Dateline Rice for Dec. 22, 2014 (Weekend Edition)

FEATURED ITEM

Ups and downs
An editorial gives a thumbs-up to Rice’s No. 4 ranking on Kiplinger’s Personal Finance’s private best-value schools list.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1JIV2hX

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

San Antonio weighs annexation plan
San Antonio is annexing 66 square miles around it, which will allow the city to add as many as 200,000 people and potentially make it the nation’s fifth-largest metropolis. Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and founding director of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is quoted.
Wall Street Journal (This article also appeared in Nasdaq, ADVFN USA, ADVFN India and 4-Traders.)
http://on.wsj.com/1CnyK3h

Guzzling in the Gulf
Jim Krane, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow for Energy Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, authored an op-ed about the world’s potential loss of the Gulf’s oil export.
Foreign Affairs
http://fam.ag/1xDJf0D

Take a breath of fresh air in Houston
James Turrell’s “Twilight Epiphany” Skyspace on the Rice campus is featured as a top Houston destination.
New York Mag
http://nym.ag/1GP8ZIG

Could cameras soon be paper-thin? Atom-thick material could be used to create ultra-slim imaging devices
A synthetic two-dimensional material known as copper indium selenide could be the basis for ultimately thin imaging devices and optical sensors. Graduate student Sidong Lei and Robert Vajtai, senior faculty fellow in materials science and nanoengineering, are quoted. Also mentioned are Pulickel Ajayan, the Benjamin M. and Mary Greenwood Anderson Professor in Materials Science and NanoEngineering and of chemistry; graduate students FangFang Wen and Yongji Gong; postdoctoral researchers Bo Li, Pei Dong, Anthony George and Liehui Ge; undergraduates Qizhong Wang, James Bellah and Yihan Huang; complimentary appointee Yongmin He of Lanzhou University, China; Jun Lou, an associate professor of materials science and nanoengineering, and Naomi Halas, the Stanley C. Moore Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and a professor of chemistry, biomedical engineering, physics and astronomy and of materials science and nanoengineering.
Daily Mail
http://dailym.ai/1xb22AD
New material promises the thinnest-ever imaging device: Research
Jagran Post (This article also appeared in Zee News.)
http://bit.ly/1E2UV0f
Atomically thin material developed at Rice University holds potential for 2-dimensional electronics
AZoNano (This article also appeared in Overclockers Club, Science Codex, BioPortfolio, Laboratory Equipment, Phys.org, e! Science News and ScienceNewsline.)
http://bit.ly/1v93hsP
Rice University scientists develop 2-dimensional, light-sensitive material
Fort Bend Sun
http://bit.ly/1vgufQr

Ask the experts: The impact of falling oil prices on your wallet
Peter Hartley, professor of economics, comments on the price drop of oil, which has boosted consumer confidence.
WalletHub.com
http://bit.ly/1zp6igc

5 ways to unlock art for kids
Researchers from Rice’s Kinder Institute and the University of Arkansas surveyed nearly 11,000 3rd- through 12th-grade students one month after they took a school trip to the newly opened Crystal Bridges Museum of Art in Arkansas. The study concluded that the children displayed stronger critical thinking skills, historical empathy and an interest in visiting cultural institutions in the future.
Huffington Post (This article also appeared in NewsHub.)
http://huff.to/1JJ8BOr

How this stronger-than-steel material could change the world
Graphene, the remarkably thin and strong form of carbon, is featured for its potential to revolutionize products and processes across industries. Rice’s research on adding graphene oxide to water-based drilling fluids to improve oil extraction is mentioned.
Yahoo! News (This article also appeared in Yahoo! India, Yahoo! Xtra Business and Entrepreneur.)
http://yhoo.it/1AyC49E

The compound behind all those stories about red wine being good for you
Graduate student Mohit Kumar Jolly authored an op-ed discussing recent research on resveratrol, the “anticancer, antidiabetic and cardio-protective” compound found in red wine.
The Conversation
http://bit.ly/1CvDpxp

Five things you should know about Brenda Sharton
Alumna Brenda Sharton ’87, a former Rice tennis player, is featured.
The Boston Globe
http://bit.ly/13wehu0

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Lanier’s legacy extends from the suburbs to the city
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, attributes city improvements to former Houston Mayor Bob Lanier, who died Saturday. Jones is also quoted about the 2013 “Merry Christmas” law.
Houston Chronicle (This appeared on the front page of Sunday’s newspaper. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1vgA28v
Former Houston Mayor Bob Lanier has died
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1Cp0CUC
Former Houston Mayor Bob Lanier died at age 89
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1xb4qHJ
Don’t mess with ‘Merry Christmas’ in Texas
Herald Online (Similar articles also appeared in The Telegraph and Detroit Free Press.)
http://bit.ly/1GOxrde

The new space rescue mission: Saving NASA
George Abbey, the Baker Botts Senior Fellow in Space Policy, comments on the inactivity at NASA. The article notes that Rice owned the land where NASA was built. John F. Kennedy’s speech given at Rice in 1962 is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front page of Sunday’s newspaper. It also appeared in Examiner.)
http://bit.ly/1AQvRUM

McNally: Obama makes vast, progressive changes to US policy in Latin America
Dylan McNally, research assistant at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy’s Mexico Center, authored an op-ed about President Barack Obama’s speech regarding U.S.-Cuban relations.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1JJ05Pr

Houston singers advance in Met contest
Twenty-seven singers competed at Rice University for the first round of the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1AQxWjk

Opera in the Heights will scale back productions
Opera in the Heights plans to focus on smaller, streamlined productions in collaboration with Rice, the Houston Grand Opera, University of Houston and Houston Baptist University.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1zoZSxH

Schnurman: Even Texas has ‘slack’ in job market
An article analyzes the percentage of Texas’ labor participation rate. Steve Murdock, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology and director of Rice’s Hobby Center for the Study of Texas, is quoted.
The Dallas Morning News
http://bit.ly/13ra8ap

Sen. Rodriguez proposes principles, good data about border security
Texas Sen. José Rodríguez is rallying state officials to set new principles regarding border security. The article quotes Tony Payan, the Baker Institute’s Françoise and Edward Djerejian Fellow for Mexico Studies and director of the institute’s Mexico Center.
El Paso Times
http://bit.ly/1HpOu3P

Student-athlete development building planned for Rice Stadium
The Rice University Board of Trustees has approved a proposal to build a student-athlete performance and development building in the north end of Rice Stadium that will provide new all-sport strength-and-conditioning, sports medicine and football facilities for the Rice Owls. Rice President David Leebron, head football coach David Bailiff and Athletics Director Joe Karlgaard are quoted. Alumnus Brian Patterson ’84 is mentioned.
Bellaire Examiner (This article also appeared in Fort Bend Sun, Memorial Examiner and Sugar Land Sun.)
http://bit.ly/1GOs9hV

Reading Series presents MacArthur fellow Karen Russell
Amber Dermont, the Gladys Louise Fox Associate Professor of English, will conduct an onstage interview with award-winning fiction writer Karen Russell as part of the 2014/2015 Inprint Margarett Root Brown Reading Series.
Atascocita Observer (This article also appeared in Humble Observer, Lake Houston Observer and Kingwood Observer.)
http://bit.ly/13weGgc

Beer sales at Apogee deemed a success
University of North Texas’ Apogee Stadium experienced positive beer sales and public safety this season. Rice football’s game against University of North Texas is mentioned.
DentonRC.com
http://bit.ly/1wBiad3

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Custom algorithm helps synthesize new metal organic framework configurations for methane storage
Rice researchers calculate the best candidates among possible metal organic frameworks to store natural gas for cars. Michael Deem, the John W. Cox Professor of Biochemical and Genetic Engineering, is quoted.
AZoCleanTech (This article also appeared in EIN News Publications, SpaceDaily, One News Page, ScienceNewsline, NewKerala.com, ChennaiOnline and DaijiWorld.)
http://bit.ly/1HpT9mo

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Loosened Texas pot law could be political reality — not just a pipe dream
Rep. Joe Moody filed a bill that eases restrictions on marijuana possession, which has been met with police disapproval. Postdoctoral research fellow Katharine Neill is quoted.
Daily Democrat (This article appeared in over 80 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1xEzcIB

SPORTS

School records from Casey Clark, Rachel Moody push Rice to the lead at UIW Christmas Invitational
Rice women’s swimming finished with the highest score for the second day of the University of Incarnate Word Christmas Invitational. Swimmers Casey Clark and Rachel Moody broke personal records. Teammates Marissa Konicke and Kiley Beall were also season bests at the meet.
Swim Swam
http://bit.ly/13w1Tdu

Fresno State (6-7) versus Rice (7-5) (ET)
Rice football will play at this year’s Hawaii Bowl Dec. 24 at Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium against California State University, Fresno.
The State (Similar article appeared in over 150 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1rcVAGL
College football bowl betting: Odds and more for 5 bowls before Christmas
SB Nation
http://bit.ly/1GOPPCJ
Hawaii Bowl 2014: Key matchups for Fresno State
MWCConnection
http://bit.ly/1zVMRKX

Comcast SportsNet
Alumnus Luke Willson ’12 is mentioned.
http://bit.ly/13wykIQ

NEWS RELEASE

Atom-thick CCD could capture images
A synthetic two-dimensional material known as CIS could be the basis for ultimately thin imaging devices and optical sensors.
http://bit.ly/1wes5js