Dateline Rice for June 2, 2015

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Ancient algae discovered deep inside tropical glaciers reveal past climate
Rice, Nebraska and Ohio State researchers looking for carbon in equatorial ice cores find diatoms, a type of algae. Their presence is evidence of what the landscape around the Andes in Peru might have been like more than a millennium ago. Ed Billups, professor of chemistry, and alumnus Bruce Brinson ’04 are quoted.
Science World Report
http://bit.ly/1ESf0kf
Tiny tropical creatures show up in glacier ice
Futurity
http://bit.ly/1QmlFJW
Ancient algae found deep in tropical glacier
Science Daily (This article also appeared in Biology News, Phys.org, FNews.com and e! Science News.)
http://bit.ly/1HIuhGp

50 colleges where you’re most likely to meet your future spouse
Rice is No. 16 on a list of 50 colleges where students are most likely to meet a life partner, based on Niche ratings.
Business Insider Malaysia (This article also appeared in Business Insider Indonesia and Business Insider Singapore.)
http://bit.ly/1STqcHU

Life-saving invention could keep babies safe from hot-car tragedies
Five recent Rice University graduates have designed a new car seat accessory that can not only protect infants accidentally left in hot cars but can also notify caregivers and emergency personnel. Graduate Audrey Clayton is quoted.
Huffington Post
http://huff.to/1K71i3V

Indian American trio creates system to monitor vital signs
Rice researchers are developing a touch-free system that monitors patients’ vital signs via video while compensating for skin tone, lighting and movement. Graduate student Mayank Kumar is quoted. Ashutosh Sabharwal, professor of electrical and computer engineering, and Ashok Veeraraghavan, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, are mentioned.
India West
http://bit.ly/1HHrGwl

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Electing Houston’s mayor for 2 (or 6?) years
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, authored an op-ed about Houston’s upcoming mayoral election, comments on the few abortion bills passed in Texas, the tension between Texas and the federal government and Texas’ limited free-market principles and is cited for his findings on stun gun use in Houston.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1FSb86z
Turner heads home to Houston and mayor’s race
Houston Chronicle (This appeared on the front page. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1dbVtFg
Use of Tasers scrutinized after shooting in South Carolina
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1cvmjaO
Texas is all for free enterprise – until the lawmakers show up
Bloomberg Business
http://bloom.bg/1AIpdok
In conservative legislature, few abortion bills passed
The Texas Tribune
http://bit.ly/1K6OnyU
Need for storm aid spotlights Texas’ complicated relationship with the federal government
Governing
http://bit.ly/1GRja1z

Marks: Science should guide health decisions
Elena Marks, scholar in health policy at the Baker Institute, authored an op-ed about the United States’ disregard for data and unnecessary money spent on subpar health care.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1dJbpjp
http://bit.ly/1cvrSGa

Could better flood warnings have saved lives?
Ryan Holeywell, senior editor at Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is interviewed about the Flood Alert System and what Houston can do to prevent future flooding disasters. Phil Bedient, the Herman Brown Professor of Engineering, is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1SToxSP

Bridging the bayou
William Cannady, professor of architecture, is mentioned for his design of the Wortham Fountain in Houston.
Downtown Houston
http://bit.ly/1HIyY2R

A lifetime of activism: 2015 Male Pride Grand Marshal Ryan Levy
Alumnus Ryan Levy ’97 will be the 2015 male pride marshal. He is currently serving on the advisory board of Rice’s Center for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality.
OutSmart
http://bit.ly/1cvBz7A

BROADCAST

Governor signs cannabis oil bill
Katharine Neill, the Alfred C. Glassell III Postdoctoral Fellow in Drug Policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, comments on the benefit of cannabis oil for epilepsy patients, which was signed into legislature by Gov. Greg Abbott.
KTRH-AM (This article also appeared in KODA-FM.)
http://bit.ly/1I94mKx
http://bit.ly/1KAWZvN

KTRK-TV
The Be Inspired Cultural Arts camp, which is renting space at Rice, was unable to open Monday, due to a shortage of camp staff.
http://bit.ly/1M0XVd8

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Study: Microendoscope could eliminate unneeded biopsies
In a clinical study of patients in the United States and China, researchers found that a portable, low-cost, battery-powered microendoscope developed by Rice University bioengineers could eventually eliminate the need for costly biopsies for many patients undergoing standard endoscopic screening for esophageal cancer. 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, is quoted. Graduate student Timothy Quang and Dongsuk Shin and research assistant Richard Schwarz are mentioned.
Health Canal (This article also appeared in Medical Xpress.)
http://bit.ly/1Q35QgE

Baker Institute research identifies wide array of devices, mobile applications available for monitoring health and exercise
Technology is making health care services that may have once seemed available only within a doctor’s office accessible to the general public, according to new research from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. Quianta Moore, the Baker Institute’s scholar in health policy, is quoted.
Health Canal
http://bit.ly/1Fpry2X
Research identifies wide array of devices, mobile applications available for monitoring health
Medical Xpress
http://bit.ly/1JmOc1L

Appraising the performance appraisal
Psychologists at Rice reinforce the importance of continuous feedback on employee performance. Doctoral candidate and lead author of the study Jisoo Ock is quoted.
Human Resources Online
http://bit.ly/1ESv0T6

Energy-harvesting knee brace could power medical devices
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. Graduate Chase Gensheimer is quoted.
Design News
http://ubm.io/1ESlBuS

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

’10 Cracka Commandments’ rebuffs white privilege, religion professor says
Alumnus Christopher Driscoll ’12 published a list of 10 commandments for white people to combat “white privilege.”
Christian Examiner
http://bit.ly/1I8SEzD

Barry Schrader: Sycamore native a prolific writer
Alumnus Bob Hill ’64 is featured.
Daily Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1AIGH3U

Cincinnati college has a new (temporary) president
A former associate provost at Rice, Joel Thierstein, was named interim president at Mount St. Joseph University.
Cincinnati Business Courier
http://bit.ly/1BH1cJm
Mount St. Joseph names interim president
WVXU.org
http://bit.ly/1EShL59

SPORTS

Rice runs out of steam in regional final loss
Rice baseball fell to University of Louisiana at Lafayette 5-2 in the Houston Regional final at Reckling Park.
Houston Chronicle (This appeared on the front of the Sports section. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1FrJ73B
LSU, ULL advance to face off in Baton Rouge Super Regional
WTOC.com (This article also appeared in WWBT-TV, WSMV-TV, WVUE-TV, WAFB-TV, WDAM-TV, KPLC-TV and WBRC-TV.)
http://bit.ly/1AIPrHw

Rice tops Houston 3-2 in 20, tourney’s 4th-longest game
Rice baseball beat University of Houston 3-2 after 20 innings at Cougar Field.
USA Today (This Associated Press article appeared in more than 100 other media outlets.)
http://usat.ly/1STvQKm

NEWS RELEASES

New report: Texas Hispanics, women show largest reductions in rates of uninsured
Hispanics and women in Texas showed the largest percentage of reductions in rates of uninsured 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/1dcisAd

Baker Institute research identifies wide array of devices, mobile applications available for monitoring health and exercise
Technology is making health care services that may have once seemed available only within a doctor’s office accessible to the general public, according to new research from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
http://bit.ly/1cvzgl4

Study: Microendoscope could eliminate unneeded biopsies
In a clinical study of patients in the United States and China, researchers found that a portable, low-cost, battery-powered microendoscope developed by Rice University bioengineers could eventually eliminate the need for costly biopsies for many patients undergoing standard endoscopic screening for esophageal cancer.
http://bit.ly/1ESvwk6