Dateline Rice for Sept. 30, 2015

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Local leaders share personal and professional successes at inaugural Women’s Leadership program
University Representative Y. Ping Sun participated in the Asia Society Texas Center’s launch of the Women’s Leadership Series with its inaugural program, “In Conversation: Powerful Women Making a Global Impact.”
Asia Society
http://bit.ly/1Gh0q8e

Desde Porfirio Díaz, no había un presidente tan alejado de los mexicanos
Tony Payan, the Baker Institute for Public Policy’s Françoise and Edward Djerejian Fellow for Mexico Studies and director of the institute’s Mexico Center, is quoted in an article about Mexico President Enrique Peña Nieto.
La Opinión (An English translation is not available. This article also appeared in EconomiaHoy.mx, La Prensa, La Raza, Rumbo and MSN MX.)
http://bit.ly/1JCq8UI

‘The Martian’ and the big Mars discovery: Here’s why we have to go, no matter what it costs
President John F. Kennedy’s famous “Moon Speech” delivered at Rice Sept. 12, 1962, is mentioned.
Salon
http://bit.ly/1YOhPAk

Mike McCracken made mark as economic modeling pioneer
Alumnus Mike McCracken ’61 died.
The Globe and Mail
http://bit.ly/1j0MkTv

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Jenkins, Neill: Harris County should stop jailing small-time drug offenders
Katharine Neill, the Alfred C. Glassell III Postdoctoral Fellow in Drug Policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, co-authored an op-ed about cutting jail time for those caught in possession of small amounts of marijuana.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1KKJwD1
http://bit.ly/1OG1UR7
Report: Harris County could save millions by not jailing drug offenders
Houston Press
http://bit.ly/1MFRBJD

The fix for low oil prices is low prices
Walker Moody, chief operating officer for the asset management business at Houston’s Tudor, Pickering and Holt Co., is quoted from his speech at the Global Engineering & Construction Forum, which was held at Rice.
Houston Chronicle (This appeared on the front of the Business section. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1P5lKoa

Bike-sharing program to expand across Houston
The Houston-Galveston Area Council Transportation Policy Council approved funding to expand its B-Cycle stations and bikes to various parts of Houston, including Rice University.
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1KPSnAZ

Outspoken legislator Stickland draws challenge from pastor
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, is quoted about the GOP’s likelihood of maintaining control over several House seats and House Speaker John Boehner’s resignation.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
http://bit.ly/1KRfjzT
Cruz seeks to harness conservative support into national momentum
Mineral Wells Index
http://bit.ly/1ha10xP

Despite gains, air quality lags behind federal standards
Daniel Cohan, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, comments on the Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement of new limits on surface-level ozone pollution.
The Daily News
http://bit.ly/1L3YzJa

Celebrate the grand re-opening of Fitzgerald’s with Houston’s Bun B
Bernard “Bun B” Freeman, the Center for Engaged Research and Collaborative Learning’s Distinguished Lecturer, will perform at the newly renovated Fitzgerald’s Oct. 3.
365 Things To Do In Houston
http://bit.ly/1hakFxF

Green hosts Paying for College Workshop and Academy Day at Austin High School
Rice representatives will be present at the Paying for College Workshop at Stephen F. Austin High School Oct. 5.
Lake Houston Observer (This article also appeared in Kingwood Observer, Humble Observer, Atascocita Observer and East Montgomery County Observer.)
http://bit.ly/1M1juZR

BROADCAST

WABC-AM (New York)
Radio host Don Imus mentions he visited Rice.
http://bit.ly/1O1F9FI
http://bit.ly/1N0Dull

Podcast: Water found on Mars
David Alexander, professor of physics and astronomy and director of the Rice Space Institute, is interviewed about the streams of salty water found on Mars.
KODA-FM
http://bit.ly/1MG7uje

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Rice University develop powerful method to analyze carbon nanotubes in solution
Variance spectroscopy, invented at Rice, allows researchers to learn more about mixed batches of fluorescent nanotubes by focusing on small areas of samples and comparing their contents. Bruce Weisman, professor of chemistry and of materials science and nanoengineering, is quoted.
AZONano (This article also appeared in Science Daily, Phys.org, NewsR.in, My Informs, iConnect7 and Science Newsline.)
http://bit.ly/1FHL15O

Scientists decode structure at root of muscular disease
Researchers at Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine have unlocked the structural details of a protein seen as key to treating nemaline myopathy, a neuromuscular disease that causes muscle weakness. Jianpeng Ma, professor of bioengineering and of biochemistry and cell biology, is quoted.
Katy Rancher (This article also appeared in Memorial Examiner and 14 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1QKMf0A

Celebrating women in computing
The Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing honored Lydia Kavraki, the Noah Harding Professor of Computer Science and professor of bioengineering, with the Technical Leadership ABIE Award for her leadership through contributions to technology and increasing the impact of women in technology.
Scientific Computing
http://bit.ly/1OEIAUl

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Conversation with a curator: An interview with DiverseWorks’ Xandra Eden
Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research is cited in an interview with Xandra Eden, executive director and chief curator of leading Houston nonprofit, multidisciplinary art center DiverseWorks.
MutualArt.com
http://bit.ly/1N0xrx3

Mums who mean business: Stephanie de Jong, music with mummy
Alumna Stephanie de Jong ’95 is interviewed.
Families Online
http://bit.ly/1OGaL5s

SPORTS

Rice faces another high-powered offense in Western Kentucky
Rice football will play against Western Kentucky University Oct. 3 at Rice Stadium. Head coach David Bailiff is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1RfOiKX

Athletics: New Zealand’s Mary Davies chasing Rio standard at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon
Marathon runner Mary Davies is featured for her victory at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. The article mentions that Davies receives guidance from Rice head women’s cross country coach Jim Bevan.
RunnersWeb.com
http://bit.ly/1P5p9Ua

Campus Trails: Knee injury halts Wright’s promising season for Rice
Rice football player Lance Wright tore a ligament in his right knee, which ended his season early.
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
http://bit.ly/1PN3kqw

Women’s tennis shows early promise
Rice women’s tennis beat the University of Texas at Arlington at the Rice Invitational.
The Shorthorn
http://bit.ly/1KRnmvQ

Basketball teams preparing for upcoming schedules
The Rice men’s basketball game against North Texas University is mentioned.
North Texas Daily
http://bit.ly/1FDWBiH

NEWS RELEASES

Baker Institute report: Harris County has opportunity to expand drug diversion programs
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office has an opportunity to build on the success of its First Chance Intervention Program for first-time offenders of marijuana possession by expanding the program to apply to other offenses, according to a new report by drug policy experts from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition. A program expansion would allow defendants and taxpayers alike to see better outcomes while experiencing continued public safety in the community, the experts said.
http://bit.ly/1KL6BFI

Coordinated effort to deflate the dollar seems appealing again, Baker Institute expert says
The substantial run-up in the dollar over the past year has created tensions about competitive devaluations, and growing trade imbalances lurk around the corner, according to Russell Green, an economist at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. The coordinated effort to deflate the dollar that resulted from the 1985 Plaza Accord among the world’s leading Western economies seems appealing again, Green said.
http://bit.ly/1RfO9XZ

Regional confusion with growth numbers is affecting affordability in the city of Houston, according to Rice report
Regional confusion with population size is affecting affordability in the city of Houston and is just one of the sustainability topics addressed in a new report from Rice University’s Shell Center for Sustainability.
https://news2.rice.edu/?p=81448