Dateline Rice for March 17, 2016

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Behind a computer’s surprise victory, hints of global economic upheaval
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.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
http://bit.ly/1Lr95wW

The reality of Turkey’s ‘Pakistanization’
Kadir Yildirim, research scholar at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, authored an op-ed about the recent events in Turkey.
The World Post
http://huff.to/1UgzT5B

Americans don’t understand basic health terms, let alone Obamacare
According to a report from Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, approximately 25 percent of Texans say they lack confidence in understanding some of the most basic terminology about health insurance plans. Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics at the Baker Institute and professor of economics, is quoted.
Forbes
http://onforb.es/1XvLNH0

These are the best startup accelerators in the US
The results of the Seed Accelerator Rankings Project, compiled by researchers from Rice, MIT and the University of Richmond, were announced at South by Southwest (SXSW). Yael Hochberg, the Ralph S. O’Connor Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship, is quoted.
Inc.
http://bit.ly/1SVytwh

Looking for a global education? These American colleges attract the most international students
Rice is ranked No. 12 among 25 universities identified as having the most international students, based on data from the National Center for Education.
Rare
http://bit.ly/1RmJ2ta

Study shows IS persecution of Christians not justified by Prophet Mohammed
Prophet Muhammad believed that freedom of religion and civic rights were important components of a “Muslim nation,” according to a Rice analysis of the prophet’s covenants with Christians. Craig Considine, a lecturer in Rice’s Department of Sociology, is quoted.
Premier UK (This also appeared in Premier Christianity.)
http://bit.ly/1UiLPUv
Is IS a truly Islamic State? According to Mohammed’s covenants with Christians, no.
Christian Today
http://bit.ly/1QY8JNk
How IS actually goes against Muslim teachings
Opposing Views
http://bit.ly/1TOSXrO
Prophet Muhammad’s covenants with Christians path to peace?
Before It’s News
http://bit.ly/1XxF0N5

Symposium discusses advances in data analytics
Chris Jermaine, associate professor of computer science, was part of a symposium on Data Analytics in Doha, Qatar.
Gulf Times
http://bit.ly/1LrgLiR
World’s top machine learning and data analytics experts come to Doha, Qatar
Albawaba
http://bit.ly/1MaG60v

Elwyn L. Simons, primate specialist who discovered early human forebears, dies at 85
Alumnus Elwyn Simons ’53 died March 6 in Arizona.
The New York Times
http://nyti.ms/1Mp8rLk

What does pleasure smell like? Why a fragrance can turn you on
Rice is mentioned.
InStyle UK
http://bit.ly/1U9pnO8

HOUSTON/TEXAS

US News & World Report names the best graduate schools in Texas for 2017
The Master of Business Administration program at Rice’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business tied for 25th in a U.S. News & World Report ranking of graduate business schools, moving up eight places from last year’s rankings. Rice’s George R. Brown School of Engineering is ranked No. 31.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This also appeared in My San Antonio.)
http://bit.ly/1XxxnWT
The best graduate schools in Texas
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1SVtWdn
A&M climbs in law school rankings, UT remains high
Fort Worth Business
http://bit.ly/1UzAvlR
Houston schools make strong showing on US News Best Graduate Schools List
Houston Business Journal (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1Z1KPU4
UT’s graduate programs lauded in new report
Austin Business Journal (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1VdfY6Z
A&M climbs in law school rankings, UT remains high
My High Plains
http://bit.ly/1U9pskT

Growing chance of contested convention puts added focus on delegates
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 Sen. Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign, voter turnout, millennials and Sen. Bernie Sanders and Super Tuesday.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front of the March 17 print edition with a different headline, “Cruz eyes floor fight.” This also appeared in the San Antonio Express-News.)
http://bit.ly/1S63QSI
Ted Cruz faces slim chances at nomination after a rough Tuesday night
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This also appeared in My San Antonio and Free Republic.)
http://bit.ly/1Xve5RN
http://bit.ly/1MmTclV
Texas near bottom in turnout
The Fort Stockton Pioneer
http://bit.ly/1pMia9D
KPFT
http://bit.ly/1LsHknB
Millennials say they’re optimistic about America
KPRC
http://bit.ly/1TQUhKK
Rice’s Mark Jones joins Houston’s morning news to weigh in on Super Tuesday
KTRH
http://bit.ly/1UiJicY

Rice to raise tuition by $1,600
Undergraduate tuition at Rice University for the 2016-17 school year will be $43,220, up from $41,560 for the current year. Rice President David Leebron is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This also appeared in My San Antonio.)
http://bit.ly/1M7YRBC
http://bit.ly/1ST0bd5
Colleges with the biggest tuition hikes
Houston Chronicle (This also appeared in My San Antonio.)
http://bit.ly/1M8BhEN
‘13 Eyewitness News at 4 p.m.’
KTRK
http://bit.ly/1RmH4ZJ
‘KPRC Channel 2 News at 5 p.m.’
KPRC
http://bit.ly/256htbD

How Houston (?!) became a model for city planning
Alumnus Christof Spieler ’97 discusses the recent redesign of Houston’s bus system.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1M8B1pk

Outside the megaplex
The Rice Cinema will show “Moana with Sound” March 19 at 7 p.m.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1S4kPof
http://bit.ly/1TOoZnH

Op-ed: Houston’s finances are worse than we thought
John Diamond, the Edward A. and Hermena Hancock Kelly Fellow in Public Finance at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and an adjunct professor of economics, is quoted.
Houston Business Journal (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1pw7CMb

Obama nominates former Dallas judge to federal bench
Alumna Karen Gren Scholer ’79 has been nominated by President Barack Obama to serve on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
The Dallas Morning News
http://bit.ly/256eorX

Houston sights and attractions
The Rice Art Gallery is featured on a list of things to see in Houston.
KHOU
http://bit.ly/1UiNUzR

Houston Public Library launches Astrodome app
Rice’s Fondren Library is mentioned.
Defender Network Houston
http://bit.ly/1pqfxtE

Theater, opera director on a ‘role’
The article mentions that Leslie Swackhamer has been a guest faculty member at Rice.
Bellaire, River Oaks and West University Examiner
http://bit.ly/1WsVANN

Love, sex and seduction: El Paso Opera presents ‘Carmen’
Alumna Sishel Claverie ’10 will perform with the El Paso Opera.
KFOX14
http://bit.ly/1TQR8uc

Winners of Young Texas Artists Music Competition announced
Will Rice College junior Katherine Audas and graduate student Stephanie Sanchez recently won honors at the Young Texas Artists Music Competition’s Finalists’ Concert & Awards.
Conroe Today
http://bit.ly/1U9ptFi

Electric bikes
The Electric Bike Expo was held at Rice.
Off the Kuff
http://bit.ly/1LsKlEx

BROADCAST

KUOW
Quianta Moore, scholar in health policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted about telemedicine and adolescents.
http://bit.ly/1MaJlF3 (Click on the audio button to listen to the broadcast.)

‘Xploration Outer Space’
President John F. Kennedy’s famous “Moon Speech” delivered at Rice Sept. 12, 1962, is discussed.
KMSS (This also aired on KPTH and KXLT.)
http://bit.ly/1pqaGc4

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Rigged: Declining US oil and gas rigs forecast job pain
A Rice study on oil and gas is mentioned.
Brookings
http://brook.gs/1STwQ2d

Learning to think like an engineer
Rice is mentioned.
ECN
http://bit.ly/1pMjkBW

Pitching gas against coal
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.
Oil Gas Daily
http://bit.ly/1RoC8xi

Researchers develop new lens for terahertz radiation
Researchers from Brown University have developed a new type of lens for focusing terahertz radiation. Lovett College senior Yiqiu Wang is mentioned.
Opli
http://bit.ly/1Wt6Ppp

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Superbugs, sewage and the oceans
Scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency 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.
DailyRx News
http://bit.ly/1MmVtgU

Ramon Diaz-Arrastia: Presidential professor
Alumnus Ramon Diaz-Arrastia ’79 has been appointed the Presidential Professor of Neurology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
University of Pennsylvania Almanac
http://bit.ly/1TOoaeu

Want to store more gasoline in your tank? Startup hopes to help
The Rice Business Plan Competition is mentioned.
Medill Reports Chicago
http://bit.ly/1Z20H96

NASA’s ‘Journey To Mars’ begins with a thousand steps
George Abbey, the Baker Botts Senior Fellow in Space Policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted about NASA’s “Journey To Mars.”
Florida Politics
http://bit.ly/1LsD4Vb

Energy Department announces Denver as next location for Solar Decathlon Competition in 2017
Rice is listed as one of the teams that will participate in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2017 competition.
PV Magazine
http://bit.ly/22nCZto

This is not all that Gyna sapiens (‘thinking woman’) is capable of
Alumna Eva Hoffman ’67 is mentioned.
Thought Leader
http://bit.ly/1pw8vEg

Dr. Mary Currier receives national service award
Alumna Mary Currier ’78 has received the 2016 Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service from the American Medical Association.
The Clarion-Ledger
http://on.thec-l.com/1R0gBz7

Tales of comparison multiplied sevenfold
Author Erik Larson wrote about Rice founder William Marsh Rice’s murder.
The Free Weekly
http://bit.ly/1Z4R9KG

Who is the real Heidi Nelson Cruz?
Sen. Ted Cruz’s mother, alumna Eleanor Darragh ’56, is mentioned.
Lew Rockwell
http://bit.ly/1RQJREO

Koç Holding Yönetim Kurulu Başkanlığı’nda ibre Ali Koç’tan yana
Alumnus Ali Koc ’90 is expected to take over Koc Holding after the death of his brother.
Mynet Finans (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1Rozc3J

SPORTS

Aggies, Longhorns nearly brawl on baseball diamond
A NCAA tournament regional game played at Rice is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1M81iUJ
http://bit.ly/1WqL3mi
Baseball series shows why Texas, A&M should play each other
247Sports
http://bit.ly/1LsCN4J

Damon Stoudamire named new head coach at Pacific University
Former Rice basketball coach Damon Stoudamire is mentioned.
Slam
http://bit.ly/1WriHbw
Former Jail Blazer hired as NCAA head coach
The Post Game
http://bit.ly/1Wt9oru

Women set personal bests at Rice
The Shirley Crowe meet was held at Rice March 15-16.
Wichita State Athletics
http://bit.ly/1nQU0sY
Track and field finishes indoor season
The Huntington News
http://bit.ly/1pw9p3T

Can you name all the schools in the WAC?
Rice men’s basketball is mentioned.
NewsOK
http://bit.ly/1S65Eec

St. John’s offers tune-up for Penn women’s tennis before Ivy play
Rice women’s tennis is mentioned.
The Daily Pennsylvanian
http://bit.ly/1Z4MNTT
No. 27 Jayhawks host No. 35 Texas looking for 2nd-straight Big 12 win
KU Athletics
http://bit.ly/1WsUxxo

NEWS RELEASE

Rice political scientists available to discuss President Obama’s Supreme Court pick
President Barack Obama announced U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Merrick Garland as his nominee to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia on the U.S. Supreme Court. Rice University political scientists Paul Brace and Mark Jones are available to share their insight on this choice.
http://bit.ly/1UAtPUq