Dateline Rice for Oct. 21, 2015

FEATURED ITEM

Is your car a rolling carbon nanotube factory?
Scientists detect the presence of carbon nanotubes in cells extracted from the airways of Parisian children with asthma. Their results suggest nanotubes may be common components of airborne pollution and vehicles may be a source. Lon Wilson, professor of chemistry, is quoted.
Forbes
http://onforb.es/1LL7eRo
Are cars nanotube factories on wheels?
ChemEurope.com (This article also appeared in One News Page, NewsR.in, Innovation Report, Medical News Today, Topix and e! Science News.)
http://bit.ly/1PGReRV
French children’s lungs contain carbon nanotubes found in car exhaust
Red Orbit (This article also appeared in Science Daily.)
http://bit.ly/1RnLzyx

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

CEO’s gender may affect company’s performance: Study
A CEO succession with a gender change may amplify the disruption of the CEO succession process and thus adversely affect company performance, according to a new study by strategic management experts at Rice University and the Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing. This dynamic will increase the likelihood of the new CEO’s early departure, the study found. Anthea Zhang, professor of management at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business, is quoted.
The Economic Times (Similar articles also appeared in Business Standard, Yahoo! India and 13 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1PGLoA1
Gender issues studied in CEO decisions
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1RnJy5k
CEO’s gender may affect company’s performance, says a study
The Indian Express
http://bit.ly/1jAFmVF
CEO’s gender might influence company’s performance: Study
Belvoir Eagle
http://bit.ly/1RWmWtD

A device to track children wins $620,000 at the Rice startup competition
KiLife, an entrepreneurial team from Brigham Young University and winner of the 2015 Rice Business Plan Competition, developed a smart band to alert kids when they’ve wandered too far from their parents. The team got to ring the Nasdaq closing bell. Brad Burke, managing director of the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, is quoted.
Forbes
http://onforb.es/1GgabZL

MSU President Simon to lead association of American universities
Rice President David Leebron has been elected vice chair of the Association of American Universities Board of Directors.
Michigan State University
http://bit.ly/1PGuXnr
MSU’s Simon to lead Association of American Universities
Lansing State Journal
http://on.lsj.com/1QPvzp3

Cheap microscope could improve medical care in poor nations
In a project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Grand Challenges in Global Health Initiative, Rice researchers have recently developed a plastic, miniature digital fluorescence microscope that can quantify white blood cell levels in patients in rural parts of the world. Tomasz Tkaczyk, associate professor of bioengineering, is quoted. Rebecca Richards-Kortum, the Malcolm Gillis University Professor, director of the Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering and of Rice 360°: Institute for Global Health Technologies, co-authored the study.
Hurriyet Daily News (This article also appeared in Medical News Today and News-line.)
http://bit.ly/1XkfbAR
Powerful plastic microscope brings better diagnostic care for world’s rural poor
Bionity.com
http://bit.ly/1ZXLxUd

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Early college high schools give kids a jump-start on higher ed
Banners from Rice and other universities are pictured along a sidewalk connecting classrooms at North Houston Early College High School to help motivate students to go to college. Early college high schools were established to introduce minority students from low-income families to college coursework in high school to help jump-start their higher education.
Houston Chronicle (This is featured on the front page. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1QTCNII

Sugar Land cemetery subject of Rice exhibit
Rice’s Houston Action Research Team collaborated with Reginald Moore, guardian of the Old Imperial Farm Cemetery, to create an online exhibit and archive for researchers.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1MTvUI2
http://bit.ly/1LnWFCh

Israel close to resolving dispute with Noble Energy, energy minister says
Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said Noble Energy might be allowed to continue developing two offshore natural gas fields in Israel soon during his meeting with members of Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in San Antonio Express-News. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1ZXOzb1
FuelFix
http://bit.ly/1OSavPA

Culture scene: Oct. 22-28
The program “Pioneers and Premieres” will feature works by Karim Al-Zand, associate professor of composition and theory at Rice’s Shepherd School of Music, Oct. 24 at Rice’s Duncan Recital Hall.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1QTCoWx
http://bit.ly/1M8Qm9g

‘Urban Cowboy’ rides into town
Rice Cinema will show “The Shining” tonight at 7:30.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1GpQi2d

Diving deep for lifesaving blood substitutes
The ultra-stable properties of the proteins that allow deep-diving whales to remain active while holding their breath for up to two hours could help Rice University biochemist John Olson and his colleagues finish a 20-year quest to create lifesaving synthetic blood for human trauma patients. Olson, the Ralph and Dorothy Looney Professor of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, is quoted.
Texas Medical Center News
http://bit.ly/1GnYaBb

Rice U. still gathering input on campus carry
Trinity College, Austin College and Paul Quinn College have opted out of Texas’ new law to allow licensed students to carry concealed guns on campus. Rice President David Leebron said he is still consulting with the campus community about the law.
KTRH-AM
http://bit.ly/1MTuFc2
http://bit.ly/1ZXRjVQ
Campus carry pressures leaders
DentonRC.com
http://bit.ly/1KoxHPi

Finance seminar keeps professors ‘in the know’
Alex Butler, professor of finance, will give a lecture at Baylor University Oct. 23.
Baylor Lariat
http://bit.ly/1Xke5ox

BROADCAST

Former DOE official McConnell says power plan a forced renewable portfolio standard
Charles McConnell, executive director of Rice’s Energy and Environment Initiative, is interviewed about the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan.
EENews.net
http://bit.ly/1XkfSu3
http://bit.ly/1MTmw7w

Voters to decide on multimillion-dollar bond initiatives in SE 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, explains that Harris County voters should educate themselves on the massive bond referendums that could last for 10 years. Jones also comments on mayoral endorsements, the reputation of Sen. Ted Cruz and U.S. Rep. Brian Babin.
KTRK-TV
http://abc13.co/1jTiUqm
Mayoral candidate King reaps big conservative backing
KRIV-TV
http://bit.ly/1OIFWgV
President Bush on Ted Cruz: ‘I just don’t like that guy’
The Sacramento Bee (This article also appeared in Fort Worth Star-Telegram and 14 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1W4htl9
Babin draws conservative challenger ahead of primary
Beaumont Enterprise
http://bit.ly/1MTv8Ln

C-SPAN
A research team based in Houston’s Texas Medical Center has found that loop-forming proteins inside the human chromosome appear to work like the sliding plastic adjusters on a grade-schooler’s backpack. This discovery may allow researchers to reprogram human cells by directly modifying the loops that form in DNA. Erez Lieberman Aiden, adjunct assistant professor in computational and applied mathematics and in computer science, is quoted.
http://bit.ly/1M8U0Qf
DNA ‘backpack strap adjuster’ could open the door for genetic ‘surgery’
HNGN (This article also appeared in Medical News Today, ScienceNewsline and Fresh Ghana.)
http://bit.ly/1jB1wXN

KUT 90.5
Peter Caldwell, the Samuel G. McCann Professor of History, is quoted about the history of nationalism in Nazi Germany.
http://bit.ly/1W5UxXV

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Cobalt atoms on graphene a powerful combo
Cobalt atoms on nitrogen-doped graphene are a robust solid-state catalyst for hydrogen production. The Rice discovery may be an effective replacement for more expensive platinum-activated catalysts in fuel cells and other energy applications. James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, is quoted.
Phys.org
http://bit.ly/1W5q4cu

Biomarker finder adjusts on the fly: Rice University scientists build better tool to find signs of disease
Rice bioengineers develop a continuously tunable method to locate biomarkers in DNA and RNA. Finding biomarkers is important for the detection of diseases and design of therapies to treat them. David Zhang, assistant professor of bioengineering, is quoted.
Nanotechnology Now
http://bit.ly/1MTtNnz

Iran prepares battlefield for return to oil market
Iran plans to reach its former rate of 3.4 million barrels of oil within months of its sanction being lifted. Jim Krane, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow in Energy Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
Tree Angle
http://bit.ly/1QTwmFt

2 Colorado schools ranked among nation’s best MBA programs
The University of Denver and the University of Colorado Boulder are ranked among the best MBA programs, according to a new Bloomberg report. Rice is mentioned.
Denver Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1ME8NNd

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Islamic art-inspired shadow box unites cultures through beauty
A new installation called “Intersections” by artist Anila Agha will be on display in Rice Gallery through Dec. 6.
The Creators Project
http://bit.ly/1hTQ0oL

From Penn to the Peace Corps
Alumna Lila Holzman ’09 is featured for her involvement in the Peace Corps.
The Daily Pennsylvanian
http://bit.ly/1OSdg3u

Boston Brass to perform at NSU Oct. 29
The Boston Brass, who have performed at Rice, will present a recital at Northwestern State University Oct. 29.
KTBS.com
http://bit.ly/1kmLUaq

SPORTS

KPRC-TV
Several celebrities will participate in the Softball For A Good Cause event at Rice’s Reckling Park.
http://bit.ly/1LLMicX

Crosby grad leads Rice in kickoff return yardage
Lovett College sophomore football player Austin Walter is featured.
The Baytown Sun (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1hTTQOJ

Tennis spring schedules posted
Rice men’s tennis will play against University of Texas at Arlington.
The Shorthorn
http://bit.ly/1OIi398

NEWS RELEASES

National health care reform is topic at Rice’s Baker Institute Oct. 23
A wide-ranging health policy conference at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy Oct. 23 will feature five of the nation’s leading health policy experts. The conference coincides with the fifth anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and the 50th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid programs.
http://bit.ly/1kr9y5B

Cobalt atoms on graphene a powerful combo
Cobalt atoms on nitrogen-doped graphene are a robust solid-state catalyst for hydrogen production. The Rice discovery may be an effective replacement for more expensive platinum-activated catalysts in fuel cells and other energy applications.
http://bit.ly/1PAtmAf

Rice MBA ranked among top 20 in US
The Master of Business Administration program at Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business is ranked No. 19 (up from No. 25 in 2014) in Bloomberg Businessweek’s new analysis of the best full-time MBA programs in the nation. The school’s part-time MBA for Professionals program was ranked No. 3 (up from No. 7 in 2014).
http://bit.ly/1GilJM3