Dateline Rice for March 3, 2015

FEATURED ITEMS

Edward P. Djerejian speaks to Bloomberg on BB Netanyahu’s speech to Congress
Edward Djerejian, founding director of Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is interviewed about the tension between the United States and Israel before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the U.S. Congress on how to stop Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Bloomberg
http://bit.ly/1M4WifD

The house inside the gallery
Elizabeth White-Olsen, director of Houston’s new writing center, Writespace, reviews Rice Gallery’s “Shotgun” installation by Rice School of Architecture students under the guidance of Jesús Vassallo, assistant professor of architecture, and the Tokyo firm Atelier Bow-Wow.
Houston Chronicle (This article appeared in the Houston Chronicle’s “Gray Matters” online magazine. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1Edow6O

What color is ‘The Dress?’ Visual perception expert explains the debate
James Pomerantz, professor of psychology, shares his insight on why some people see gold and white when they view a popular photo of a dress that’s blue and black.
Science World Report (This article also appeared in Science Daily.)
http://bit.ly/1wR8Jmn

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

L-shaped oil recovery flattens v-shaped market optimists
The International Energy Agency is predicting a range of $50 to $60 in crude barrel recovery for at least the next few years instead of the predicted $100. Jim Krane, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow for Energy Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
Bloomberg (This article also appeared in BusinessWorld Online and Repubblica.it.)
http://bloom.bg/1GeQ0JN

Photo of students showing their Rice Owl sign in China
Paul Hester, lecturer of visual and dramatic arts, and students from his photography course are pictured in a classroom they visited in China.
Shaanxi Daily (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1KdRcjA

Top MBA startups: Which budding businesses have raised the most cash?
Rice alumni Robert Kester ’11 and Allison Lami Sawyer ’10 and their company, Rebellion Photonics, is No. 57 in Poets & Quants list of the top 100 MBA startups.
Fortune
http://for.tn/1EeOuVW
The top 100 MBA startups of 2015
Poets & Quants
http://bit.ly/1DOZGrh

Curt Michel, scientist-astronaut who left NASA after losing the moon, dies at 80
F. Curtis (Curt) Michel, the Andrew Hays Buchanan Professor Emeritus of Space Physics and Astronomy, died Feb. 23 at the age of 80.
Space.com (This article also appeared in Yahoo! News UK & Ireland.)
http://bit.ly/1M4SfzL

Blue plaque honor for Honor at her former school
Kate Beckingham, professor of biochemistry and cell biology, gave a speech about her former professor, Dame Honor Fell, who was honored with a blue plaque at her former school.
Oxford Mail (This article also appeared in European Union News.)
http://bit.ly/1zVccl3

Diary — Top economic events to March 15
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Richard Fisher will speak on “Reflections on 10 Years at the Fed” before the Founding Director’s Lecture Series at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Reuters
http://reut.rs/1Ee8isz

University of Toronto biomedical engineer wins women in science prize
Antonios Mikos, the Louis Calder Professor of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, comments on the University of Toronto’s Molly Shoichet’s contributions to science.
The Globe and Mail
http://bit.ly/1F4JUIe

News in brief: Jan. 2015
Famous Icelandic comedian, pundit and former mayor of Reykjavík Jón Gnarr legally changed his name, which used to be Jón Gnarr Kristinsson. Gnarr will begin his residence this spring as the first writer-in-residence at Rice’s Center for Energy and Environmental Research in the Human Sciences.
Grapevine.is
http://bit.ly/1AClEZD

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Veteran-owned firms land financing at competition
Rice hosted the Houston Veterans Business Battle in conjunction with the Rice Veterans in Business Association.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/18i84Eb

Woman dies in light rail accident
A woman died after being struck by a light rail train south of downtown Houston. A Metro spokeswoman noted that four fatalities have occurred since light rail began operating, and one of the previous victims was a Rice student.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1DFBnt5

Potential loss of health subsidies raises worries
Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and professor of economics, comments on the potential effect of the subsidy court ruling against the Affordable Care Act.
San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/1vY3yGb

Texas manufacturing sluggish as energy sector slows down
Jay Timmons, president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, spoke at Rice about the threat manufacturing facilities face from the proposed Environmental Protection Agency rules against pollutants.
Midland Reporter-Telegram
http://bit.ly/1KdknU3

BROADCAST

Chamber Music Houston presents the Vienna Piano Trio
The Vienna Piano Trio will perform at Rice’s Stude Concert Hall Tuesday, March 10, at 7:30 p.m.
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/1AVROUO

What ever happened to Reny Jose?
Today marks one year since Rice student Reny Jose went missing while on spring break in Florida.
WJHG.com
http://bit.ly/1AVpp1b

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Researchers turn unzipped nanotubes into possible alternative for platinum: Aerogel catalyst shows promise for fuel cells
Rice researchers have made aerogels of graphene nanoribbons, modified with boron and nitrogen, that are more efficient catalysts than expensive platinum for fuel cells. Pulickel Ajayan, the Benjamin M. and Mary Greenwood Anderson Professor in Materials Science and NanoEngineering and of chemistry, is quoted. 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 mentioned.
Nanotechnology Now (This article also appeared in Domain-b, Phys.org, Science Daily, e! Science News and SciTechDaily.)
http://bit.ly/1Eevaba
Graphene aerogels optimized with boron and nitrogen can act as catalysts
Chemicals-Technology
http://bit.ly/1BR8lf1
Researchers turn unzipped nanotubes into possible alternative for platinum
Nanowerk
http://bit.ly/1vY3gz7
Idrogeno: fuel cell più efficienti grazie ad aerogel organico
GreenStyle.it (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1DPCBom

Growing HPC beyond Moore’s Law
Jan Odegard, executive director of Rice’s Ken Kennedy Institute for Information Technology, will speak at Rice’s Oil and Gas High Performance Computing Workshop March 4-5.
HPC Wire
http://bit.ly/1FRvdIB

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Habit volunteers: Learning from building
Rice students volunteered to help build houses with Habitat for Humanity in conjunction with Habitat at Rice. Duncan College senior Fernando Ramirez is quoted.
Times Record News
http://bit.ly/1BRauYg

Rice University professor discusses sectarianism in Middle East
Ussama Makdisi, the Arab-American Educational Foundation Chair of Arab Studies and professor of history, presented his second lecture on sectarianism in the Middle East at Evanston Public Library.
The Daily Northwestern
http://bit.ly/1CpLxTt

‘There probably wouldn’t be a Lecrae without DC Talk,’ says hip-hop legend Bun B
Religion and Hip-Hop Culture is a new free edX online course being offered by Rice University’s Center for Digital Learning and Scholarship. Anthony Pinn, the Agnes Cullen Arnold Professor of Humanities and professor of religion, and Bernard “Bun B” Freeman, the Center for Engaged Research and Collaborative Learning’s Distinguished Lecturer, will lead the course.
Christian Post
http://bit.ly/17NTh43
Hot 97 host says Lecrae’s Christianity is a ‘gimmick’; Bun B credits DC Talk for paving the way for ‘anomaly’ rapper (video)
Breathe Cast
http://bit.ly/1BD40dS
Bun B and Dr. Pinn break down ‘hip-hop and religion’ course at Rice University (exclusive)
The Urban Daily
http://bit.ly/1GfXBYA

LSU-Ourso expected to launch an MBA specialization in energy
Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business is mentioned as a top business school for a career in energy.
Find MBA
http://bit.ly/1B5bc0z

Texas poet to be featured at First Tuesday Open Mike
Carolyn Adams, program coordinator for the Humanities Research Center, will be a guest at the monthly First Tuesday Poetry Open Mike in New Bern, N.C.
Sun Journal
http://bit.ly/1ACgL2T

Top talent to perform best of Beethoven
Alumna Kirstin Eade ’03 will perform Beethoven’s piano concertos with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in Founders Theatre.
Stuff.co.nz (This article also appeared in Unlimited, Waikato Times and Southland Times.)
http://bit.ly/1Cq33a7

SPORTS

Astros report: Berkman takes time from class to do some spring instructing
Former Rice baseball player Lance Berkman is spending part of his spring break from classes working as a spring training instructor for the Astros.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1FRMscT
Lance Berkman’s spring break: Special instructor at Astros camp
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1FRUHWr
Berkman 1st of former Astros to lend hand at camp
Astros.com (This article also appeared in Baseball News.)
http://atmlb.com/1KdIiCN

Rice golf steadies on 2nd day of Querencia Cabo Collegiate
The Rice golf team will play in the final round of the Querencia Cabo Collegiate.
Conference USA
http://bit.ly/1CqfJhl
Men’s golf wraps up round 2 at Querencia Cabo
LSU Sports
http://bit.ly/1FS1AqH

NEWS RELEASES

Retiring president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas to speak at Rice’s Baker Institute March 9
Richard Fisher, who retires this month as the president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, will discuss his 10-year tenure at the helm of the Dallas Fed at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy March 9. This Founding Director’s Lecture Series event is open to the public, but registration is required.
http://bit.ly/1ACAXl3

Media Advisory: Rice to hold ceremonial groundbreaking for Brian Patterson Sports Performance Center
Rice University will break ground on the $31.5 million, 60,000-square-foot Brian Patterson Sports Performance Center at 2 p.m. March 10.
http://bit.ly/1FS8ZWW

Rice U. experts available to comment on Netanyahu speech
As Congress prepares for a March 3 speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Rice University experts Edward Djerejian and Richard Stoll are available to discuss what the speech means for U.S.-Israeli relations.
http://bit.ly/1M3oWMf