Dateline Rice for Oct. 5, 2016

FEATURED ITEM

Rice celebrates 50 years of black undergraduate life with grand awards gala
Association of Rice University Black Alumni “Blueprint for Excellence” gala is featured. Rice President David Leebron is quoted. Akilah Mance ’05; Alex Byrd ’90, associate professor of history; Andrea Ehlers ’88; Joseph Branch ’04, lecturer in sport management; Janis Scott ’74; Rodrigo Barnes ’73; and Roland Smith, associate vice provost for diversity and inclusion and adjunct professor of education and sociology, are mentioned.
CultureMap Houston
http://bit.ly/2dxeUdK

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Here’s why a Clinton administration might pivot NASA back to the Moon
Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy hosted a “Lost in Space 2016” panel Oct. 3.
Ars Technica (This also appeared in Ars Technica UK.)
http://bit.ly/2d3cNzw

Rice University lab explores cement’s crystalline nature to boost concrete performance
Rice scientists working to develop a deeper understanding of the world’s most widely used man-made material, concrete, have detailed previously unexplored aspects that affect the energy required to make it and the greenhouse gases released. Rouzbeh Shahsavari, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering and of materials science and nanoengineering, is quoted.
National Science Foundation
http://bit.ly/2dEHAUj

Is ‘borophene’ a wavy alternative to stiff graphene?
Though they’re touted as ideal for electronics, two-dimensional materials like graphene may be too flat and hard to stretch to serve in flexible, wearable devices. “Wavy” borophene might be better, according to Rice scientists. Boris Yakobson, the Karl F. Hasselmann Professor of Materials Science and NanoEngineering and professor of chemistry, and postdoctoral researcher Zhuhua Zhang are quoted.
Futurity
http://bit.ly/2cSql2g
Researchers: 2-D boron may be best for flexible electronics
R&D
http://bit.ly/2dJD438

Don’t believe the hype: OPEC’s ‘cut’ will not balance a flooded oil market
Gabriel Collins, the Baker Botts Fellow in Energy and Environmental Regulatory Affairs at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is mentioned.
Forbes
http://bit.ly/2deFjfi

The return of the Polish question
Ewa Thompson, research professor of Slavic studies, authored an op-ed about Poland.
Poland
http://bit.ly/2dRJItr

50 best US colleges for international students 2016
Rice is No. 27 on Forbes Middle East’s list of the best U.S. colleges for international students.
Forbes Middle East
http://bit.ly/2dtHJIY

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Brookings Institute: Houston among 19 ‘Knowledge Capitals’ of US and Europe
A slideshow features medical advancements that came from Houston. The CPAP machine created by Rice students under the direction of Rebecca Richards-Kortum, the Malcolm Gillis University Professor, professor of bioengineering and of electrical and computer engineering and director of Rice 360° Institute for Global Health, and Maria Oden, director of Rice’s Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen and a professor in the practice of engineering education, is featured. A honeycomb structure being used to regrow bone tissue using stem cells created by Antonios Mikos, the Louis Calder Professor of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, is also highlighted.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2dEsJsZ
http://bit.ly/2dKeGE4

Lamar University project aims to showcase Southeast Texas history, culture
A slideshow includes a photo from Rice University archives of Richard Dowling, a Confederate army officer and namesake of Dowling Middle School.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This also appeared in Beaumont Enterprise.)
http://bit.ly/2dsyrh6

Dallas Fed reports affordable housing needed in Texas
A study by Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2d37Jeh

Highly awarded Girl Scout loses battle with cancer
An article mentions the late James Ragan, a Rice student who died from cancer in 2014.
KPRC
http://bit.ly/2e1Q3lb

Marshall Eudy and the making of a perfect family
Alumnus Marshall Eudy ’88 is mentioned.
Austin American-Statesman
http://atxne.ws/2deCWcg

Houston leads the way with 9 of the state’s 20 billionaires
Rice trustee Randa Williams ’85 is mentioned.
Houston Patch
http://bit.ly/2dEvTgm
Texas well represented on Forbes ‘richest Americans’ list with 20 billionaires
Downtown Austin Patch
http://bit.ly/2cT8DHc

BROADCAST

Worst season for ozone in Houston? Maybe right now
Loren Raun, faculty fellow of statistics, environmental analysis and decision-making, is quoted about air quality in Houston.
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/2drHeCx

How this film producer inspired the creator of ‘Hamilton’
Elizabeth Avellan ’92 is featured.
Texas Standard (This also aired on 24 other stations.)
http://bit.ly/2dJMGuY

KRIV
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, discusses the Oct. 4 vice presidential debate.
http://bit.ly/2cTf2lK
http://bit.ly/2dJWuG1

‘Al Jazeera Arabic’
Ambassador Edward Djerejian, director of Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, speaks with Al Jazeera Arabic about U.S.-Russian negotiations in Syria.
http://bit.ly/2dsL2kn

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Hacked voter registration systems: A recipe for election chaos
Dan Wallach, professor of computer science and of electrical and computer engineering, is mentioned.
Network World (This article appeared in 11 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/2dtoJuh

Computer simulations explore how Alzheimer’s disease starts
A new Rice University study uses computer simulations to explore the initial steps of the molecular process that leads to Alzheimer’s disease. Peter Wolynes, the D.R. Bullard-Welch Foundation Professor of Science, professor of chemistry, of biochemistry and cell biology, of physics and astronomy and of materials science and nanoengineering, and research scientist Weihua Zheng are quoted.
Drug Design & Development
http://bit.ly/2dJNKj7

Penn West announces new chief executive officer
Alumnus David French ’91 is mentioned.
Oil Voice
http://bit.ly/2dxf9pn
French to succeed Roberts as Penn West CEO
Oil & Gas Financial Journal
http://bit.ly/2cStCi4

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

CampusBird adds live bus tracking to 3-D map platform
An article mentions that Rice is one of the first colleges to offer Ride Systems’ real-time tracking feature to their students, staff and visitors through the CampusBird platform.
eCampus News
http://bit.ly/2dJHOGi

The science of life
James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, is featured.
The Biola University Chimes
http://bit.ly/2d39KHz

Southeast Asia — the Islamic State’s new front?
Fred von der Mehden, professor emeritus of political science, is mentioned.
Carnegie Council
http://bit.ly/2d3e75x

Businesses interested in PAEDC property
A landscaping course at Rice is mentioned.
The Port Arthur News
http://bit.ly/2dttdAS

A Tennessee mom is outraged at how Islam is taught in her child’s school, wants curriculum changed
David Cook, associate professor of religion, is quoted.
Inquisitr
http://bit.ly/2dviDZT

SPORTS

The other side of gold: Body image anxiety among female athletes
Wiess College junior Julie Litver authored an article about body image anxiety.
Swim Swam
http://bit.ly/2dxaTWZ

Smith, Sendejo use text and data for coverage plan
Former Rice football player Andrew Sendejo is featured.
Minnesota Vikings
http://bit.ly/2deFMy9

Tramel: Blame OU and Texas for Big 12 instability
An article mentions that Rice is one of the universities making a pitch to Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby to join the conference.
NewsOK
http://bit.ly/2dKoGwS
Report: Big 12 won’t extend its binding contract past 2025
247Sports
http://bit.ly/2dJPEQ3

Volleyball: Oak Ridge sweeps Montgomery to close out 1st round of district play
A Rice commit is mentioned.
The Courier of Montgomery County
http://bit.ly/2deKdst
Volleyball: Oak Ridge Lady War Eagles remain undefeated
Woodlands Online
http://bit.ly/2deKMmj

Club spotlight: Learn the sport of Quidditch and become familiar with 1 of SHSU’s most successful teams
The Rice Invitational is mentioned.
The Houstonian
http://bit.ly/2drOy0T

NEWS RELEASE

New report: Almost two-thirds of Texans have stable health insurance
Almost two-thirds of Texans ages 18 to 64 stayed insured with health care coverage during the past 12 months, according to a new report released today by Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Episcopal Health Foundation.
http://bit.ly/2e27QbK