Dateline Rice for Aug. 6, 2015

FEATURED ITEM

Q&A with Rice AD Joe Karlgaard
Athletics Director Joe Karlgaard is interviewed about fundraising, Rice Stadium renovations and the future of Rice athletics.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1M8o4sX

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Mere Christianity meets mainstream science
An op-ed about the benefit of teaching religion and science integration cites a survey by Elaine Howard Ecklund, the Herbert S. Autrey Chair and Professor of Sociology and director of Rice’s Religion and Public Life Program.
Huffington Post (This also appeared in My Informs and Latest Nigerian News.)
http://huff.to/1KTf8ZF

The future of work: With us, or against us?
Technology professionals give their predictions about the effect artificial intelligence will have on the workplace. Moshe Vardi, director of the Ken Kennedy Institute for Information Technology and Rice’s Karen Ostrum George Distinguished Service Professor of Computational Engineering and professor of computer science, is mentioned.
Pacific Standard
http://bit.ly/1M7I138

Best value colleges for engineering majors
Rice’s George R. Brown School of Engineering is No. 1 on PayScale’s list of the best value colleges for engineering majors. Rice is also noted for its emphasis on encouraging female students to pursue engineering degrees.
PayScale
http://bit.ly/1IZcm4N
McNeese engineering 3rd in nation in return on investment
KPLCTV.com (This article also appeared in WAFB-TV, WDAM-TV and WCSC-TV.)
http://bit.ly/1STQ0WT
http://bit.ly/1UqC8AP

The counties where wealthier people are moving
The Internal Revenue Service released its migration data, which shows patterns of people moving for certain counties and states. Steve Murdock, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology and director of Rice’s Hobby Center for the Study of Texas, comments that technology is enabling more employees to work remotely, which eliminates moving decisions.
Governing
http://bit.ly/1gMdwEo

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Stage manager at Rice U. to portray Don Quixote
Alumnus Alex Stutler ’95, classroom and scheduling coordinator for Rice’s Shepherd School of Music, will portray Don Quixote in the classic Broadway musical “Man of La Mancha” at Queensbury Theatre.
Houston Chronicle (This appeared on the front of the Bellaire, West U., River Oaks and Heights Community Extra section and in the Aug. 5 issue of Dateline. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1K3VQuS
http://bit.ly/1gKg2uT

Chronicle critics offer some entertainment options
Memphis-based artist Ben Butler’s complex sculpture called “Unbounded” is on display at the Rice Gallery until Aug. 28.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1M8aYM9

Climate pleas from pope, president fall flat in Texas
Mark Jones, the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies, professor of political science and fellow in political science at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, comments on Pope Francis’ progressive opinion on human-driven climate change, Fox News’ top 10 Republican presidential candidates chosen for the first televised debate and the indictment against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
The Texas Tribune (This article also appeared in My High Plains.)
http://bit.ly/1STGKCf
Fox’s polling method means Perry fell short, expert says
Midland Reporter-Telegram
http://bit.ly/1M7QBPf
What does an indictment do to an attorney general’s reputation?
KWBU.org
http://bit.ly/1EaT7hb
Indicted Texas attorney general rode tea party to power
Gillette News Record (This article also appeared in Press-Telegram.)
http://bit.ly/1HtjYVQ
KTSA-AM (San Antonio, Texas)
http://bit.ly/1Ncy0QR

Princeton Review: Houston universities rank high for quality of life and diversity
Rice University has two No. 1 spots in the 2016 edition of the Princeton Review’s “The Best 380 Colleges”: Best quality of life and lots of race/class interaction. Rice also appears on the list for happiest students, best health services, great financial aid and best-run colleges. Rice President David Leebron is quoted.
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1gdwKSr
Princeton Review says these are the best colleges in Texas
San Antonio Express-News (This article also appeared in Beaumont Enterprise.)
http://bit.ly/1M8gOx8

Rice University scientist to co-author UN biodiversity report
A United Nations panel has selected Amy Dunham, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary, as a lead author for a report evaluating relationships of biodiversity, ecosystem services and human livelihoods in Africa. The study is part of a three-year effort to assess the overall health of Earth’s environment and its relevance to human development and well-being.
Bellaire Examiner (This article also appeared in the Fort Bend Sun and Sugar Land Sun.)
http://bit.ly/1eV5xDe

Robert M. Eury
Alumnus Robert Eury ’77 praises his Rice experience in an interview about his background and shares his thoughts on Houston’s public transportation and urban development.
Texas Medical Center News
http://bit.ly/1K5s2y1

Neuroscientists decipher brain’s noisy code
By comparing and analyzing the signals of individual neurons in animals undergoing behavioral tests, neuroscientists at Rice University, Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Geneva and University of Rochester have deciphered the code that the brain uses to make the most of its inherently “noisy” neuronal circuits. Xaq Pitkow, assistant professor of neuroscience at Baylor and assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Rice, is quoted.
Texas Medical Center News
http://bit.ly/1MPTZjq

Rice crowned as the gayest school in Texas
ECollegeFinder named Rice as the most LGBTQ-friendly school in Texas.
Project Q Houston
http://bit.ly/1P8z2P3
Most LBGTQ friendly school in each state
eCollegeFinder
http://bit.ly/1MPEDvd

Texas Tech officials debut TTU Innovation Hub
Texas Tech University celebrated the opening of its new research facility. This new facility earned recognition from the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps as a key hub university alongside Rice and other Texas universities.
Daily Toreador (This article also appeared in Individual.com.)
http://bit.ly/1IPYw2D

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Cancer treatment models get real
Rice and MD Anderson Cancer Center researchers use a custom flow perfusion bioreactor to show the value of testing cancer samples in realistic environments. Antonios Mikos, the Louis Calder Professor of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, is mentioned. Graduate student and lead author Marco Santoro is quoted.
Drug Discovery & Development (This also appeared in Science Daily, News On Feeds, Medical Xpress and Science Newsline.)
http://bit.ly/1W3EO9r
Researchers show how realistic environments affect growth of cancer tumors in bones
News-Medical
http://bit.ly/1M86PrF

Antibiotic triggers bacteria to pass on resistance
Rice scientists have discovered a mechanism by which bacteria can become resistant to treatment with antibiotics. They hope to develop strategies to preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics. Yousif Shamoo, vice provost for research and professor of biochemistry and cell biology, and graduate student Kathryn Beabout are quoted.
HCPLive.com
http://bit.ly/1IK1l0H
Researchers strategize to outsmart bacteria
Domain-b.com (This article also appeared in R&D Magazine and Science Newsline.)
http://bit.ly/1ge4aAz

How financial aid is driving up college textbook prices
College textbooks are becoming increasingly challenging for students to afford. Rice’s OpenStax College is mentioned as an example of a successful initiative that provides alternatives to expensive textbooks. Daniel Williamson, managing director of Rice’s Center for Digital Learning and Scholarship and project manager at OpenStax, is quoted.
Market Watch (This article also appeared in MorningStar.)
http://on.mktw.net/1T7BFAZ

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Author Dick Sommers to sign copies of new book
Alumnus Richard Sommers ’70 will present and sign copies of his book, “Richmond Redeemed: The Siege at Petersburg, The Battles of Chaffin’s Bluff and Poplar Spring Church” in Denver.
The Gazette
http://bit.ly/1DwShjM

TIAA-CREF’s OCIO swells with single win
Former Rice chief investment officer Scott Wise leads Covariance, a TIAA-CREF outsourced-CIO subsidiary, which was chosen to manage a $770 million church portfolio.
Chief Investment Officer
http://bit.ly/1eVptWw

SandRidge Energy appoints new CFO
Alumnus Julian Bott ’90 was appointed as executive vice president and chief financial officer of SandRidge Energy.
Street Insider
http://bit.ly/1IPWq2W

SPORTS

Applewhite raring to go at UH after year off
University of Houston offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Major Applewhite, a former member of the Rice football coaching staff, is featured. Former Rice football coach Todd Graham is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1JOuQDN

Minnesota Twins: Offense perks up, but Blue Jays bash on
Former baseball standout Tyler Duffey made his debut with the Minnesota Twins.
St. Paul Pioneer Press
http://bit.ly/1UquZ3E
Tonight: Bellaire, Rice grad Duffey makes MLB debut
Instant News Bellaire
http://bit.ly/1KSLykh

Bryant’s offense struggles in opener
Clear Creek High School student Zach Esquivel, who is committed to Rice’s baseball team, is featured.
Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette
http://bit.ly/1MSnsrZ

Former Owl Covington gets NFL shot with Texans
Former Rice football player Christian Covington is featured for his first NFL training for the Houston Texans.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1W3U1Hk

NEWS RELEASE

Rice forms National Education Research-Practice Partnerships Network
Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research has formed the National Education Research-Practice Partnerships (NERPP) Network, a first-of-its-kind national organization for partnerships between school systems and research institutions.
http://bit.ly/1T7vvRn