Dateline Rice for Dec. 15, 2014 (Weekend Edition)

FEATURED ITEM

Material question
Graphene, the remarkably thin and strong form of carbon, is the topic of a New Yorker feature that details both its promise and the hurdles that stand in the way of its commercial success. James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering who holds dozens of patents for graphene-based technologies, is featured. Cyrus Mody, assistant professor of history; research scientist Paul Cherukuri; and graduate students Loïc Samuels and Ruquan Ye are quoted. Graduate student Alexander Slesarev, postdoctoral researcher Zhiwei Peng and the late Richard Smalley are mentioned.
The New Yorker
http://nyr.kr/1DAuFtW

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

‘Lone Star Nation,’ by Richard Parker
A review of “Lone Star Nation” by Richard Parker mentions Rice’s research on Missouri City’s diverse community.
New York Times
http://nyti.ms/1wAniwj

Bill Graham, Louis Zamperini and the 2 nights in 1949 that changed their lives
William Martin, the Harry and Hazel Chavanne Senior Fellow in Religion and Public Policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, reflects on preacher Billy Graham.
Huffington Post
http://huff.to/1xlrenr

Robot swarm! NYC exhibit uses bots to teach math
Robots developed by James McLurkin, assistant professor of computer science, will be featured at Manhattan’s National Museum of Mathematics starting Dec. 14.
Yahoo! News (This article also appeared in Yahoo! Philippines, UK and Ireland and ZA.)
http://yhoo.it/1zfvmoH

HOUSTON/TEXAS

DePinho, Ramondetta: Fight against HPV requires that we roll up our sleeves
Leaders from academia, government and the media gathered at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy Dec. 3 to discuss the human papillomavirus (HPV), its impact on cancer and other diseases, and opportunities and challenges associated with prevention through vaccination programs.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1ITDZtd

Energy, industries utilize chemical engineers’ expertise
Chemical engineering jobs increase in value, pay and career growth based on education. Michael Wong, professor and chair of chemical and biomolecular engineering and of chemistry, mentions that Rice chemical engineering students begin finding jobs during their senior year.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1wT4Xhc

Clock tower will get up and running again
The owners of the Heights Clock Tower plan to renovate the top floors of the building into office areas and apartment space. Nonya Grenader, professor in the practice of architecture, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (This appeared on the front of the Business section. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/12CqT2j

Student blog: How Houston benefits from Mexico’s energy reform
Will Rice College Junior Alex Haer authored a blog post detailing Houston’s economic growth potential from Mexico’s energy reform.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1vSdxWD

Neuroscientists nab top prize in gingerbread-contest
Rice neuroscientists won the top prize at the 2014 AIA Gingerbread Bake Off with their model of the Grand Budapest Hotel from the Wes Anderson film. Rice University School of Architecture was second runner-up with its project row houses.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article also appeared in DailyNews724 and San Antonio Express-News.)
http://bit.ly/1wagSoU

In the garden with Urban Harvest: Mandarin a top pick for best local fruit tree
The Urban Harvest fruit tree sale will be Jan. 17 at Rice Stadium.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1uJ9YSa

How one race could chart Texas Democrats’ future
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, authored an op-ed about Leticia Van de Putte’s potential win for mayor of San Antonio and how it could reshape the future of Texas’ Democratic Party. Jones is also quoted about the 2013 Merry Christmas law, Houston’s budget deficit and Texas House Speaker Joe Straus.
TribTalk.org
http://bit.ly/1svg9Pv
Don’t mess with Christmas — or any other holiday — in Texas
The Day (This article also appeared in Star-Telegram, The State, McClatchyDC, Bellingham Herald, Gazette Net, Texas Sentinel, Bend Bulletin, ArcaMax and Yakima Herald.
http://bit.ly/1GoLVAy
City deficit not as big as feared
Off the Kuff
http://bit.ly/1svkLp3
Joe Straus builds momentum, support ahead of session
Statesman.com
http://bit.ly/1DBlqJW

Certified Houston genius celebrated by the city’s most elite movers and shakers
Rice President David Leebron attended a reception for Rick Lowe, who was recently named a MacArthur Foundation Fellow.
CultureMap Houston
http://bit.ly/1zfvULh

Area opinions: NFL won’t progress with Goodell
Texas’ odds of facing drug cartel violence may just be hype. Tony Payan, the Baker Institute’s Françoise and Edward Djerejian Fellow for Mexico Studies and director of the institute’s Mexico Center, explains that the term “drug cartel” is outdated and does not apply to crime in Mexico. Payan is also quoted about Republicans using immigration to rally their base.
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
http://bit.ly/1wSG3hV
Rangel: Texas leadership does a 180 on changing immigration issues
Amarillo Globe-News
http://bit.ly/1AzdmDT

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

New study reveals DNA organization in the nucleus; plus highly recommended video
In a triumph for cell biology, researchers have assembled the first high-resolution, 3-D maps of entire folded genomes and found a structural basis for gene regulation — a kind of “genomic origami” that allows the same genome to produce different types of cells. Erez Lieberman Aiden, adjunct assistant professor in computational and applied mathematics and in computer science, is quoted.
Evolution News
http://bit.ly/1GHLnE6
Researchers assemble first high-resolution, 3-D maps of folded genomes
News-Medical (This article also appeared in MedCityNews and BioScience Technology.)
http://bit.ly/1GoJduE
3-D maps find loops in human genome
NDTV Gadgets
http://bit.ly/12VJczE

Supercapacitors: Future of electric powered cars
Researchers from Rice and Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia, co-developed lightweight “supercapacitors” that can be combined with regular batteries to boost the power of an electric car. Matteo Pasquali, professor and chair of chemistry and professor of chemical and bimolecular engineering, and graduate student Francesca Mirri are quoted.
Bio & Tech Insights
http://bit.ly/136y1E4

Defects are perfect in laser-induced graphene
Researchers at Rice University have created flexible, patterned sheets of multilayer graphene from a cheap polymer by burning it with a computer-controlled laser. James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, and Boris Yakobson, the Karl F. Hasselmann Professor of Materials Science and NanoEngineering and professor of chemistry, are quoted. Alumnus Jian Lin ’96 is mentioned.
Domain-b.com (This article also appeared in Memorial Examiner, Fort Bend Sun, Bellaire Examiner, Uni-Online, Innovations Report, Converting Guide and Materials Today.)
http://bit.ly/1wxtSFe

Fossil fuel boom rewiring North America’s energy infrastructure
The energy industry is struggling to create a system that limits risk and disruption while moving oil and natural gas across the country. Kenneth Medlock III, the James A. Baker III and Susan Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics and lecturer of economics, is quoted.
New Security Beat
http://bit.ly/1GoTbw3

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

My response to John Piper’s comments about Arminians
Alumnus Roger Olson ’82 authored a blog post in response to Pastor John Piper’s dismissal of personal Arminian influence.
Patheos
http://bit.ly/1GoQLxy

SPORTS

Hawaii Bowl Q&A: Talking Rice Owls football with Underdog Dynasty
Underdog Dynasty’s Adam Rosenfield is interviewed about Rice football. Head football coach David Bailiff is mentioned. Rice football will play at this year’s Hawaii Bowl Dec. 24 at Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium against California State University, Fresno.
MWCConnection (Similar articles appeared in over 40 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1zfYR9D

13 points in 35 seconds
Will Rice College junior Senthil Natarajan authored an essay about Tracy McGrady’s memorable 13 point score in 35 seconds.
Houston Chronicle (This article appeared in the Houston Chronicle’s “Gray Matters” online magazine. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1ySyCCo

NEWS RELEASES

Baker Institute paper: No need yet for US to engage in Nigerian civil war
The United States should not engage in the Nigerian civil war, according to a new policy paper from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. The paper examines the implications of the civil war currently underway in Nigeria between the Salafi-jihadi group popularly called Boko Haram and the country’s military.
http://bit.ly/1wxPYaE

Nanomedicine expert joins Rice faculty
Gang Bao brings his expertise in precision genome engineering, nanotechnology and molecular imaging to Rice’s Department of Bioengineering through a grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.
http://bit.ly/1zopJTU