Dateline Rice for Dec. 8, 2016

FEATURED ITEM

Diabetes: Encapsulating the problem
An article mentions that Omid Veiseh, adjunct assistant professor of bioengineering, will head a lab at Rice in 2017. (Editor’s note: Rice recruited Veiseh with a $2 million grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.)
Nature
http://go.nature.com/2hoqrwl

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Prestwick Airport’s spaceport links up with Houston’s spaceport
The Houston Spaceport has signed a memorandum of understanding with a counterpart in the U.K. to share relevant policies, processes and other information relating to commercial spaceport licensing and operations. The Rice Space Institute is mentioned. David Alexander, director of the Rice Space Institute and professor of physics and astronomy, is quoted in some of the articles.
Carrick Herald
http://bit.ly/2h9zIvQ
KTRH
http://bit.ly/2h7ht7F
Glasgow Prestwick Spaceport signs formal partnership agreement with Houston Spaceport
International Airport Review
http://bit.ly/2h0amjA
Scotland on verge of new spaceport site
Scottish Construction Now!
http://bit.ly/2h0bwvz
New Prestwick Spaceport deal paves way for passenger liftoff
The Scotsman
http://bit.ly/2gfKwJj
1st Prestwick space flights predicted for 2019
The Scotsman
http://bit.ly/2gFQb7z

Is there still hope for Turkish democracy?
Kadir Yildirim, research scholar in the Center for Middle East at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, co-authored an op-ed about democracy in Turkey.
The Washington Post
http://wapo.st/2h7eex1

The state of the union: The UAW and modern labor law
Alumnus Jonathan Hua ’14 authored an article.
Yahoo News SG (This also appeared in Hippo Reads.)
http://bit.ly/2h7hAjx

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Trump’s Homeland Security pick signals priority of border security
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 President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, conventions of states and constitutional conventions.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front page of the Dec. 8 print edition with a different headline, “Homeland Security pick signals border priority.”)
http://bit.ly/2gFBAc7
Trump picks retired Marine general to lead homeland security
San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/2hapPvF
Sylvester turner is satisfied with results produced during 1st year as Houston Mayor
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/2hjNwnV
Texas lawmakers want a convention to amend the US constitution. What would that mean?
Texas Standard (This also aired on 24 other stations and also appeared online in KUT, Texas Public Radio, KUOW and KERA News.) 
http://bit.ly/2hoFbeE
Iniciativa de ley permitiría usar armas en Texas sin tener licencias
Univision (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/2gfHB37

A hasty ACA repeal could spike uninsured rate
Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics at the Baker Institute and professor of economics, is quoted about the Affordable Care Act.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front page of the Dec. 8 print edition with a different headline, “Health law repeal could slam poor.”)
http://bit.ly/2geFEzc

Theater, classical music and dance listings: Dec. 8-14
Rice Dance Theatre will perform “The Remembering Happens” Dec. 8.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This also appeared in My San Antonio.)
http://bit.ly/2gFGENY
http://bit.ly/2hjZyxS

School news in Fort Bend
Rice is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2hogLC6
http://bit.ly/2geDorE

Harris County Flood Control doesn’t think climate change or growth cause flooding
An investigative report published by ProPublica and the Texas Tribune argues that Houston is not well-prepared for a major hurricane. Rice is mentioned. This story is part of an ongoing investigation; the first story was published in March.
Houston Press
http://bit.ly/2gogykx

5 Houstonians named to list of nation’s best party hosts and hostesses
Rice Board of Trustees Chair Bobby Tudor ’82 and Phoebe Tudor are featured.
CultureMap
http://bit.ly/2geKT1M

Top 5 holiday happenings this weekend
An article mentions tours of the historic home of Rice University founder William Marsh Rice.
Houstonia
http://bit.ly/2goopif

BROADCAST

Podcast: Trump winning at economics
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 about President-elect Donald Trump.
KTRH (This also appeared in 1190AM.)
http://bit.ly/2goeFEx

CNN
Douglas Brinkley, professor of history, discusses the legacy of President Barack Obama.
http://bit.ly/2hoAkKG

KUT
A broadcast mentions that IBM is working with researchers at Rice to develop a robot to help elderly people who are homebound.
http://bit.ly/2gotWVV (Click on the audio button to listen to the broadcast.) 

‘News Fix’
A broadcast mentions that Jill Carroll was a professor at Rice.
KIAH
http://bit.ly/2h06hMf
http://bit.ly/2gFRinP

‘Imus in the Morning’
Lovett College freshman Wyatt Imus is mentioned.
WABC (Click on the audio button to listen to the broadcast. This also aired on 66 other stations.)
http://bit.ly/2gFP2Ng

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Scientists develop programmable cement particles to achieve enhanced properties
Scientists at Rice have decoded the kinetic properties of cement and developed a way to “program” the microscopic, semicrystalline particles within. The process turns particles from disordered clumps into regimented cubes, spheres and other forms that combine to make the material less porous and more durable. Rouzbeh Shahsavari, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, is quoted.
AZO Build (This also appeared in Phys Org.)
http://bit.ly/2h7fBM2
Decoding cement’s shape promises greener concrete
Scienmag (This also appeared in Knowridge Science Report, Nanowerk, Health Medicine Network, Science Newsline and Aggregate Research.)
http://bit.ly/2h78L9a
Scientists Create programmable cement, new and improved concrete structures
EconoTimes
http://bit.ly/2hotx3H
‘Programmable’ cement particles make for stronger concrete
New Atlas
http://bit.ly/2hk1Mgt
USA: Scientists develop programmable cement
CemNet (Registration required.)
http://bit.ly/2gopCpD

Study of human migration could help understand cancer metastasis
For cancer cells, the path of least resistance is often along tissue boundaries rather than through them, and studies have found that bacteria can become drug-resistant more quickly in nonhomogenous environments. In the case of humans settling America, a new study from Rice finds that migration was easier moving east-west as opposed to north-south, largely because the knowledge needed to live in the same climate zones was easily transferable. Michael Deem, the John W. Cox Professor of Biochemical and Genetic Engineering, professor of physics and astronomy, department chair of bioengineering and director of graduate program in systems, synthetic and physical biology, and graduate student Dong Wang are quoted.
Phys Org
http://bit.ly/2haruBc

Scientists develop graphene nanoribbons to help knit together severed and damaged spinal cords
The combination of graphene nanoribbons made with a process developed at Rice University and a common polymer could someday be of critical importance to healing damaged spinal cords in people. 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 William Sikkema are mentioned.
OrthoSpineNews
http://bit.ly/2h9zG74

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Rice University students visit Schulich School of Music
Duncan College senior Bradley Hamilton authored an article about Rice’s Gateway Study of Leadership program’s trip to McGill University. Also mentioned are Ipek Martinez, director of Gateway; Alex Wyatt, assistant director of Gateway; Brown College senior Emily Rao; Jones College junior Caroline Lee; Martel College sophomore Thresa Skeslien-Jenkins; Hanszen College senior Tim Wang; McMurtry College sophomores Carlin Cherry and Simone Bergsrud and alumnus Justin Leroux ’05.
McGill
http://bit.ly/2hokAHF

Oklahoma Christian student programmers place 1st in regional contest
Rice is mentioned.
News OK
http://bit.ly/2h9xdKa

SPORTS

SFA’s 31-game home win streak snapped by UAB
Rice men’s basketball will play Stephen F. Austin State University Dec. 10.
KLTV
http://bit.ly/2han0un

St. Stanislaus tight end Chase Rogers is high on Texas
An article mentions that Tom Herman coached at Rice.
The Clarion-Ledger
http://on.thec-l.com/2h9AxVj
Look: Tom Herman posts photo of business card from days as Texas graduate assistant
Hook ’em
http://bit.ly/2gfS6U6
Tom Herman, once a Texas graduate assistant, reminds everyone that hard work pays off
ESPN
http://es.pn/2h9JUEv

Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey to leave school for NFL draft
Rice football is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2hopDaL

Fox Sports
Former Rice football player Phillip Gaines is mentioned.
http://bit.ly/2geOQDF

NEWS RELEASES

Study: Modularity affects human, single-celled migration
For cancer cells, the path of least resistance is often along tissue boundaries rather than through them, and studies have found that bacteria can become drug-resistant more quickly in nonhomogenous environments. In the case of humans settling America, a new study from Rice University finds that migration was easier moving east-west as opposed to north-south, largely because the knowledge needed to live in the same climate zones was easily transferable.
http://bit.ly/2gfWWAS

Rice U. expert: ’Tis the season to give more with less
Gift giving can be fun and rewarding, but it can also create anxiety about whether the selected present will please someone the giver cares about. People can actually give more by giving with less, according to a psychology and management expert at Rice’s University’s Jones Graduate School of Business.
http://bit.ly/2h0bpjz