Dateline Rice for April 30, 2015

FEATURED ITEMS

Rice faculty have been interviewed on three recent segments of Houston Public Media’s “Houston Matters”:

The 34th Houston Area Survey: Thursday’s show (April 30, 2015)
Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and founding director of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, shares findings from the 34th annual Houston Area Survey and is quoted in an essay about Texas’ cultural shift, and how it may predict the United States’ development over the next few decades.
Houston Public Media’s “Houston Matters”
http://bit.ly/1KxwnMC
Commentary: The frontier moves again in Texas
Indiana Gazette
http://bit.ly/1zgv57o

Course examines how technology is affecting medicine
Kirsten Ostherr, professor of English, and Bryan Vartabedian, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, discuss Rice’s new online course that aims to help anyone interested in health care understand how social media and other digital technology are changing the field of medicine. The course is called Medicine in the Digital Age.
Houston Public Media’s “Houston Matters”
http://bit.ly/1zgPity

The number of millionaires in Houston is growing – is that good or bad?
New World Health reported that Houston has the fastest-growing community of multimillionaires in the country. David De Angelis, assistant professor of finance, discusses the benefits and disadvantages of having millionaires in Houston.
Houston Public Media’s “Houston Matters”
http://bit.ly/1HUDIG7

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Governor orders Texas Guard to stop US troops from imposing martial law during Jade Helm 15 exercise
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 Gov. Greg Abbott’s order for the Texas State Guard to monitor a U.S. military exercise in Bastrop County this summer, executive director of the Texas Facilities Commission Terry Keel’s fight against an internal audit and Texas’ struggling horse racing industry.
Raw Story
http://bit.ly/1HRkAZK
Former facilities director on warpath after unfavorable audit
San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/1Kx6xs5
KUT 90.5 (Austin, Texas)
http://bit.ly/1bicg8l

Jack Ely dies at 71; vocalist on the Kingsmen’s ‘Louie Louie’
Jack Ely, the lead singer of The Kingsmen, died at age 71. The Marching Owl Band is mentioned for their rendition of “Louie Louie.”
Los Angeles Times (Similar articles appeared in over 100 other media outlets.)
http://lat.ms/1ztnUcg
‘Louie Louie’ singer Jack Ely dies in Oregon at 71
The Hollywood Reporter
http://bit.ly/1EFxbhq

HOUSTON/TEXAS

With current education system, Texas on course to be poorer, less competitive in 2050
Steve Murdock, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology and director of Rice’s Hobby Center for the Study of Texas, explains that Texas’ current education funding could negatively affect Texas’ economy in 2050 and is quoted about Fort Bend County’s immigration reform ruling.
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/1DEFxRl
Uncertainty of immigration reform affects Fort Bend County
Fort Bend Star
http://bit.ly/1bGpsVe

Chromosome-folding theory shows promise
Rice University biophysicists are working toward an energy-landscape theory for chromosomes. The theory could help scientists understand the genomic roots of gene regulation, DNA replication and cell differentiation. Peter Wolynes, the D.R. Bullard-Welch Foundation Professor of Science and a professor of chemistry, is quoted. Postdoctoral fellow Bin Zhang, Erez Lieberman Aiden, adjunct assistant professor in computational and applied mathematics and in computer science, and José Onuchic, the Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Professor of Physics and Astronomy, are mentioned.
Texas Medical Center News (This article also appeared in Science Daily, e! Science News, R&D Magazine, Science Daily, Biology News and ScienceNewsline.)
http://bit.ly/1JDZmAE

Rice University’s Richards-Kortum, Vardi elected to National Academy of Sciences
Rice University bioengineer and global health leader Rebecca Richards-Kortum, the Stanley C. Moore Professor of Bioengineering, professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of the Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering and of Rice 360°: Institute for Global Health Technologies, and Moshe Vardi, director of the Ken Kennedy Institute for Information Technology and the Karen Ostrum George Distinguished Service Professor of Computational Engineering and professor of computer science, joined the elite group of scientists who have been elected to both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. Rice Provost George McLendon is quoted.
Bellaire Examiner (This article also appeared in Fort Bend Sun, Sugar Land Sun and Memorial Examiner.)
http://bit.ly/1GK9xTh
Rice University’s Richards-Kortum, Vardi elected to National Academy of Sciences: Bioengineer, computer scientist join elite list of dual-academy members
Nanotechnology Now
http://bit.ly/1EG5FAv

Culture scene: April 30-May 6
Gente de Teatro will present Oscar Viale’s play “Chumbale” at Rice’s Hamman Hall through May 10.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1DEMW36

Time running out for petition aimed at changing oil-export policy
Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy is cited for its study on lifting the 40-year-old ban on U.S. crude oil, which would have far-reaching effects on pricing, energy security and energy sector investment. A petition for the end of the ban has a few days left to collect the required 100,000 signatures.
The Gilmer Mirror
http://bit.ly/1AljkHV

BROADCAST

KIDY-TV (San Angelo, Texas)
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.
http://bit.ly/1EvhMit
WGHP-TV (Greensboro, N.C.)
http://bit.ly/1bDzMNv

KTRK-TV
Rice is No. 12 on a new study of the top-earning graduates in the country.
http://bit.ly/1GKBHOa

Private university police bill gets hearing
A bill aimed at making private university police department records open to the public was heard Wednesday by members of the House Higher Education Committee. Rice is mentioned.
KPRC-TV
http://bit.ly/1bYhHux
KSAT-TV (San Antonio)
http://bit.ly/1OIVf9U

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Student-des igned furniture is out of this world
With help from NASA, Rice students designed furniture for habitats on the moon and planets. Lovett College senior Laura Blumenschein, Brown College senior Rey Amendola and Will Rice College seniors Archit Chaba, Alex Schmidt and Dan Peera are quoted. The article includes a video produced by Rice’s Brandon Martin.
Gizmag
http://bit.ly/1bG3uS9

Batches of ultra-thin transistors made from 2-D materials
Cornell University researchers grew large single-layer films from 2-D materials, which physicists are regarding as a breakthrough development. Pulickel Ajayan, the Benjamin M. and Mary Greenwood Anderson Professor in Materials Science and NanoEngineering and of chemistry, is quoted.
Nature.com
http://bit.ly/1GyXsLp

Students produce energy from movement of leg brace
Rice University students designed a method to charge a battery while walking. A modified knee brace produces energy that the researchers hope may someday be used to power artificial hearts. Steven Rickman, adjunct professor of mechanical engineering; Gary Woods, professor in the practice of computer technology and electrical and computer engineering; Fathi Ghorbel, professor of mechanical engineering and bioengineering; and Eric Richardson, lecturer in bioengineering, served as advisers to the team.
Phys.org
http://bit.ly/1Pao7md

Students use smarts for damaged hearts
Rice engineering students have created an app and hardware to help control a unique heart assist pump under development by a Houston company. The system would allow doctors to remotely monitor their patients’ heart health. Wiess College senior Benjamin Lopez, Baker College senior Ernest Chan and Duncan College seniors Alex Bisberg and Joshua Choi are quoted. Jones College senior Tracy Fu and Wiess College senior Navaneeth Ravindranath are mentioned.
Health Canal
http://bit.ly/1GyQ6rg
‘Remote control’ for blood flow through the heart
Medical Design Technology (This article also appeared in BioPortfolio.)
http://bit.ly/1Q3cHTT

Sun’s blistering heat: Strong evidence for coronal heating theory
Rice participated in a groundbreaking study that revealed how the sun’s corona is heated to extreme temperatures by relatively small explosions. Stephen Bradshaw, the William V. Vietti Junior Chair of Space Physics and assistant professor of physics and astronomy, spoke about the study at the Triennial Earth-Sun Summit in Indianapolis.
Science Daily (This article also appeared in Space Ref, R&D Magazine, e! Science News and ScienceNewsline.)
http://bit.ly/1bYRo7A

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

LG’s serious new smartphone and more tech of the week
Rice University engineering students created a tactile feedback glove for virtual-reality environments.
Esquire
http://bit.ly/1DELeyM

St. Mary’s graduates’ earnings among best in US
According to the Brookings Institution study, St. Mary’s University scored a 99 out of 100, placing it at the 17th highest value-added score, right behind Rice.
St. Mary’s University
http://bit.ly/1JUmS94

MIT students compete in the Boston Marathon
Alumna Georgia Lagoudas ’12 finished the Boston Marathon.
The Tech
http://bit.ly/1EUtpCR

SPORTS

50 colleges where the students are both smart and athletic
Rice football is included in Niche’s list of schools that emphasize a balance of academics and athletics.
Business Insider Malaysia (This article also appeared in Business Insider Singapore and Business Insider Indonesia.)
http://bit.ly/1bGFazt

Banquet honors Hall of Fame inductees
Assistant football coach Chris Thurmond was named a Sand Springs Education Foundation Hall of Fame recipient.
Sand Springs Leader
http://bit.ly/1JUD8a7

Covington confident prior to NFL draft
Rice football player Christian Covington is in the top spot in the Canadian College Draft’s final ranking list and is waiting to hear if he will be selected in this year’s NFL draft.
Peace Arch News (Similar articles appeared in 22 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1DEJ3LC

Crucial series against rival MTSU next for Hilltoppers
Rice baseball beat Western Kentucky University in a three-game weekend series in Bowling Green, Ky.
WKU Herald
http://bit.ly/1EFM1EP

NEWS RELEASES

New survey: Percentage of Texans without health insurance drops dramatically
The percentage of Texans without health insurance dropped 31 percent since enrollment began in the Affordable Care Act’s Health Insurance Marketplace, according to a new report released today by the Episcopal Health Foundation and Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
http://bit.ly/1GKx7j1

Rice University students produce energy from movement of leg brace
Rice University students design a method to charge a battery while walking. A modified knee brace produces energy that the researchers hope may someday be used to power artificial hearts.
http://bit.ly/1I0TFMC

Rice to host meeting on the future of computer modeling and simulation May 7-8
Rice University will host the Hybrid Modeling Languages (HyML) meeting May 7-8 at Duncan Hall to share technologies that are shaping the future of computer modeling and simulation.
http://bit.ly/1Kxo1nX

Rice University’s Richards-Kortum, Vardi elected to National Academy of Sciences
Rice University bioengineer Rebecca Richards-Kortum and computer scientist Moshe Vardi joined the elite group of scientists who have been elected to both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering.
http://bit.ly/1KxnQJv

Rice University students to de-stress with therapy pets during finals
During final exam days, Rice University students will have the opportunity to mingle, de-stress and share hugs with dogs of various breeds April 30 and May 1 at Fondren Library.
http://bit.ly/1IrQ9tF