Dateline Rice for May 1, 2015

FEATURED ITEMS

Houston-area residents remain optimistic about local economy
Houston-area residents are optimistic about the local economy despite the drop in oil prices, and they are increasingly concerned about traffic, according to the 2015 Kinder Houston Area Survey. Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and founding director of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (This appeared on the front of the City & State section. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1IvJoad
Editorial: Beyond the numbers
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1Q7ArpY
Here are Houston’s biggest quality-of-life problems
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1OLPSqx
New survey looks at Houston’s biggest issues
KPRC-TV
http://bit.ly/1HYiffB
Survey reveals issues most important to Houstonians
KHOU.com
http://bit.ly/1DP4evS
Klein ISD to hold bond election to keep up with growth
KTRK-TV
http://abc13.co/1EIHRMz
KRIV-TV
http://bit.ly/1Aqc6Td
Houston Area Survey: We’re optimistic on economy, worried about traffic, tolerant on social issues
CultureMap Houston
http://bit.ly/1JeAsUK
The 2015 Kinder Houston Area Survey is here!
Houston Press
http://bit.ly/1QU0l1C
Los residentes de Houston son optimistas en cuanto a la economía: sondeo del Instituto Kinder
La Voz (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1DHKWqX

Uninsured rates plunge across Texas
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 April 30 by Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Episcopal Health Foundation. Elena Marks, scholar in health policy at the Baker Institute, and Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics at the Baker Institute and professor of economics, are quoted.
Houston Chronicle (This is top story on the front page in the print edition of today’s Chronicle. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1E1J3ps
Study: Texas’ rate of uninsured falls
The Texas Tribune
http://bit.ly/1GLDu2J
Uninsured rates plunge across Texas
San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/1GCfLiG
Texas’ uninsured rate has dropped dramatically under Obamacare, study says
Dallas Observer
http://bit.ly/1JWYN1B
Study: Uninsured rate falls in Texas by 8 percent
Longview News-Journal
http://bit.ly/1c2JCt7
New survey: Percentage of Texans without health insurance drops dramatically
HealthCanal (This article also appeared in Science Daily, Medical Xpress and BrightSurf.com.)
http://bit.ly/1DPiLaK
Affordable Care Act is work in progress
CBS19.tv
http://bit.ly/1DHrJWd
KUT 90.5 (Austin, Texas)
http://bit.ly/1FCHkwp
KBTV-TV (Beaumont, Texas)
http://bit.ly/1PczHxk
KYTX-TV (Tyler, Texas)
http://bit.ly/1OMgU0W

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Could a knee brace power an artificial heart?
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.
Futurity
http://bit.ly/1c28L7l
Students develop electricity-producing leg brace
Breitbart (This article also appeared in UPI.com, News Reality, Direktbroker.de, NewsonFeeds.com, InvestorPoint.com, MDLinx.com and e! Science News.)
http://bit.ly/1EIORsx
Rice University students produce energy from movement of leg brace
Memorial Examiner (This article also appeared in Sugar Land Sun, Bellaire Examiner and Fort Bend Sun.)
http://bit.ly/1IvfMd2
New knee brace could power artificial heart
2paragraphs.com
http://bit.ly/1DHx6ES

Saudi balancing act abandoned as king imposes rapid change
Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, fellow for the Middle East at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, comments on Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, who recently facilitated rapid change in leadership.
Bloomberg Business (This article also appeared in San Antonio Express-News.)
http://bloom.bg/1DFmYMT
Salman abandons Saudi royal balancing act to impose rapid change
Chicago Tribune
http://trib.in/1IvsR6i

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Who’s who in Houston society
A slideshow of prominent Houston society leaders includes Rice Board of Trustees Chair Bobby Tudor and his wife, Phoebe, for their support of Rice’s Shepherd School of Music and Rice President David Leebron and University Representative Y. Ping Sun. Sun is also featured in a front-page story in the Village News for being honored by the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council and receiving a proclamation from the mayor’s office.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://tinyurl.com/jvg7kju
http://bit.ly/1c2Lq5m
Rice University’s 1st lady honored by Girl Scouts
Village News (This appeared on the front page.)
http://bit.ly/1KA56cf

The best Texas colleges, determined by alumni salary
In a new ranking from the Brookings Institution that factors in “the difference between actual alumni outcomes (like salaries) and the outcomes one would expect given a student’s characteristics and the type of institution,” Rice is No. 12 for the top-earning graduates in the country and the highest-ranked university in Texas.
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in Beaumont Enterprise. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1FCLy6Z
http://bit.ly/1Q7RpEz

Martin: Does marijuana use lead to harder drugs?
William Martin, the Harry and Hazel Chavanne Senior Fellow in Religion and Public Policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, authored an op-ed about marijuana being a possible gateway into serious drugs.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1KzUudm

Rice University students design furniture for other planets
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.
Fort Bend Sun (This article also appeared in the Katy Rancher, Bellaire Examiner and Sugar Land Sun.)
http://bit.ly/1QTgAMx

BROADCAST

Is Texas spending on border security really just political theater?
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, discusses the Texas House’s proposed plan to ask Congress for more than $600 million for border security compensation.
Texas Standard (This broadcast aired on 22 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1bK8HbN

Fox News
John F. Kennedy’s speech given at Rice in 1962 is mentioned.
http://bit.ly/1GNqM6c

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Strong evidence for coronal heating by nanoflares
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.
Space Daily
http://bit.ly/1blAnD7

New gloves could let you feel in virtual reality
Rice University engineering students created a tactile feedback glove for virtual-reality environments. Lovett College senior Thor Walker, Duncan College senior Marissa Garcia and Brown College senior Kevin Koch are quoted. The article includes a video produced by Rice’s Brandon Martin.
IFL Science!
http://bit.ly/1HYezdM
Neue Handschuhe bieten haptisches Feedback in der virtuellen Realität
Trends der Zukunft (This article also appeared in Klamm.de. An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1OMjeVR

SPORTS

How Houston’s Tom Herman became a coveted quarterback guru
University of Houston football coach Tom Herman reflects on his time at Rice. Head coach David Bailiff and alumnus Chase Clement are mentioned.
Fox Sports
http://foxs.pt/1zk6nD3

Randolph-Macon hires Josh Merkel to coach basketball
Randolph-Macon College hired former assistant Josh Merkel to replace Nathan Davis as head men’s basketball coach. Head basketball coach Mike Rhoades is quoted.
WRIC.com
http://bit.ly/1E1O3u8

NEWS RELEASES

Kinder Houston Area Survey: Economic optimism despite oil slump
Houston-area residents are optimistic about the local economy despite the drop in oil prices and are increasingly concerned about traffic, according to the 2015 Kinder Houston Area Survey.
http://bit.ly/1bK39Oe

Math+X grant brings applied mathematician/seismologist to Rice
Applied mathematician and seismologist Maarten de Hoop has accepted a newly created position at Rice University that was established with a substantial grant from the Simons Foundation’s Math+X Program. De Hoop said the move to Houston will foster deeper collaborations with the energy industry.
http://bit.ly/1OMbmDu