Dateline Rice for Dec. 16, 2014

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

The 102 smartest private colleges in America
Rice University ranks No. 11 on Business Insider’s list of the smartest private colleges in America.
Business Insider (This article also appeared in the Houston Chronicle and Yahoo! India.)
http://read.bi/1wFFNzB

Are ‘vibes’ for real?
Rice is cited for its study on the emotional value of human sweat.
Yahoo! Health
http://yhoo.it/1uU9vxM

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Optimism grows for legal pot in Texas
William Martin, the Harry and Hazel Chavanne Senior Fellow in Religion and Public Policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is interviewed about marijuana legalization in Texas.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/13u7ykR

UTMB expands its early stage life science program to all UT campuses
The University of Texas Medical Branch plans to expand its life science entrepreneurship programs next year, which will include participants from Rice. Rice’s OwlSpark is mentioned.
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/16pwfjN

Gang Bao combines genetic, nano and imaging techniques to fight disease
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. Bao and Michael Deem, John W. Cox Professor of Biochemical and Genetic Engineering, are quoted.
Bellaire Examiner (This article also appeared in Sugar Land Sun, Fort Bend Sun and Memorial Examiner.)
http://bit.ly/1wVKEQo

Nicole Longnecker Gallery presents Ellen Orseck Jan. 8
Houston artist Ellen Orseck, who teaches a Watercolor for All course at the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies, will discuss her exhibit “Liquified” and painting process at the Nicole Longnecker Gallery Jan. 8.
HereHouston.com
http://bit.ly/1uU3wcg

Special election to fill SA legislative seats set for Jan. 6
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 cited for his column in TribTalk and is quoted about the 2013 Merry Christmas law and Texas House Speaker Joe Straus.
San Antonio Current
http://bit.ly/13tXUib
Have yourself a merry Christmas, Texas style
Star Tribune
http://strib.mn/1xp7Kyu
Don’t mess with Xmas in Texas
Watertown Daily Times
http://bit.ly/1DGGoqU
Speaker Straus gains momentum, support
El Paso Inc.
http://bit.ly/133psKy

Cartel threat could be hype
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.
DentonRC.com
http://bit.ly/1vVTsyF

BROADCAST

Viva Houston, segment 1, Dec. 14, 2014
Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and founding director of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, discusses research on Houston’s growing Hispanic presence.
KTRK-TV
http://abc13.co/1zmT2re

Classical classroom, episode 71: Piano versus orchestra, with Jon Kimura Parker
Jon Kimura Parker, professor of piano, is interviewed about the behind-the-scenes experience of being a guest soloist.
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/1DGXu86

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Gene-level loop-ome ties up regulatory loose ends
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, is quoted.
Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News
http://bit.ly/16olEWl
3-D maps find loops in human genome
BGR.in (This article also appeared in New In Street, MedCity News, SciTechDaily and NDTV India.)
http://bit.ly/1wFxkMC

‘Perfect defects’ in graphene pave way for futuristic gadgets
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.
Crazy Engineers
http://bit.ly/133wmiR
Graphene to get cheaper with this innovation
EFY Times
http://bit.ly/16pDdFm

Buckyballs enhance carbon capture
A news feed of stories on carbon capture referenced research from Rice that found the ever-useful buckminsterfullerene, or buckyball, has a new potential application: carbon capture. Andrew Barron, the Charles W. Duncan Jr.-Welch Professor of Chemistry and professor of materials science, is quoted.
Carbon Capture Journal
http://bit.ly/1sA9eop

Growing concern over athletes receiving unproven stem cell therapies
Some National Football League players have been seeking out unproven stem cell therapies to help accelerate recoveries from injuries, according to a new paper from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. While most players seem to receive treatment within the United States, several have traveled abroad for therapies unavailable domestically and may be unaware of the risks involved, the paper found.
Genetic Literacy Project
http://bit.ly/133q6Yp

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Sandwich trends spotlight
Chef de cuisine Sarah Finster is featured for her Elvis Burger in Food Management’s study on sandwich trends. Finster also shares a recipe she created for Rice students to use with ingredients purchased at Rice University’s Farmers Market.
Food Management Magazine
http://bit.ly/1wdsvvj
Farmers Market braised pork shoulder with dark cherry espagnole sauce and crunchy oat and nut granola
Food Service Director
http://bit.ly/1wFTqi3

Superior tube and fine tubes appoint new global director
Alumnus Shion Hung ’98 has been appointed global director of customer programs and business intelligence at Superior Tube and Fine Tubes.
Energy Business Review (This article also appeared in the Fabricator, Applegate and VourOilandGasNews.com.)
http://bit.ly/1BRdWOm

SPORTS

KFSN-TV (Fresno, Calif.)
Rice football will play at this year’s Hawaii Bowl Dec. 24 at Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium against California State University, Fresno.
http://bit.ly/1qWtlMo (Similar broadcasts and articles appeared in over 20 other media outlets.)

University of Houston reportedly decides on new football coach
University of Houston is expected to announce Tom Herman, former Rice Owls offensive coordinator and quarterback coach, as its new head football coach.
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1qW4TKW
Tom Herman expected to be named Houston head coach
The Cougar
http://bit.ly/1A4BQqn

NEWS RELEASE

Scientists trace nanoparticles from plants to caterpillars
In one of the most comprehensive studies of its kind, Rice University scientists tracked uptake and accumulation of quantum dot nanoparticles from water to plant roots, plant leaves and leaf-eating caterpillars. The research is available online in Environmental Science Technology.
http://bit.ly/1wFJtRS