Dateline Rice for March 11, 2016

FEATURED ITEMS

Houston doctor who gave life to thousands dies at 48
Alumni Anh Reiss ’89, a Houston doctor who died of leukemia Feb. 26, is profiled for her family’s work to double the number of Vietnamese bone marrow donors nationwide. Her husband, Josh Reiss ’89, is also mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front of the Star section in the March 11 print edition with a different headline, “Doctor leaves the world on her own terms.”)
http://bit.ly/1P2rj2i

Research on mouse’s brain could lead to smarter machines
An international team of scientists is hoping that the key to building smarter computers and AI may be locked inside a mouse’s brain, which they plan on mapping to ultimately allow machines to learn. Xaq Pitkow, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Rice and assistant professor of neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front of the March 11 print edition with a different headline, “From a mouse, a better machine.”)
http://bit.ly/1LgzqOc
Unlocking the secrets of the brain’s intelligence to develop smarter technologies
Baylor College of Medicine News (This also appeared in Phys Org.)
http://bit.ly/1P2tKC4
Mapping of mouse’s brain could lead to smarter machines
San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/1RULJPu

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

What US energy exports to Europe mean for Russia
Ken Medlock, the James A. Baker III and Susan Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics and senior director of the Center for Energy Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and lecturer of economics, is mentioned in an article about oil prices.
Russian Direct
http://bit.ly/1RCtHPq

25 songs that tell us where music is going
Alumna Caroline Shaw ’04 is profiled and will perform with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra March 13.
The New York Times
http://nyti.ms/1Ul6VjK
PSO concert to feature new work by Caroline Shaw
Central Jersey
http://bit.ly/1nAX7oY

The righteous tantrum scenario
Similarities between Theodore Roosevelt’s 1912 presidential campaign and Donald Trump’s are examined. Douglas Brinkley, professor of history, is quoted.
U.S. News & World Report
http://bit.ly/1QRvxvY

Kiwi musician Natalie Lin’s overseas success
Graduate student Natalie Lin is profiled.
Women’s Weekly New Zealand
http://bit.ly/1LgI7Iq

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Advice for Metro
Former Rice President Edgar Odell Lovett is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1WeszFj

Lamar professor’s art adorns Houston billboard
The article mentions that Prince Thomas once taught at Rice.
Houston Chronicle (This also appeared in the Beaumont Enterprise.)
http://bit.ly/1QQ6Fou

Houston boy lands role in Hollywood movie
Howard Hughes, who attended Rice but left before earning a degree, is featured.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This also appeared in My San Antonio.)
http://bit.ly/1YG2IHT
http://bit.ly/1pkoIMK

Houston graphic art
A local artist’s artwork includes a graphic rendering of Lovett Hall.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1pcOd1O

Ride on the side: Tour Houston from motorcycle sidecar
Rice is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1TPPLMV

Houston falls short as entrepreneurial hub, but shows signs of life
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. Edward Egan, fellow of the Baker Institute and director of the institute’s McNair Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, is quoted.
Houston Business Journal (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1TAfcl4

Hospital waste could be breeding superbugs in sewer systems
Scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency recently announced they 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.
Texas Standard (This broadcast also aired on 24 other stations.)
http://bit.ly/1LgHKNO
Sewage plants are failing to kill lethal superbugs unleashed from hospitals
The Bulletin
http://bit.ly/1QQ68CT
‘Superbugs’ thriving in raw sewage treatment plants
The San Fernando Valley Sun
http://bit.ly/1LgISkz

East Texas SBOE race stirs controversy
Mark Jones, the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies, professor of political science, fellow in political science at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and fellow at Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is quoted about the May runoffs in Texas, Ted Cruz’s campaign, tuition increases, the future of Cuba and voter turnout.
San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/1UWwGr8
Here are Big Oil’s favorite presidential candidates
Grist
http://bit.ly/1UWx1dq
Cuba — the new frontier
DHL
http://bit.ly/1WerQnJ
Texas near bottom among states in primary turnout this year
The Free Library
http://bit.ly/1QMCn9v
Ante el costo creciente de la universidad, legisladores de Texas deciden actuar
La Voz (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1WerIVm

New Houston hurricane plan stirs the pot
An investigative report published by ProPublica and the Texas Tribune argues that Houston is not well-prepared for a major hurricane. Phil Bedient, the Herman Brown Professor of Engineering, is quoted and the Storm Surge Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters (SSPEED) Center at Rice is mentioned.
Texas Tribune
http://bit.ly/1LV7hMC
‘We’re sitting ducks’: Direct hit to Houston from another Ike could devastate city, nation’s economy
Herald Democrat
http://bit.ly/1Xg6bf3

Crowds gather at Rice to discuss ending drug prohibition
A drug enforcement panel discussion was held at Rice.
CW 39
http://bit.ly/1MbIJJY
‘NewsFix’
CW 39
http://bit.ly/1nCHKfF

Aggies pitch business ideas to Max Levchin, co-founder of PayPal
An article about Max Levchin’s presentation at Texas A&M mentions that he also spoke at Rice. Levchin co-founded PayPal and Affirm.
The Eagle
http://bit.ly/1Wey6vy

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 Tribune
http://bit.ly/24TCxly

Freebie Friday: Spring break edition
The article mentions that Rice students can receive free admission to the Houston Zoo with a valid student ID.
Click2Houston
http://bit.ly/1WezcHP
What to do for spring break in Houston: Free and cheap
Houston on the Cheap
http://bit.ly/1YGf5nA

BROADCAST

Podcast: AI catching up to humankind
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, discusses a computer program that has twice beaten the world’s best player in the Asian board game “Go” and the future of artificial intelligence.
KTRH
http://bit.ly/1Ul6whg

WHYY
Quianta Moore, scholar in health policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted about “telemedicine” and adolescents.
http://bit.ly/1Rc7R4P (Click on the audio button to listen to the broadcast.)

‘13 Eyewitness News at 5:30 a.m.’
The Electric Bike Expo will be at Rice March 11-13.
KTRK
http://bit.ly/1TSeHTN

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Rice scientists synthesize anti-cancer agent
A team led by K.C. Nicolaou, the Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Professor of Chemistry, has developed a new process for the synthesis of a series of potent anti-cancer agents originally found in bacteria. Postdoctoral research associates Quan Cai, Shugao Zhu and Bo Qin and former visiting student Hongbao Sun are also mentioned in some of the articles.
Phys Org (This also appeared in 11 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/223O2YC
Researchers develop new process for synthesis of potent anti-cancer agents
News Medical (This also appeared in Topix.)
http://bit.ly/1WcZk5W

Power generation is fuel’s most climate-friendly use — study
Rice researchers have determined a more effective way to use natural gas to reduce climate-warming emissions would be the replacement of existing coal-fired power plants and fuel-oil furnaces rather than burning it in cars and buses. Daniel Cohan, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, is quoted and alumnus Shayak Sengupta ’15 is mentioned.
Energy Wire (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1Ma4iKX
When natural gas is a climate friend and when it’s a foe
Conservation Magazine
http://bit.ly/21mvpJO

Big data used to distinguish tissue-specific metabolic pathways
Rice bioengineers have introduced a fast computational method to model tissue-specific metabolic pathways. Their algorithm may help researchers find new therapeutic targets for cancer and other diseases. Amina Qutub, assistant professor of bioengineering, and graduate student Andre Schultz are quoted.
Gen
http://bit.ly/1RaxOl0
Algorithm efficiently analyzes, compares tissue-specific pathways
MDT
http://bit.ly/1QJPmre
‘Big data’ drills down into metabolic details
The Oncology Nurse (This also appeared in the Oncology Pharmacist.)
http://bit.ly/1SFLiuD

An elite degree doesn’t necessarily mean higher earnings in some fields
An article about graduation rates and career earnings of students cites Rice as an example of an elite school.
Good Call
http://bit.ly/1WcX2Uo

3-D printing courses on a massive scale
A Rice Coursera course is mentioned.
Engineering
http://bit.ly/1Ma1A8c

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 from a 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.
Health Canal
http://bit.ly/1Uja1Vo

Evidence in the Cassia Hills of Idaho reveals 12 catastrophic eruptions
An article by graduate student Tian Dong is featured.
Science Codex
http://bit.ly/1YG7CVB

Weekly reading: Antibiotic resistance growing; HIV life expectancy up; understanding health insurance
According to a new Baker Institute report, approximately 25 percent of Texans say they lack confidence in understanding some of the most basic terminology about health insurance plans.
Hospitals and Health Networks
http://bit.ly/1TA7NSE

Theranos rival HealthTell bags $26 million for single-drop-of-blood diagnostics
Bioengineers at Rice University recently found that different drops from single finger-pricks on multiple subjects varied substantially on results for basic health measures like hemoglobin, white blood cell counts and platelet counts.
BioSpace
http://bit.ly/1P3Xrmr

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Timothy Morton on haunted architecture, dark ecology, and other objects
Timothy Morton, a philosopher and the Rita Shea Guffey Chair in English, is interviewed.
Archinect
http://bit.ly/1P2tVxg

The startup accelerators: Organizations behind startup ecosystem
The article mentions a recent study on startup accelerators that was authored in part by Yael Hochberg, the Ralph S. O’Connor Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship.
Ideate
http://bit.ly/1TSkXev

Big wheels for little cars
Artificial nanomachines will play a critical role in the future of nanotechnology by building nanoscopic devices that cannot be built by successive miniaturization technologies. James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, is mentioned.
About My Planet
http://bit.ly/1RDUc77

The Atlantic on Trump and ‘minorities’ — blinded by race, liberals have lost all ability to distinguish Americans from non-Americans
Steve Murdock, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology and director of Rice’s Hobby Center for the Study of Texas, is mentioned in an article about Donald Trump and minorities.
VDARE
http://bit.ly/1Xi60Qx
Why Trump has it backwards on minority groups
Rocket News
http://bit.ly/1WeEpiW

2016 Biennial: Changing Circumstances: Looking at the future of the planet
The article mentions that professors from Rice will participate as panelists at FotoFest.
Brooklyn Art Project
http://bit.ly/1pkt8mN

The 100 greatest college traditions
Beer Bike and Baker 13 are featured on a list of the greatest college traditions.
Campus Grotto
http://bit.ly/1SFON48

Commentary: Working to form a more perfect union
An article mentions that the late Col. Oveta Culp Hobby, Rice trustee emeritus, received the Alumni Association Gold Medal for Distinguished Public Service from Rice in 1978.
Hilltop Times
http://bit.ly/1RCoQxA

Spartanburg colleges oppose allowing guns on campus
A bill proposed in the South Carolina Senate would allow students and faculty with concealed weapons permits to carry guns on college campuses. Rice is mentioned for opting out of the similar Texas “campus carry” law.
Go Upstate
http://bit.ly/1LgDHkD

Sons of Serendip come to Mayo
Alumnus Mason Morton ’11 is mentioned.
New Jersey Stage
http://bit.ly/1QQ3aOF

Le noir dessein d’Anish Kapoor
Rice is mentioned.
La Libre (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1nAV3NH

SPORTS

Women’s basketball: Rice closes season at 9-22; TSU advances
Rice women’s basketball fell to Middle Tennessee University 54-74. McMurtry College junior Maya Hawkins is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1UYdIAo
Owls fall in C-USA quarterfinals to Middle Tennessee
C-USA
http://bit.ly/1RDVMpv

TCU hitter credits same old thing for .500 start, best in the Big 12
Rice baseball is mentioned.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
http://bit.ly/1SDLWIY
Sorenson: Off the top of my head
D1 Baseball
http://bit.ly/226LHbW
Hogs looking past latest bullpen woes
Northwest Arkansas News (This also appeared in Arkansas Online.)
http://bit.ly/1pcSgLF

What does the future hold for the Techsters?
Rice women’s basketball defeated Louisiana Tech University 72-67.
The News Star
http://tnsne.ws/1YDjpUm
‘NBC10 News at 6’
KTVE
http://bit.ly/1U6HUtT

ECU baseball blanks George Mason behind trio of pitchers
Rice baseball will play East Carolina University March 11-13.
The East Carolinian
http://bit.ly/1QMAOZ3

Rice built solid foundation in hoops season
The articles recap Rice men’s basketball’s season. Head coach Mike Rhoades and players Marcus Evans, Max Guercy, Connor Cashaw, Andrew Drone, Chad Lott, Marcus Jackson, Egor Koulechov and Marquez Letcher-Ellis are mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1RaAz5V
http://bit.ly/1nAYbZZ
Despite losing season, the future’s not so bleak for Rice basketball
Houston Press
http://bit.ly/228KyAL

Vikings finalize 4-year contract with safety Sendejo
Alumnus Andrew Sendejo ’10 is mentioned.
Lucena Informacion
http://bit.ly/1QKIfjn

Why wide receiver Ricky Seals-Jones is the Aggies veteran to watch in 2016
Rice football is mentioned.
Sports Day
http://bit.ly/1QMuSPV

College track: Need for speed motivates Thomas
Alumna Katrice Thomas ’87 is mentioned.
Rapid City Journal
http://bit.ly/1RUMBna

Chicago White Sox top 20 prospects for 2016
Alumnus Jordan Stephens ’15 is mentioned.
SB Nation
http://bit.ly/1SFI5Lx