Dateline Rice for March 8, 2016

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Cancer cells get their fuel from neighbors’ ‘words’
Cancer cells are well-known as voracious energy consumers, but even researchers were surprised by their latest exploit. Experiments Rice lab show that some cancer cells get 30-60 percent of their fuel from eating their neighbors’ “words.” Deepak Nagrath, assistant professor in chemical and biomolecular engineering, and graduate student Hongyun Zhao are quoted. Graduate students Lifeng Yang, Joelle Baddour and Abhinav Achreja are also mentioned.
Times of India (This also appeared in 11 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1THJnag
Cancer cells eat their neighbors’ ‘words’
Science Daily (This also appeared in Medical Xpress, BioPortfolio, Science Newsline and Science Codex.)
http://bit.ly/1Ryym4O
Cancer cells directly convert the signals from neighboring cells into energy
The Health Site
http://bit.ly/1LOGKAo

Is natural gas a fossil fuel substitute, or does it just crowd out renewables?
Daniel Cohan, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, authored an op-ed about natural gas.
The Hill
http://bit.ly/1QEcjx3

James A. Baker III speaks to MSNBC about the passing of Nancy Reagan
Former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker III, honorary chair of Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted about the death of former First Lady Nancy Reagan.
MSNBC
https://youtu.be/oW4ZRFy33Ps
James A. Baker III speaks to ‘NBC Nightly News’ about the passing of Nancy Reagan
‘NBC Nightly News’
https://youtu.be/6tLr4t2BWAo
WBAP
http://bit.ly/1p549mU (Click on the audio button to listen to the broadcast.)

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Tuition hikes have state leaders looking to regulate college costs
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 leaders in the Texas Legislature, the University of Texas’ tuition increase, the March 6 Democratic debate, the Republican Party establishment, voter turnout and Super Tuesday.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/24OcCLW
Texas near bottom among states in primary turnout this year
Texas Tribune
http://bit.ly/1R5c0xz
Abbott wants to rein in college costs
San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/1OYxip2
‘Get ready, Austin’: Texas lawmakers survive challenges, look to 2017
Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1U8GoGl
Who let the inmates out?
San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/1THGu9r
How bad is voter turnout in Texas? Only Louisiana ranked lower during presidential primary
Valley Central
http://bit.ly/1R3qO9D
KPFT
http://bit.ly/21jbafZ (Click on the audio button to listen to the broadcast.)
Comienza la votación anticipada y podría decidir las primarias en Texas antes del ‘Súpermartes’
Que Onda (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/21Zmtwc

How Houston got beautiful. (At least in places.)
Ernesto Alfaro and Andrew Albers, lecturers of architecture, and Raj Mankad, editor of the Rice Design Alliance’s Cite Magazine, discuss Houston’s improving architecture.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1QIGmAw

Editorial: Wacky candidates slip past voters again
An unidentified Rice professor’s comments about Rob Morrow, the new Travis County Republican chairman, are mentioned. (Editor’s note: Mark Jones made the comments.)
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1M4w0ZA

East Austin educator Sanford Jeames earns first ‘Rather Prize’
Eastside Memorial High School educator Sanford Jeames has been awarded the inaugural Rather Prize. Lovett College sophomore Martin Rather is quoted.
East Austin Patch
http://bit.ly/21jbR94
Austin educator wins inaugural Rather Prize
KVUE
http://bit.ly/1LbmfOA
‘Eyewitness News at 10 p.m.’
KENS
http://bit.ly/1UaVmvm
‘KVUE News at 5’
KVUE
http://bit.ly/1QIMetB
‘KVUE News Daybreak’
KVUE
http://bit.ly/1THLET3

Dallas not keeping up with entrepreneurship, report says
Dallas, Houston and San Antonio are drastically underperforming in entrepreneurship compared with other major U.S. cities, according to a new report by Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Dallas Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1THKkPS
Austin is the state’s only VC hot spot, report says
Austin Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1U1HK71
Venture capitalists find Austin an oasis in declining Texas desert
Austin.com
http://bit.ly/1X9YKpK

Lone Star College to host world-class book festival
The article mentions that a panel at the Lone Star Book Festival will include professors from Rice.
The Potpourri Magnolia Edition
http://bit.ly/1RPWNgM

UNT professor Dr. Armintor running for city council
Alumna Deborah Armintor ’00 is running for city council in Denton.
North Texas Daily
http://bit.ly/1THTMmv

BROADCAST

Milwaukee Public Radio
An investigative report published by ProPublica and the Texas Tribune argues that Houston is not well-prepared for a major hurricane. The Storm Surge Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters (SSPEED) Center at Rice is mentioned.
http://bit.ly/1ntH9Na (Click on the audio button to listen to the broadcast.)

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Rice University’s next-gen microchip plots cracks, pores through frac fluids
Rice’s Integrated Systems and Circuits laboratory has created a new microchip — about the size of a grain of sand — that travels with fracturing fluids downhole to track the movement of oil and gas through cracks and pores in the reservoir. Aydin Babakhani, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, is quoted.
Drilling Contractor
http://bit.ly/1TpGNFr

Scientists unveil ice-melting coating
A composite of graphene nanoribbons and epoxy proves effective at de-icing a helicopter blade in an experiment at Rice University. The new material may be suitable for keeping aircraft, wind turbines and transmission lines free of ice. James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, and graduate student Abdul-Rahman Raji are quoted.
Paint Square
http://bit.ly/1pvCQT8

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Sewage not killing superbugs embedded in gallons of raw sewage
Scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency recently announced they had discovered a lethal superbug in California sewage plants. Pedro Alvarez, the George R. Brown Professor and chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is quoted.
Westside Today
http://bit.ly/1QyEb4x
Breaking: Hospitals release deadly superbug into the environment via sewage
Venice-Mar Vista Patch (This also appeared in 56 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/21TH7B8
Sewage treatment plants not killing superbugs released by SoCal hospitals
My News LA
http://bit.ly/1R1jyuY
Hospitals’ superbug-infected sewage may threaten California communities
Fierce Healthcare
http://bit.ly/1Rxfinn
KCRW
http://bit.ly/1LOI6eu (Click on the audio button to listen to the broadcast.)
Could hospital waste hosting superbugs spread the bacteria to the public?
Becker’s Hospital Review
http://bit.ly/1QITyVQ

Mexico’s rate of change
Francisco Monaldi, a fellow in Latin American energy policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted about Mexico’s oil company Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex).
Offshore Engineer
http://bit.ly/1QIUidP

Robots versus humans: Who can clean a house better?
Moshe Vardi, director of Rice’s Ken Kennedy Institute for Information Technology, the Karen Ostrum George Distinguished Service Professor of Computational Engineering and professor of computer science, expects that within 30 years, machines will be capable of doing almost any job that a human can.
Digit
http://bit.ly/1LbmQ2M

Douglas Brinkley to talk about FDR as a conservationist in Hyde Park
Douglas Brinkley, professor of history, will be part of a talk and book signing at FDR Library in Hyde Park, N.Y.
Almanac Weekly
http://bit.ly/1R1jBHd

‘Father of Posthumanism’ to serve as CNY Humanities Corridor Visiting Collaborator
Cary Wolfe, the Bruce and Elizabeth Dunlevie Professor of English, will serve as the Central New York Humanities Corridor Mellon Distinguished Visiting Collaborator at Syracuse University.
Syracuse University News
http://bit.ly/1Svo9el

March MOOCs
The article touts highly anticipated MOOCs opening in March. Scott Rixner, associate professor in computer science and electrical and computer engineering, and Joe Warren, professor of computer science, are mentioned for their course “An Introduction to Interactive Programming in Python Part 1.”
I Programmer
http://bit.ly/1QGYJ8R

What was found out about the ‘missing 18 min’ in the Nixon administration in 1972 during the Watergate event
William Martin, the Harry and Hazel Chavanne Senior Fellow in Religion and Public Policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
Before It’s News
http://bit.ly/1Ub7Q6p

Caltech hosts coding competition for high school and college students from around the world
Lovett College sophomore Ashwin Varma was on a team of students that made a melanoma screening app called SkinDeep that won for Best Use of Big Data, Machine Learning or Data Processing at Hacktech 2016.
Pasadena News Now
http://bit.ly/1LaH78z
Caltech hosts coding competition for high school and college students
Caltech News
http://bit.ly/1Ub1ZxX

Alabama soldier earns $50K investment for tactical gear company in Shark Tank-style contest
The 2016 Entrepreneurs Organization-Houston Veterans Business Battle was held at Rice.
Yellow Hammer News
http://bit.ly/21VZ6XT
Alabama infantryman earns $50K investment for tactical rigging association in Shark Tank-style contest
Alabama News
http://bit.ly/1R5ju3u

United Airlines appoints 3 new independent directors
Alumnus James Whitehurst ’89 has been appointed to the United Continental Holdings Board of Directors.
eTurbo News (This also appeared in Travel and Tour World.)
http://bit.ly/21X8Qh5
United Airlines announces appointment of 3 independent directors
Street Insider
http://bit.ly/1UPPngj
United Airlines announces return of President and CEO Oscar Munoz
Travel Daily News
http://bit.ly/1ntFA1I

Cincinnati gets new top federal prosecutor
Alumnus Benjamin Glassman ’97 is mentioned.
Cincinnati Business Courier
http://bit.ly/1QEbjcg

Stereotypes are holding women back
A 2013 Rice study is mentioned.
Standard Media
http://bit.ly/1LaH8sY

Faculty Artist Series: Murasaki Duo to perform piano-cello recital March 16
Alumnus Eric Kutz ’94 will perform as part of the Murasaki Duo at Luther College March 16.
Luther College Headlines
http://bit.ly/1Rxfove

Stormzy tackles race and sexism in Oxford University Lecture
Rice is mentioned.
Howls & Echoes
http://bit.ly/1RycA0Y

Tax trouble for international graduate employees across US campuses
Rice is mentioned.
Academe
http://bit.ly/1pdnram

SPORTS

Alex Hamilton garners first-team All-C-USA honors
Brown College freshman Marcus Evans has earned first-team All-Conference USA honors.
The Shreveport Times (This also appeared in the News Star.)
http://bit.ly/1R3LSTG
C-USA announces all-conference team
WBKO
http://bit.ly/1TnhJ21
ODU’s Freeman, Rice’s Evans voted to All-C-USA basketball team
The Virginian-Pilot
http://bit.ly/1QCDDvQ
ODU’s Trey Freeman, Rice’s Marcus Evans put local stamp on All-C-USA team
The Virginian-Pilot
http://bit.ly/1QEbzIz
Marshall’s Kelly named C-USA first-teamer
The Register-Herald
http://bit.ly/1pvxjfy
Kelly makes Marshall history
Herald Dispatch
http://bit.ly/1ntFkzT
Monday’s local interest college basketball: Norfolk State women fall to Coppin State in MEAC’s first round; ODU’s Trey Freeman selected to All-C-USA first team
Daily Press
http://bit.ly/1R5a0Fq

Weather permitting, Cardinals to face Owls on Tuesday
Rice baseball will play Lamar University March 8.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/21Zgibp

C-USA spring football preview: Turnover at top
Rice football’s spring schedule is mentioned.
USA Today
http://usat.ly/1W4hYwJ

2016 C-USA tournament preview and prediction
Rice men’s basketball is mentioned.
Sports Blog
http://bit.ly/1Svo2iR
Sports calendar, March 8-9
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1OYwekS
UAB the favorite, but C-USA tourney open for upsets
Bowling Green Daily News
http://bit.ly/1LbmAkd
MTSU’s Giddy Potts will play in C-USA tournament
Daily News Journal
http://on.dnj.com/1pvxmYH

Seeking first road win of the season, Ragin’ Cajuns baseball visits Tulane
Rice baseball is mentioned.
The Advocate
http://bit.ly/1UaRWbX
UL baseball team takes its show on the road
The Advertiser
http://bit.ly/1pvx0kX
UCF junior Robby Howell named AAC Pitcher of the Week
Bay News 9
http://bit.ly/1TpvFIJ

Multiple Texas Longhorns will miss spring practice or be limited by injuries
Rice football is mentioned.
SB Nation
http://bit.ly/1M4yWFC

McAllen Memorial’s Sanchez signs with Rice
Student-athletes have signed national letters of intent to play at Rice.
Valley Town Crier
http://bit.ly/1U1yoba

Lacrosse’s Megan Pinkerton named Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars semifinalist
Sid Richardson College senior James Lee is one of 15 male semifinalists for the annual Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award given by Diverse Issues in Higher Education.
Owl Sports
http://bit.ly/1p59WJ4

March Madness 2016 schedule, prediction, streaming details revealed
The article mentions that Rice will be one of the hosts for the Final Four and Championship.
Christian Today
http://bit.ly/1QAAStJ

NEWS RELEASES

Electricity, heating most climate-friendly uses for natural gas
Rice University researchers have determined a more effective way to use natural gas to reduce climate-warming emissions would be in the replacement of existing coal-fired power plants and fuel-oil furnaces rather than burning it in cars and buses.
http://bit.ly/1QEk1HC

Drug policies in Harris County and the nation topic at Rice’s Baker Institute March 9
Law enforcement experts will gather at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy March 9 to discuss the impact of drug prohibition on society and public safety and examine existing and future drug policies in Harris County and the nation.
http://bit.ly/1p5bHWE

Study: Cancer cells eat their neighbors’ ‘words’
Cancer cells are well-known as voracious energy consumers, but even researchers were surprised by their latest exploit. Experiments Rice lab show that some cancer cells get 30-60 percent of their fuel from eating their neighbors’ “words.”
http://bit.ly/21TEy27