Dateline Rice for June 7, 2016

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Anxiety could increase risk of type 2 diabetes, study reports
A Rice University study has found a link between emotional stress and diabetes, with roots in the brain’s ability to control anxiety. Christopher Fagundes, assistant professor of psychology, and Kyle Murdock, a postdoctoral research fellow in psychology, are quoted.
Diabetes
http://bit.ly/22MaqT0
Stress-diabetes link detailed in new study
Science Daily
http://ow.ly/h6Si3010zFW
Rice study takes deeper look at how inflammation bridges stress and diabetes
News Medical
http://bit.ly/1ZuxSlL
Rice study details stress-diabetes link
Science Codex (This also appeared in Health Canal, Scienmag and Health.am.)
http://bit.ly/1RWccJm
Study details stress-diabetes link
Medical Xpress
http://bit.ly/1rbrSme
Emotional stress may influence diabetes
Psych Central
http://bit.ly/1UwPIA9
Anxiety, type 2 diabetes linked: study
Stone Hearth News
http://bit.ly/1WDoGh3

Inspirational molecules
An article discusses the 1996 Nobel Prize in chemistry, which was awarded to University Professor Emeritus Robert Curl, the late Richard Smalley and the late Harold Kroto for their discovery in 1985 of fullerenes, popularly known as “buckyballs.”
Nature
http://go.nature.com/1UcySLb

US oil deficit hits 17-year low as prices dip and shale flows
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 quoted about shale oil.
Bloomberg (This also appeared in The Washington Post and Gulf News.)
http://bloom.bg/1UwCJym

Warner Bros taps Roger Willard as SVP and chief accounting officer
Alumnus Roger Willard ’04 has been named SVP and chief accounting officer at Warner Bros. Entertainment.
Yahoo! TV
http://yhoo.it/1VK37KD

Weird science: Robots poised to take half the world’s jobs in 30 years
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.
Sputnik
http://bit.ly/1PfTFYO
Robots to wipe out more than half of jobs within next 30 years
The American Bazaar
http://bit.ly/1ZuzADH
WTVN
http://bit.ly/1Pg2CBa (Similar broadcasts aired on KXNT, WDBO and WIBC.)
WOGX
http://bit.ly/1U60wIu (Similar broadcasts also aired on WOFL.)

Dear America — Check your Christian privilege
Craig Considine, a lecturer in Rice’s Department of Sociology, authored an op-ed about Christian privilege.
HuffPost Religion (This also appeared in Big News Network.)
http://huff.to/25KgqAR

Student startup turning heads by utilizing biofuel waste for good
The Rice Business Plan Competition is mentioned.
Canadian Biomass
http://bit.ly/25K6uDX

HOUSTON/TEXAS

What is Ramadan?
Kadir Yildirim, research scholar at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in an article describing Ramadan.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1ObPK4j

Foreign policy and the presidential election: The Democrats
Joe Barnes, the Bonner Means Baker Fellow at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, authored an op-ed about foreign policy in the presidential election.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1VKg4E1

Houston Storm Risk Calculator shows risk of damage in your neighborhood
A team of researchers at Rice created a storm risk calculator for residents in Harris County.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1t56ct8
http://bit.ly/25JIpx4

The mistress of the Menil: The surprising story of the woman at the front desk of the world’s most vaunted private museum
An article mentions that George Smith, professor emeritus of sculpture and drawing.
PaperCity (This also appeared in Novi Patch.)
http://bit.ly/24wbM3w

BROADCAST

WBAP
Jim Blackburn, professor in the practice of environmental law and co-director of the Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters Center, is quoted about hurricane risks in coastal Texas.
http://bit.ly/1UwUD4b (Similar broadcasts aired on 45 other stations.)

KLBJ
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 uproar over Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to drop a lawsuit against Trump University and protestors in the presidential primaries.
http://bit.ly/1Y6omGL
KTRH
http://bit.ly/1RWlKUK

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

On prebiotic chemistry, synthetic chemist James Tour urges an admission of ignorance
James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, is featured.
Evolution News
http://bit.ly/1X8DBzH

Why don’t more CEOs endorse presidential candidates?
Douglas Schuler, associate professor of business and public policy in Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business, is quoted about the lack of presidential endorsements by major companies.
Becker’s Hospital Review
http://bit.ly/1t5bc0K

Molecular cars drive under microscopes and over obstacles
Rice University researchers who developed the first nanocars and colleagues at North Carolina State University found in recent tests that driving their vehicles in ambient conditions – exposed to open air, rather than a vacuum – got dicey after a time because the hydrophobic single-molecule cars stuck to the “road” and created what amounted to large speed bumps. James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, is quoted.
Electronic Design
http://bit.ly/1Y65QOG
Nanocars taken for a rough ride
Space Daily
http://bit.ly/1teNkJ0

Marking 5 years of the National Robotics Initiative in Washington, D.C., on June 9
Marcia O’Malley, professor of mechanical engineering and director of Rice’s Mechatronics and Haptic Interfaces Lab, will take her brain-machine interface to Capitol Hill June 9 to take part in a fifth-anniversary celebration of the National Robotics Initiative, a federal initiative to encourage the development of robots that work closely with humans.
Scienmag
http://bit.ly/1UczGQl

Meet the clean energy player removing barriers to entry for entrepreneurs
Houston entrepreneur and Rice alumnus Frank Liu ’78 and his family, through their philanthropic foundation, have made a $16.5 million gift to launch the Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Lilie) at Rice.
Inside Philanthropy
http://bit.ly/1UcA7dk

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Houston chef Chris Shepherd enlists college kids to build better vinegar with chemistry — and boost local farming
Rice students are helping a high-profile Houston chef take a scientific approach to making custom vinegars and beverages called shrubs. The products are intended to be not only delicious, but also to support local farmers by preserving what they grow. Sandra Bishnoi, lecturer in chemistry, and Michelle Gilbertson, the Wiess Instructor of Chemistry, are quoted.
Saveur
http://bit.ly/1RWmglH

Mike Bonem shares wisdom and experience
Alumnus Mike Bonem ’81 is featured.
The Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church
http://bit.ly/215B6Nb

Neuroscientist invents vest that gives humans a 6th sense
An article mentions that Rice students are working with David Eagleman ’93 to create a hearing device that allows the hearing-impaired to feel and understand speech through a series of vibrations.
Before It’s News
http://bit.ly/28hYxrS

SPORTS

Rice beats LSU to force decisive game in Baton Rouge Regional
Rice baseball defeated Southeastern Louisiana University and Louisiana State University June 6. Head coach Wayne Graham and players Hunter Kopycinski, Connor Teykl, Tristan Gray, Dane Myers, Evan Kravetz, Zach Esquivel, Glenn Otto, Ford Proctor, Charlie Warren, Grayson Lewis, Dominic DiCaprio and Ryan Chandler are mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. Similar articles appeared in 44 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1VJZpRg
http://bit.ly/1tepWLF
Rice forces deciding game with 10-6 win over LSU
Houston Chronicle (This also appeared in Austin American-Statesman and The Brownsville Herald.)
http://bit.ly/24w6bdI
Arizona, Gauchos, Texas Tech advancing to super regionals
Houston Chronicle (Similar articles appeared in 168 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1rbqdgf
Rice blanks SE Louisiana 15-0 in Baton Rouge Regional
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This also appeared in The Brownsville Herald and Austin American-Statesman.)
http://bit.ly/24wb867
http://bit.ly/215jDnY
Scott Rabalais: Tigers pushed to uncomfortable position for game 7
The Advocate (This also appeared in The New Orleans Advocate.)
http://bit.ly/22Me7YO
Jared Poché ‘possibly’ an option for LSU against Rice on Tuesday
The Advocate (This also appeared in The New Orleans Advocate.)
http://bit.ly/215l9q5
Scott Rabalais: NCAA policy for home teams needs revisiting
The Advocate (This also appeared in The New Orleans Advocate.)
http://bit.ly/1Y65BTL
‘We just couldn’t stop them’: Rice reliever Glenn Otto quiets LSU, 10-6, forcing winner-take-all Baton Rouge regional rematch at 4 pm Tuesday
The Advocate (This also appeared in The New Orleans Advocate.)
http://bit.ly/1ZuJLrR
Southeastern season ends with 15-0 loss to Rice — but also with plenty to enjoy
The Advocate (This also appeared in The New Orleans Advocate.)
http://bit.ly/1UnF3Im
Scott Rabalais: LSU baseball pushed to uncomfortable position for ‘game 7’ versus Rice when ‘anything can happen’
The Advocate (This also appeared in The New Orleans Advocate and The Acadiana Advocate.)
http://bit.ly/1UDzt7o
Latest Texas sports
KRGV (This also appeared in KZTV, KTBS, KXXV and KRIS.)
http://bit.ly/1t5dBsh
LSU forced into deciding game in Baton Rouge Regional with 10-6 loss to Rice
WTVM (This article also appeared in 19 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1ZuIPnq

Big 12 expansion Q&A: The case for Alabama
Rice football is mentioned.
SB Nation
http://bit.ly/24wk0st

Olympics/amateur sports: Indy’s Austin wins NCAA tennis title
Brown College junior Katherine Ip is mentioned.
Indy Star
http://indy.st/1Y6eb54

KGBT
Rice football head coach David Bailiff discusses a minicamp held in the Rio Grande Valley.
http://bit.ly/1PEcNVK

KPRC
Lovett College sophomore Jay Burlison is mentioned.
http://bit.ly/1Pg3sxW

NEWS RELEASE

‘Missing tooth’ hydrogels handle hard-to-deliver drugs
A gap-toothed peptide created by bioengineers at Rice University may be an efficient way to deliver insoluble drugs to precise locations in the body.
http://ow.ly/cQyO3010zzP