Dateline Rice for April 20, 2015 (Weekend Edition)

FEATURED ITEMS

L.E. and Virginia Simmons honored at Baker Institute dinner
Houston philanthropists L.E. and Virginia Simmons received the 2015 James A. Baker III Prize for Excellence in Leadership from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy April 10 during a gala dinner. The gala also marked the establishment of a new Center for Health and Biosciences at the Baker Institute. Edward Djerejian, founding director of the Baker Institute, interviewed the couple. Rice President David Leebron and University Representative Y. Ping Sun were in attendance.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1Gb5VXl
Power couple honored as Rice University’s Baker Institute raises $740,000 for new center
CultureMap Houston
http://bit.ly/1D7rfK4

Rice Business Plan Competition hands out $1.5 million, wearable takes top prize
KiLife Tech from Brigham Young University emerged as the top startup company in the Rice Business Plan Competition. Rice’s DexMat won fifth place.
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1D5nfsn
KiLife Tech from BYU wins 2015 Rice Business Plan Competition
Memorial Examiner (This article also appeared in Bellaire Examiner, Fort Bend Sun, EIN News and Social Good News.)
http://bit.ly/1yLulHx

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Nanotubes with 2 walls might be ‘tunable’
Double-walled carbon nanotubes have unique electronic properties that may someday be tuned for semiconducting applications or for strong, highly conductive nanotube fibers, according to researchers at Rice University. Enrique Barrera, professor of materials science and nanoengineering, is mentioned. Graduate student Matias Soto is quoted.
Futurity
http://bit.ly/1P5vMEf
Nanotubes with 2 walls have singular qualities
ChemEurope.com
http://bit.ly/1GcGxDm

AAEF celebrates official establishment of Chair of Modern Arab History at University of Houston
The Arab-American Educational Foundation established the Chair of Modern History at the University of Houston. The AAEF previously established Houston’s first Chair of Arab Studies at Rice.
Middle East Online
http://bit.ly/1Dt91Su

Off color: Joe Wong is on a mission to make China laugh
Alumnus Joe Wong ’00 is featured for his career as a stand-up comedian.
NBC News
http://nbcnews.to/1O82Hv1

HOUSTON/TEXAS

People on the move in Houston
Patti Kraft, David Rhodes and Gloria Meckel Tarpley have been elected to the Rice University Board of Trustees.
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1H8JEwn

Abbott’s priority bills on a slow crawl through Legislature
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 quoted about Houston City Councilman Oliver Pennington’s announcement to end his candidacy for mayor, the slow reform of ethics Gov. Greg Abbott endorsed two months ago, the lack of Hispanic Democratic governors and Texas’ use of the “stingray” cellphone-tracking technology.
Houston Chronicle (This appeared on the front page. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1JmMhbl
Councilman ends run for mayor
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article also appeared in DailyNews724.)
http://bit.ly/1DtRjOL
Pennington withdraws from mayor’s race
Off the Kuff
http://bit.ly/1QawCRM
And the _________ goes to …
Campos Communications
http://bit.ly/1i1fcXB
Abbott’s list of legislative priorities moving slowly through the Legislature
San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/1cQn27o
Democrats’ ‘Hispanic problem’: A dearth of options in presidential race
Austin American-Statesman
http://atxne.ws/1H8L5Lh
Texas lawmakers’ bills would limit cellphone trackers
Star-Telegram (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1HogeZC

Study: Newer Houston suburbs offer best opportunities for minorities
Deirdre Pfeiffer, an assistant professor in the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning at Arizona State University, found that families of color flourish in post-civil rights suburbs like Missouri City. Postdoctoral research fellow Kyle Shelton of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research supports Pfeiffer’s claims.
Houston Chronicle (This appeared on the front of the City & State section in Sunday’s Chronicle. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1H81bos

Native flowers are good for the environment — and less work for you
Glenn Olsen, instructor at the Glasscock School for Continuing Studies, co-authored an op-ed about Houston-native plants.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1JmDSVf

Chamber orchestra performance a local affair
Alumna Sasha Cooke ’04 will perform a piece by Pierre Jalbert, professor of composition and theory, with the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra at St. John the Divine Church.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1Ho6crB

Burnett: In US, no honor for our nation’s history
A recent multiple-choice survey revealed that many Americans struggle with United States history. The article notes that many colleges do not require students to take an American history or government course. Rice is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1blkTQz
http://bit.ly/1P4UxRc

Space, time and glass: Art that hangs around
Alumnus Michael Petry ’81 is featured for his new glass installation, “A.T. the Core of the Algorithm,” which is on display at Houston’s Hiram Butler Gallery.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1yK6zeo

Get out and enjoy these recreational events
Rice is hosting the Terlingua Track Club LP Run, the oldest race in Houston.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1HM7MnJ

A chance to swim with some very rich sharks
Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business is hosting a public casting call for the ABC show “Shark Tank.”
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1D7wb1t
ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’ holding casting call at Rice University in Houston
KTRK-TV (This article also appeared in Congoo News and Austin News.)
http://abc13.co/1bdDVaY

Rice device gently warms hypothermic infants
Rice University engineering students create a low-cost incubator designed to help babies in developing countries recover from neonatal hypothermia. Duncan College senior Carissa Livingston; Brown College senior Amanda Boone; Jones College senior Bailey Flynn; and McMurtry College senior Caleb Owsley are quoted. Jones College senior Zaid Haque is mentioned.
TMC Today (This article is featured in today’s newsletter from the Texas Medical Center.)
http://bit.ly/1P5YPYm

BROADCAST

KHOU-TV
Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research is cited for its report on closing the gaps in educational achievement for Houston’s Hispanics. Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and founding director of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is mentioned.
http://bit.ly/1Gd8nPV

KVIA-TV (El Paso, Texas)
William Martin, the Harry and Hazel Chavanne Senior Fellow in Religion and Public Policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, comments on the racist implications of marijuana prohibition enforcement.
http://bit.ly/1D65IA8
Ground zero: Heartland states lie at drug war’s epicenter
Daily Nebraskan
http://bit.ly/1Dtv1N1

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

New tactic targets brain tumors
Patients who are obese, diabetic or both have the highest incidence of brain tumors, and they offer a clue that insulin is a factor for some glioblastoma patients. But a new Rice University study suggests drugs tested on such tumors targeted the wrong molecules. Amina Qutub, assistant professor of bioengineering, and graduate student Ka Wai Lin are quoted.
Science Blog
http://bit.ly/1GcQWz4

Less painful way to injection developed by Rice University freshmen students
If the Rice University freshmen on the engineering design team Comfortably Numb have it their way, children will be less fearful and feel less pain when they go to the doctor’s office for a shot. The research team includes Greg Allison, Andy Zhang and Mike Hua. They were guided by Ann Saterbak, professor in the practice of bioengineering education, and Jane Grande-Allen, the Isabel C. Cameron Professor of Bioengineering. The Castle Ink article includes a video produced by Rice’s Brandon Martin.
Yibada
http://bit.ly/1P4DdM9
Students at Rice University seek to make injections less painful
Castle Ink
http://bit.ly/1yKFh81
Rice University: Impfen ohne Schmerzen
Trends der Zukunft (An English translation is not available. This article also appeared in Klamm.de.)
http://bit.ly/1zC9Kjv
Gerät aus dem 3D-Drucker ermöglicht schmerzfreie Injektionen
3D-Grenzenlos.de (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1OywWG9
Cobalt thin film a clean-fuel find
A Rice lab produces a thin-film catalyst for both hydrogen and oxygen generation. The material could replace expensive metals like platinum in water-electrolysis devices that produce hydrogen and oxygen for fuel cells. James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, is quoted. Postdoctoral researcher Yang Yang is mentioned.
Domain-b.com
http://bit.ly/1yK5WBF

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

You negotiate peace with enemies
Former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker, honorary chair of the Baker Institute, is quoted from his speech at Rice titled “You Negotiate Peace with Your Enemies, Not With Your Friends.”
PhilStar.com
http://bit.ly/1Ek5cWz

Semi-finalists announced for the 40th Annual Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Competition
Half of the finalists in this year’s Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Competition have ties to Rice. The competition finals will be held at Rice’s Stude Concert Hall.
Broadway World
http://bit.ly/1HLry2C
Houston Emerging Artists compete in National Ima Hogg competition
Kingwood Observer (This also appeared in Atascocita Observer, Humble Observer, Lake Houston Observer and East Montgomery County Observer.)
http://bit.ly/1JmWnca

Down with disinvitations
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell will be Rice’s commencement speaker.
Gatestone Institute
http://bit.ly/1E1rWbI

Oklahoma’s Congressional delegation remembers Oklahoma City bombing
Alumnus Rep. Jim Bridenstine ’47 (R-Okla.) reflects on the Oklahoma City bombing.
Tulsa World (This article also appeared in Oklahoman, the Okie, KOKI-TV and KRMG Online.)
http://bit.ly/1F750c3

SPORTS

Tennis teams falls in C-USA championship
Rice women’s tennis beat Marshall University 4-1 in the Conference USA Women’s Tennis Championships finale.
The Parthenon
http://bit.ly/1yK55kC

Kirby pitches UTSA past No. 16 Rice on Sunday
Rice baseball fell to the University of Texas at El Paso 7-1 at Reckling Park.
GoUTSA.com
http://bit.ly/1Qac4ZJ
Saturday night’s alright for commenting, April 18, 2015
BattleRedBlog.com
http://bit.ly/1J2KVpo

Aggies compete at UTEP Invitational
Rice’s track and field team competed at the University of Texas at El Paso Invitational at Kidd Field.
NMStateSports.com
http://bit.ly/1F6IU9u

Red Sox mailbag: Brock Holt will always be underrated
Alumnus Brock Holt ’12 is featured. Head baseball coach Wayne Graham is quoted.
BostonHerald.com
http://bit.ly/1yK6mYS

NEWS RELEASES

Rice’s Kinder Institute to release findings from 34th Kinder Houston Area Survey
Stephen Klineberg, founding director of Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research and a sociology professor, will release findings from the 2015 Kinder Houston Area Survey at a downtown luncheon April 30.
http://bit.ly/1GbbzZw

New tactic targets brain tumors
Patients who are obese, diabetic or both have the highest incidence of brain tumors, and they offer a clue that insulin is a factor for some glioblastoma patients. But a new Rice University study suggests drugs tested on such tumors targeted the wrong molecules.
http://bit.ly/1O8htBV

Rice graduate student, DeBakey High grad wins Soros Fellowship
Rice University graduate student Ismael Loera Fernandez is one of 30 scholars awarded a 2015 Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. Loera Fernandez, a first-year graduate student in chemistry, was selected from more than 1,200 applicants in a national competition.
http://bit.ly/1F7CZ43

KiLife Tech from BYU wins 2015 Rice Business Plan Competition
KiLife Tech from Brigham Young University emerged as the top startup company in the Rice Business Plan Competition.
http://bit.ly/1DtWQER