Dateline Rice for Sept. 17, 2015

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Bad currencies make bad neighbors in the Andes amid oil rout
Some South American countries are facing a currency crisis. Francisco Monaldi, a fellow in Latin American Energy Policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, explains the plight of dollarization for these suffering countries.
Chicago Tribune (This article also appeared in La Repubblica and Yerepouni-News.)
http://trib.in/1QIA0Cc

New Delhi superbug spreads to 70 countries across the world
Drug resistant superbugs have spread to more than 70 countries in all regions of the world. Pedro Alvarez, the George R. Brown Professor and chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, led a study on superbugs found carrying NDM-1 enzyme in wastewater disinfected by chlorination.
The Times of India
http://bit.ly/1ijmh95

Regional nuclear ambitions become reality
Saudi Arabia announced its plans to build 16 reactors over the next several decades to provide 15 percent of the country’s electricity by 2032. Jim Krane, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow in Energy Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
The Middle East Magazine
http://bit.ly/1QkuTr5

Why car-crazy cities (not so fast, Tampa) are riding light rail
Bill Fulton, director of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, and Kyle Shelton, postdoctoral research fellow at the Kinder Institute, are featured for their co-authored op-ed about the growth of light rail systems in car-dependent cities. Fulton is also quoted in an article on the White House’s new initiative to boost the research, development and deployment of systems to support smart cities and connection of objects to one network.
Tampa Bay Times
http://bit.ly/1gugUCU
Obama places $160 million bet on smart cities, ‘Internet of Things’
Government Technology (This article also appeared in Broadband Communities.)
http://bit.ly/1KoJaP6

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Challenges loom as Houston grows
Zillow Real Estate hosted a discussion with Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and founding director of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research; Raj Mankad, editor of the Rice Design Alliance’s Cite Magazine; and other panelists about solutions to create more affordable housing in Houston.
Houston Chronicle (This appeared on the front of the Business section. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1ijtqGB
Houston faces an ‘affordable housing crisis,’ Zillow panelists say
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1Fj1L2U

Visit Ghostly Gardens for Halloween
Christopher Sperandio, assistant professor of visual and dramatic arts, will speak at the biennial comics and pop culture symposium, comiCulture, at the University of Houston-Clear Lake Sept. 26.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1MsOQy7

Culture scene: Sept. 17
Three Mozart masterworks for piano and strings will be performed at Rice’s Alice Pratt Brown Hall.
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in DailyNews724.)
http://bit.ly/1FiSZSO

Texas’ uninsured rate dips, remains highest in nation
Texas’ uninsured rate dropped below 20 percent for the first time in more than a decade. The article cites a survey from Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy estimating the rate of the uninsured under the Affordable Care Act.
Texas Tribune (This article also appeared in Longview News-Journal, Fort Worth Business Online, My High Plains, Gilmer Mirror, Dispatch Times and Jewocity.com.)
http://bit.ly/1ijgLDz

Showcasing student startups
A report on the second annual Bayou Startup Showcase mentions the business accelerators for Houston’s two major universities – Rice’s OwlSpark and the University of Houston’s RedLabs. Kerri Smith, managing director of OwlSpark, is quoted.
Texas Medical Center News
http://bit.ly/1KjkBGl

Universities in Houston and Texas ranked among most innovative
Rice is No. 106 in the QS World University Rankings. The article notes that Rice’s No. 18 ranking among national universities by U.S. News & World Report is the highest in Texas.
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1W4VtIN

University hones in on research institute designation
Rice is mentioned as one of three Tier One universities in Texas.
Corpus Christi Caller-Times
http://bit.ly/1P2NAzt

Katy Prairie Conservancy to co-host People + Natural Conference
The first People Plus Nature Conference will be held at Rice’s BioScience Research Collaborative Oct. 21-22. Rice’s Shell Center for Sustainability is mentioned.
Katy Times
http://bit.ly/1UXf6A1

BROADCAST

Sayra Alanis
In a video for the New York Times’ Schools for Tomorrow conference, alumna Sayra Alanis ’15 recalls when she had to explain she was a low-income student to one of her peers.
New York Times
http://nyti.ms/1UXjG10

Inmigración divide a los republicanos que buscan la presidencia
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, discusses the divided opinions on immigration among the Republican presidential candidates.
Univision (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1MeksVk

Learn from the masters
Music performed by Rice’s Shepherd School of Music is played on Houston Public Media’s “Music in the Making.”
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/1KjoGYY

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Baker Institute events to highlight neglected tropical disease issues in US and Mexico
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) comprise a group of parasitic, viral and bacterial infections that mainly afflict people living in areas of extreme poverty, including some southern regions of the United States and Mexico. Three events at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy Sept. 29-30 will bring together scientists and policy experts to discuss how NTDs are affecting both countries and determine how the countries can work together to address the problem.
Health Canal
http://bit.ly/1JdfMdB

NSF invests $20M to enhance resilience of critical infrastructure
Leonardo Duenas Osorio, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, will co-lead a National Science Foundation-funded Critical Resilient Interdependent Infrastructure Systems and Processes project.
Water Online
http://bit.ly/1KTH8gf

Leaky-wave antenna for terahertz wireless communications
Rice scientists received a grant to develop terahertz-based technology to advance wireless communications and other disciplines. Daniel Mittleman, professor of electrical and computer engineering, is mentioned.
Optics and Photonics
http://bit.ly/1OhoCij

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

The disappearance of public firms
Gustavo Grullon, professor of finance at the Jones Graduate School of Business, authored an op-ed on his paper, “The Disappearance of Public Firms and the Changing Nature of U.S. Industries.”
Harvard.edu (This article also appeared in Value Walk.)
http://bit.ly/1KjljmV

Amazon CEO to launch rocket factory
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos envisions life in space and is challenging Elon Musk and Richard Branson in a race to make it happen. Yael Hochberg, the Ralph S. O’Connor Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship, is quoted.
Ledger Gazette (This article also appeared in News Hub.)
http://bit.ly/1F4DvC2

LSU receives diversity award
Rice received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine.
The Daily Reveille
http://bit.ly/1KgWo3B

Other view: Why shouldn’t IU encourage researchers to think?
An article questions Indiana University’s newly announced “Grand Challenges” program. The Richard E. Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology (now the Smalley-Curl Institute) is mentioned.
Palladium-Item.com (This article also appeared in Lancaster Eagle-Gazette.)
http://pinews.co/1W4Ta8m

Koerner Quartet sets 2015-16 season
Rolston String Quartet, ensemble-in-residence at Rice, will join the Koerner Quartet for its last concert of the season.
Broadway World
http://bit.ly/1Kj4Oar

Venom’s caretaker
Alumnus Cecil Schwalbe ’64 is featured.
Tucson Weekly
http://bit.ly/1KiWDer

SPORTS

RB Stewart no longer a secret weapon for Rice
Head coach David Bailiff is quoted in an article about player Sam Stewart, whose popularity grew after Rice’s game against University of Texas at Austin. Rice football will play against North Texas University Sept. 19 at Apogee Stadium.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1NFW1TO
UH to beef up schedules with Power 5 opponents, no FCS foes
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1QINQ7J
Apogee Stadium to add to alcohol sales this season
North Texas Daily
http://bit.ly/1Ljv3zK
Know your enemy: Mean Green teams claim different rivals
Rice women’s soccer will play against North Texas University Oct. 25.
North Texas Daily
http://bit.ly/1W53rS7

Auburn’s Jonathan Wallace named to 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
Rice football player Driphus Jackson was selected to the 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
Fort Bend Sun (This article also appeared in Memorial Examiner and Sugar Land Sun.)
http://bit.ly/1FPIzF4