Dateline Rice for Oct. 3, 2014

FEATURED ITEM

Ebola doesn’t threaten America — Other tropical diseases do
Peter Hotez, a fellow in disease and poverty at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, authored an op-ed about Ebola’s low risk of infecting Americans in comparison with other tropical diseases.
Vice.com
http://bit.ly/1ujtQz6

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Summer stint in Hawaii inspired Rice president
Rice President David Leebron is featured for his brief time spent in Hawaii, where he passed the bar exam.
Star Advertiser (Honolulu)
http://bit.ly/1ujd8QE

Which states have the most best colleges in 2015?
Texas is among the five states whose universities account for nearly half of the top schools in U.S. News & World Report’s 2015 national rankings. Rice is cited as the highest ranked school in Texas (No. 19).
U.S. News & World Report
http://bit.ly/1rQanp8

Corporate US healthiest in decades under Obama with lower debt
Douglas Brinkley, professor of history and fellow in history at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted about the prospective positive economy that will be left after President Barack Obama’s term ends.
Business Standard
http://bit.ly/1yCaBVC

Great expectations: India under Modi, and Myanmar today
Russell Green, the Will Clayton Fellow in International Economics at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and an adjunct assistant professor of economics, is quoted about Narendra Modi, the new prime minister of India.
Myanmar Times
http://bit.ly/1r8QaFR

In Joplin, commemorating recovery – Boosting AP scores – Countdown to Election Day – Ebola sparks unease in Dallas schools
EdX is adding courses for employers and employees, which Rice will begin offering in 2015.
Politico
http://politi.co/1x6ABE6
EdX joins professional education market
The Harvard Crimson
http://bit.ly/1rIj7fB

2014 elite female runners: Becky Wade
Rice graduate Becky Wade will run in the 2014 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
NBC Chicago
http://bit.ly/YWRy7W

Prominent chemist says scientists don’t really understand evolution
James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, discusses his inability to understand evolution, and that leading chemists struggle to explain macro-evolution.
Epoch Times
http://bit.ly/1rRiMbD

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Three Texas universities in top world rankings
Rice is No. 69 on the Times Higher Education magazine’s list of the 2014-15 world university rankings.
Dallas Morning News
http://bit.ly/1nSSbvi
UT ranked top university in Texas
The Horn
http://bit.ly/1mZ5Hge

Health care news from Africa: Thumbs up for Bush, down for pharma
Hagop Kantarjian, a scholar in health policy at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, examines health care in Africa in a new blog post.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1vEEv6Z

Exxon Mobil leader sees Houston as hub of energy revolution
The new Exxon Mobil campus in north Houston is projected to be the size of Rice University.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1CIxtS3

Two talks at Rice: Religious Pluralism in a Global Secular World
José Casanova, professor of sociology at Georgetown University, will discuss the global system of religious pluralism Oct. 16 and 17 at Rice’s Herring Hall.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1rEOVo2

Voto Latino: La inmigración aún interesa a los electores hispanos
Immigration reform is vital to Hispanic voters, according to recent polls of Latino citizens in Houston. Mark Jones, the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies and professor and chair of political science and fellow in political science at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
La Voz (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1vEygAg

Rice to host energy technologies forum for university tech-transfer managers and industry reps Oct. 22-23
Rice is hosting the Association of University Technology Managers’ Partnering Forum Oct. 22-23. Nila Bhakuni, director of Rice’s Office of Technology Transfer, is quoted.
The Rancher (This article also appeared in Memorial Examiner.)
http://bit.ly/1rSAP1o

MFAH’s new curator of Islamic art vows to expand small collection
Historian Aimée Froom, who will have a joint appointment as an adjunct art professor at Rice in the spring, is interviewed.
Houstonia
http://bit.ly/1pwSqHu

Happy birthday, Gandhi! Texas Arts orgs celebrate Bapu
Japanese artist Yusuke Asai’s “Pay Dirt” installation, which will be on display at Rice Gallery through Nov. 23, is mentioned.
Glasstire
http://bit.ly/1rRE3C3
Top 5: Oct. 2, 2014
Glasstire
http://bit.ly/ZBbONv

JCC and Houston Symphony present Jeffrey Siegel’s ‘Keyboard Conversations’
Internationally renowned concert pianist Jeffrey Siegel, who has performed at Rice’s Shepherd School of Music for the past three years, will perform at the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center in Houston.
Tomball Potpourri (This article also appeared in Humble Observer, Lake Houston Observer, Kingwood Observer, Broadway World, Memorial Examiner and Bellaire Examiner.)
http://bit.ly/10p2gFG

Professor-turned-farmer now making cane syrup
Alumnus Doug Ford ’69 is featured for his interest in ribbon-cane farming and making syrup.
Marshall News Messenger
http://bit.ly/1rSRhii

Growing campus sex assault numbers show more reporting, experts say
A front page Chronicle story about sexual assault cases that go unreported on college campuses mentions Rice’s low number of reported sexual assaults.
Houston Chronicle (This appeared on the front page. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1oGYw87

BROADCAST

Biomedical patents
Kirstin Matthews, an adjunct lecturer of sociology and a fellow in science and technology policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, discusses the patenting process in the biotechnology field on Inside Higher Ed’s “Academic Minute.”
Inside Higher Ed
http://bit.ly/1pwO2YS

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Scientists manipulate split proteins to detect interactions in living cells
Rice scientists collaborated with Baylor College of Medicine to add sticky tags to fluorescent proteins to become biosensors when inserted in living cells, which may be valuable for studying protein interactions responsible for diseases. Jonathan Silberg, associate professor of biochemistry and cell biology, is quoted. Graduate student Naresh Pandey is mentioned.
Phys.org
http://bit.ly/1sRgMm4

Platinum meets its match in quantum dots from coal
James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, and his lab combined the graphene quantum dots he created last year with microscopic sheets of graphene to create a hybrid that could cut the cost of generating energy with fuel cells. Graduate students and co-authors of the study Ruquan Ye, Conglan Ye, Yongji Gong, Zhiwei Peng and Errol Samuel; research technician Xiujun Fan; and Pulickel Ajayan, the Benjamin M. and Mary Greenwood Anderson Professor in Materials Science and NanoEngineering and of chemistry, are mentioned.
Space Daily (This article also appeared in IDTechEx.com and Electronic Component News.)
http://bit.ly/1vA2cwq
Researchers develop new catalyst for hydrogen fuel cells
Hydrogen Fuel News
http://bit.ly/1nTmWAh
Fuel Cell più economiche grazie al graphene
Green Style (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1ujq9tt

Study: Biochar alters water flow to improve sand and clay
New research from Rice and Colorado College explains the contradictory ability to make clay soils drain faster and sandy soils drain slower.
National Science Foundation
http://1.usa.gov/1r981MK

There is still much to learn, even for CEOs
Bill Glick, dean of Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business, authored an op-ed about business education.
Smart Business
http://bit.ly/1vDeKoK

Honoring our partners in the industry
Linbeck, a top contractor responsible for the James Turrell’s “Twilight Epiphany” Skyspace on the Rice campus, received the award for General Contractor of the Year for 2014 from Marek Brothers.
Marek Bros (This article also appeared in Construction Citizen.)
http://bit.ly/1r8AmTr

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Spin-outs educating for $20M investments
Rice’s OpenStax College is a finalist for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Next Generation Courseware challenge worth $20 million.
Global University Venturing
http://bit.ly/Z0iZht

Beyond marijuana: Legalize all drugs
Dean Becker, a nonresident research associate and member of the Drug Policy Program at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted about the legalization of marijuana.
The Intelligencer (This article also appeared in NVDaily.com, Daily Herald, National Memo and the Times.)
http://bit.ly/ZAFevn

SPORTS

Hawaii football: Three keys to a Warriors’ win over Rice
Rice football will play against the University of Hawaii Oct. 4 at Rice Stadium.
MWC Connection
http://bit.ly/1pwCxAS
Hawaii (1-3) at Rice (1-3) (ET)
Kansas City Star (Similar articles appeared in Charleston Gazette, Tulsa World, Charleston Daily Mail and Daily Sentinel.)
http://bit.ly/1mZqEaT
College football predictions: Can TCU upset Sooners?
NewsOK.com
http://bit.ly/1vAKium

As budding talent, Rendon enjoyed comforts of home
Alumnus Anthony Rendon ’12 is featured. Head baseball coach Wayne Graham is mentioned.
MLB.com
http://atmlb.com/1mZcYN7

NEWS RELEASES

Rice to host energy technologies forum for university tech-transfer managers and industry reps
Rice is hosting the Association of University Technology Managers’ Partnering Forum Oct. 22-23.
http://bit.ly/1pwMHBq

A protein approach to halve and to whole
Rice University scientists have developed a plug-and-play approach to detect interactions between proteins they say could greatly improve understanding of basic biological functions.
http://bit.ly/10oXVCj