral Fellow in Drug Policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
Los Angeles Times
http://lat.ms/YiLg2a

UNC endowment joins movement away from fossil fuels
The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill proposed its endowment to invest in clean energy alternatives. Allison Thacker, Rice’s vice president for investments and treasurer and Rice Management Company’s chief investment officer and president, and Peter Hartley, professor of economics, are quoted about Rice’s investments.
Fund Fire (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1wNtIaH

Exxon’s sanctions hall pass undermines anti-Putin push
After Exxon Mobil Corp. campaigned to warn U.S. officials to halt work with Russian oil company Rosneft, the Obama administration issued a two-week reprieve from sanctions on Russia. Kenneth Medlock III, the James A. Baker III and Susan Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics and lecturer of economics, is quoted.
Bloomberg
http://bloom.bg/1rxUK5H
Exxon’s arctic well reprieve undercuts oil sanctions on Russia
Energy Voice
http://bit.ly/1yu89QV

‘Indian scientists are more religious’
According to the first cross-national study of religion and spirituality, Indian scientists are more religious than United Kingdom scientists. The results were presented at the Religion Among Scientists in International Context Study conference in London, which is co-sponsored by Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. Elaine Howard Ecklund, the Herbert S. Autrey Chair and Professor of Sociology, co-director of the Boniuk Institute for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance and director of Rice’s Religion and Public Life Program, is quoted.
The Asian Age (This article also appeared in Britain News and 11 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1CtlWWF
Indian scientists more religious than British peers
The Free Press Journal
http://bit.ly/1yu9iI9

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Is it getting easier to get into college?
According to researchers at Noodle.com, it is easier to get into the nation’s top colleges today than it was 30 years ago. Rice’s record-breaking 17,731 applications received for fall 2014 undergraduates is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1uM7Fzs

Powell, others offer praise for pre-K effort
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell spoke at the Early Matters Summit held on the Rice campus this morning.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1qCIkEj

For commissioner
Alumnus R. Jack Cagle ’83, Harris County Commissioner, is featured.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1yu7DCD

The Texas city with the highest Obamacare cost is …
According to a study from Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Episcopal Health Foundation, it is more expensive to get the Affordable Care Act plan in Dallas than Houston, Austin and San Antonio.
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1mycWvh

What Hispanic voter record is Abbott trying to break?
Mark Jones, the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies, professor and chair of political science and fellow in political science at Rice University’s Baker Institute, is quoted about the representation of Hispanic voters in exit polls, United States-Argentina relations and Sen. Wendy Davis and Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott’s campaign strategy.
San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/1yu7fE6
EE.UU. considera a la Argentina fuera de su agenda y no responde las críticas
Yahoo! Noticias (An English translation is not available. Similar articles appeared in more than 32 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1Cti9Zc
After debate, gubernatorial candidates predict victory
Beaumont Enterprise
http://bit.ly/Yk5Gbt
KTSA-AM (San Antonio)
http://bit.ly/1Bh2Hx5

Dr. Jack Dongarra first TIAS Faculty Fellow in Department of Computer Science and Engineering
The Texas A&M University Institute for Advanced Study named Jack Dongarra, adjunct professor of computer science at Rice, a TIAS 2014-15 Faculty Fellow.
TAMU.edu
http://bit.ly/1sxyRFI

Arts in the classroom receive a major boost from heavy hitters and a TV news star
Marcia Brennan, professor of religion and art history and faculty fellow in the Center for Teaching Excellence, attended the Community Artists’ Collective annual luncheon.
CultureMap Houston
http://bit.ly/1CtqDzM

Craft beer gets company: Houston’s first distillery opens amid the brewery craze, bringing the hard stuff
Alumnus Ryan Baird ’12 is featured for his legal whiskey distillery, which is Houston’s first.
CultureMap Houston
http://bit.ly/YjPl6q

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Work-life balance: Kid-friendly digs
An article about work-career balance for faculty who are trying to get tenure and start families quotes Caroline Masiello, associate professor of Earth science, and 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.
Nature.com
http://bit.ly/1royLwu

50 great cities for studying computers and technology
Houston is ranked No. 21 among 50 great cities for studying computers and technology, and the write-up spotlights Rice in the section “Best Local Colleges” and notes that U.S. News & World Report ranks Rice’s computer science program No. 20 in the United States. Rice’s No. 19 overall ranking among national universities, its No. 29 “College ROI Report” ranking and its successful scholars, Nobel laureates and Pulitzer Prize winners are mentioned also.
Computer Science Degree Hub
http://bit.ly/1qCdFXG

Hard facts lead to ‘green’ concrete
Rouzbeh Shahsavari, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, is quoted about the computational models created by an international team of scientists to help concrete manufacturers perfect mixes for general applications.
Phys.org
http://bit.ly/1pgBp4a

2-D material’s crystalline defects key to new properties
An international team of researchers studied the movement of atoms to better understand how to develop materials with unique characteristics. Boris Yakobson, the Karl F. Hasselmann Professor of Materials Science and NanoEngineering and professor of chemistry, and postdoctoral researchers Xiaolong Zou and Zhuhua Zhang contributed to the research.
Controlled Environments
http://bit.ly/1rkdsyr

Tropical disease prevalence in Latin America presents opportunity for US, Baker Institute expert says
Peter Hotez, a fellow in disease and poverty at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted about the increasing tropical disease prevalence in Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Venezuela.
Latinos Health (This article also appeared in Science Codex, Bio-Medicine and HealthCanal.)
http://bit.ly/1roJNBY

Teijin Aramid’s carbon nanotube fibers awarded with Paul Schlack prize: New generation super fibers bring wave of innovations to fiber market
Matteo Pasquali, professor of chemical and biological engineering and of chemistry, received the honorary Paul Shlack prize granted by the European Man-made Fibers Association for the development of a new generation of super fibers using carbon nanotubes.
Nanotechnology Now (This article also appeared in JEC Composites Magazine.)
http://bit.ly/1syigS2

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Wikipedia grows up on college campuses
Diana Strassmann, the Carolyn and Fred McManis Distinguished Professor in the Practice of the Humanities and director of Rice’s Program on Poverty, Justice and Human Capabilities in the Center for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality, is quoted about the board of the Wiki Education Foundation’s goal to engage professors and students to become active contributors to Wikipedia.
Myrtle Beach Online (This article also appeared in Modesto Bee, Belleville News-Democrat, Sun News, Merced Sun-Star, Bradenton Herald, McClatchy Company, Fresno Bee, Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Daily Star.)
http://bit.ly/1t2jFL2

SPORTS

Driphus Jackson’s dislocated shoulder was both ‘inspirational’ and ‘disgusting’ for Rice
Rice football player Driphus Jackson suffered a dislocated shoulder in the first quarter against Old Dominion. Head football coach David Bailiff and player Zach Wright are quoted.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1sy8m2T

Rice welcomes back two key starters from injury
Rice football players Jordan Taylor and Christian Covington have been cleared to play against Southern Miss.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/YjxY5s

Texas A&M strengthening schedule
Rice football’s loss to Texas A&M is mentioned. Head football coach David Bailiff is pictured.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1DDqBXr

College football betting preview: Rice Owls at Southern Miss Golden Eagles
Rice football will play Southern Mississippi University Sept. 27 at Roberts Stadium.
Sports Memo (Similar articles appeared in 38 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/YjrMdJ
Preview: Southern Miss versus Rice
Underdog Dynasty
http://bit.ly/1sy9p2W

NEWS RELEASES

Rice to host biennial De Lange Conference
More than a dozen of the country’s leading education experts will meet at Rice University Oct. 13-14 for the biennial De Lange Conference, “Teaching in the University of Tomorrow.”
http://bit.ly/1t2qBaZ

Hard facts lead to ‘green’ concrete
Concrete can be better and more environmentally friendly by paying attention to its atomic structure, according to researchers at Rice University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Marseille University.
http://bit.ly/1syfmg7

Tropical disease prevalence in Latin America presents opportunity for US, Baker Institute expert says
Recently published prevalence estimates of neglected tropical diseases in five Latin American countries — Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Venezuela — could suggest a new direction for United States foreign policy in the region, according to a tropical-disease expert at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
http://bit.ly/Yk3noO