Dateline Rice for July 1, 2015

FEATURED ITEM

Ellington puts Houston one step closer to the stars
David Alexander, professor of physics and astronomy and director of the Rice Space Institute, spoke at the formal announcement of the Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to grant a Launch Site License to allow Ellington Airport to become the country’s 10th commercial spaceport. Alexander is quoted and President John F. Kennedy’s famous “Moon Speech” delivered at Rice Sept. 12, 1962, is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (This article is featured on the front page. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1dxqHXj
FAA to Airport System: Houston, we have a spaceport!
Pasadena Citizen (This article also appeared in Cypress Creek Mirror and 12 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1NvuErQ
KTRK-TV
http://bit.ly/1HwZt1b

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Gays, lesbians have better health than bisexuals: Study
Bisexual males and females report poorer health than gays, lesbians and heterosexuals, according to a new study from sociologists at Rice University. Bridget Gorman, professor of sociology, and Justin Denney, assistant professor of sociology, are quoted.
Economic Times (This article also appeared in Yahoo! India, DaijiWorld, NetIndia123, NewKerala, India Online, NewsR.in and Chennai Online.)
http://bit.ly/1f0JWu6
Bisexual men and women report poorer health than gays, lesbians and heterosexuals
Medical Xpress (This article also appeared in Armenian Medical Network.)
http://bit.ly/1IqR0vo
Rice University study reveals that gays, lesbians and heterosexuals have better health than bisexuals
News Medical
http://bit.ly/1R4evjr
Gays, lesbians have better health than bisexuals: Study
Mid-day
http://bit.ly/1Hunsw0
Bisexuals report poorer health
PsychCentral
http://bit.ly/1KsIRbt
Bisexuals lag behind gays, lesbians and straights in health study
Gay News Network
http://bit.ly/1C9rNo6

US, Cuba to reopen embassies
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, comments on the decision by the United States and Cuba to reopen embassies in Washington and Havana.
Voice of America
http://bit.ly/1T5DBfm

Joel Osteen heckled update: Rival church heckles preacher (video)
Six members of Church of Wells interrupted Pastor Joel Osteen’s sermon at Lakewood Church. William Martin, the Harry and Hazel Chavanne Senior Fellow in Religion and Public Policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, deciphers the religious group’s motives.
Examiner.com
http://exm.nr/1IsYYnL

Elections and the future of US-China relations
International relations scholars from Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy attended a public forum in Shanghai to debate questions regarding the November 2016 U.S. presidential elections. Allen Matusow, director of academic affairs at the Baker Institute and the William Gaines Twyman Professor of History, is quoted.
Global Times
http://bit.ly/1LD4Mf9

The complete list of Jeb Bush’s paid speaking gigs
Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush’s speech at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy is included in a list of his past speaking gigs.
Bloomberg Politics
http://bloom.bg/1GMWieY

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Greek crisis is a warning against government spending on credit
Greek voters will decide the fate of their country Sunday, which may result in the country standing alone economically for the first time since 1981. Ted Temzelides, professor of economics, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (This appeared on the front of the Business section. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1FOzs5U

After storms, planets shine above Houston
Patrick Hartigan, professor of physics and astronomy, hosted an open house at Rice for people to witness the conjunction of Venus and Jupiter June 30.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1CJoheQ

Funding flowing for national offshore energy research center led by UH
A Houston coalition of local schools, which includes Rice, University of Houston, Texas Southern University, Houston Community College and Lone Star College, have been tasked to find ways to prevent future Gulf Coast catastrophes. Charles McConnell, executive director of Rice University’s Energy and Environment Initiative, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle.)
http://bit.ly/1NwKIcZ
Texas awards first round of federal offshore safety funding
EnergyWire
http://bit.ly/1gbqoTW

Cardboard boat regatta keeping girls’ STEM career dreams afloat
Fifty girls capped a three-year experience in the Rice University Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering’s Girls STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Initiative June 25 when 12 teams competed in a cardboard canoe regatta race.
HoustonISD.org
http://bit.ly/1dx8ucm

Rice University program hosts math teachers
Anne Papakonstantinou ’69, director of the Rice University School Mathematics Project and clinical assistant professor, authored an article about the Rice University School Mathematics Project’s involvement in the “Gearing Up for Change” conference for K-12 mathematics teachers and supervisors. Carolyn White, RUSMP associate director for elementary and intermediate programs, led a session on “Where Is Number in Algebraic Reasoning?”
Village News
http://bit.ly/TukJ0i

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

News feature: The cells that flock together
Herbert Levine, the Karl F. Hasselmann Professor of Bioengineering, is quoted regarding his development of a model of cellular movement in 2012.
PNAS.org
http://bit.ly/1IqNMaY

New electron microscopes will capture images at subnanometer resolution
Rice researchers now have one of the most powerful microscopes in the United States. The Titan Themis will allow them to view and characterize materials with atom-scale resolution. Emilie Ringe, assistant professor of materials science and nanoengineering and of chemistry; Pulickel Ajayan, the Benjamin M. and Mary Greenwood Anderson Professor in Materials Science and NanoEngineering and of chemistry; Peter Rossky, dean of Rice’s Wiess School of Natural Sciences; and Edwin Thomas, the William and Stephanie Sick Dean of the George R. Brown School of Engineering, are quoted.
R&D Magazine
http://bit.ly/1HsY9KT
University installs most powerful microscope in the US
Lab Manager
http://bit.ly/1f0JdJm

Scientists flex graphene to get a stronger current
Flexing graphene may be the most basic way to control its electrical properties, according to calculations by theoretical physicists led by Rice University. Boris Yakobson, the Karl F. Hasselmann Professor of Materials Science and NanoEngineering and professor of chemistry, is quoted.
UPI.com (This article also appeared in My Informs, News on Feeds and News Reality.)
http://bit.ly/1KrbANE
Graphene flexes its electronic muscles: Researchers calculate electrical properties of carbon cones, other shapes
Scicasts (This article also appeared in Science Daily, Mil-Tech, iConnect007, Wireless Design & Development and Science Newsline.)
http://bit.ly/1HutQ6o

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Spotlight on youth
Columbia River High School graduate Bryce Haskett plans to attend Rice.
Columbian
http://bit.ly/1gbwKTn

SPORTS

Hurricanes help promote players’ profiles
The Houston Hurricanes baseball team played three games at Rice’s Reckling Park.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1GNYHHt

NEWS RELEASES

Baker Institute paper: US needs to rethink strategy in the Middle East
The United States must rethink its strategy in addressing key Middle East concerns, from the Islamic State to Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to a joint paper by experts at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Center for the National Interest. They advocate for the U.S. to use its substantial military, economic and diplomatic means to overcome recent shortcomings in the region and influence developments to the country’s advantage.
http://bit.ly/1CHyqsn

Bisexual men and women report poorer health than gays, lesbians and heterosexuals
Bisexual males and females report poorer health than gays, lesbians and heterosexuals, according to a new study from sociologists at Rice University.
http://bit.ly/1U5nGPs

Rice political scientist available to discuss Chris Christie’s run for the White House
In 2011, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie opted not to compete for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination. Four years later he is now “all in,” but the conditions have changed considerably, according to Rice University political expert Mark Jones, who is available to comment on Christie entering the race and the challenges he will face gaining the Republican nomination.
http://bit.ly/1NvvVPN