Dateline Rice for April 24, 2017 (Weekend Edition)

FEATURED ITEM

Rice University grad Peggy Whitson breaks NASA astronaut record for most days in space
Astronaut and Rice alumna Peggy Whitson ’86 broke the American record for the most cumulative days in space. She surpassed the previous figure of 534 days. Clarence Sams, adjunct assistant professor of biochemistry and cell biology, is featured in one of the Heavy articles.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2q7rHIF
http://bit.ly/2q7rh4Y
Trump calls @AstroPeggy at the International Space Station
New York Times
http://nyti.ms/2pXYPGA
Peggy Whitson: 5 fast facts you need to know
Heavy
http://bit.ly/2oYh1hS
Dr. Clarence F. Sams, Dr. Peggy Whitson’s husband: 5 fast facts you need to know
Heavy
http://bit.ly/2oE6yEU
Astronaut Peggy Whitson sets record for most days spent in space by an American
KHOU (This appeared in over 10 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/2pWFl1U
http://bit.ly/2oDUYty

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Once critical of global deals, Trump slow to pull out of any
Douglas Brinkley, professor of history, is quoted about President Donald Trump. Brinkley will speak at Stephen F. Austin State University April 24.
Brietbart
http://bit.ly/2psMPwB
KETK
http://bit.ly/2psKa6e
KFXK
http://bit.ly/2paaK0V

Treasury denies Exxon waiver from Russian sanctions
Jim Krane, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow for Energy Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted about the Trump administration.
Politico (This also appeared in UA Position and Unian.)
http://politi.co/2q7Fwqm

The March for Science is willing to get political. But will it welcome religion?
An article mentions research by Elaine Howard Ecklund, the Herbert S. Autrey Chair and Professor of Sociology and director of the Religion and Public Life Program.
Christianity Today
http://bit.ly/2onM9Zu

Time is running out for Congress to settle on budget
Paul Brace, the Clarence L. Carter Professor of Political Science, is quoted about Congress.
Stars and Stripes
http://bit.ly/2psLPIW

Valuation, not regulation, is what held Silicon Valley IPOs back
Scott Sonenshein, the Henry Gardiner Symonds Professor of Management at the Jones Graduate School of Business, discusses his book “Stretch: Unlock the Power of Less — and Achieve More Than You Ever Imagined.”
San Francisco Chronicle
http://bit.ly/2pdIT2b
WDBO
http://bit.ly/2ooeqPu (Click on the audio button to listen to the broadcast.) 

Why an honorary degree?
An article mentions that Rice does not give out honorary degrees.
Manila Bulletin
http://bit.ly/2pa2o9y

Saudi’s King Salman appoints air force pilot son as ambassador to US
Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, fellow for the Middle East at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted about Saudi Arabia.
The National
http://bit.ly/2oEomk9

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Why black and brown students need black and brown teachers
Leah Binkovitz, staff writer for Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, authored an op-ed about teacher-student demographics.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This appeared in the Chronicle’s “Gray Matters” online magazine.)
http://bit.ly/2pXfz0E

Thousands of pro-science Houstonians march in downtown
An article mentions that researchers from Rice spoke at the Houston March for Science.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front page of the April 23 print edition with a different headline, “Houston stands up for science.”)
http://bit.ly/2pd6D6j
http://bit.ly/2pXDA7I

The limits of laissez-faire housing policy in Houston
An article mentions a report by Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front of the Business section in the April 24 print edition with a different headline, “Affordability in question.” The online version of this article previously appeared in Dateline April 19.)
http://bit.ly/2pC19Qw

Recent rulings that Texas’ voting laws discriminate put pressure on the state, but long road ahead
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 Texas voter ID laws, “bathroom bills,” the 2016 election and gambling laws in Texas.
Dallas Morning News
http://bit.ly/2psY2NW
Even with Abbott’s support, bathroom bill faces uphill climb
San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/2oDYmoh
Gambling in Texas: Will lawmakers roll the dice this year?
Fort Worth Star-Telegram (This also appeared in CDC Gaming Reports.)
http://bit.ly/2pXVFT6
Trump election reflects ‘city versus countryside’ divide
KTRH
http://bit.ly/2p9VzFe
http://bit.ly/2pdLVDd (Click on the audio button to listen to the broadcast.) 
KLBJ
http://bit.ly/2oYo6ik (Click on the audio button to listen to the broadcast.) 

Rice University debuts Moody Center for the Arts
Rice’s Moody Center for the Arts is featured. Alison Weaver, the Suzanne Deal Booth Executive Director of the center, is quoted.
TMC News (This article appeared in the April 24 issue of TMC Today.) 
http://bit.ly/2oEjICK

Woodlands Symphony Orchestra presents multimedia experience ‘HomeGrown’
Will Rice College senior Katherine Audas is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2p9AieC
http://bit.ly/2oE8fDa

Houston’s iconic college radio station lures a cult legend to its 50th Anniversary Fest: The weekend guru’s top picks
KTRU’s 26th annual Outdoor Show took place April 22.
PaperCity
http://bit.ly/2pcYU8k
Jandek confides and confounds at Rice
Houston Press
http://bit.ly/2oEpmEU

‘The Power of Diversity’ hallmarks STEAM: Coders reception for underserved students Monday
Alumna Powtawche Valerino ’05 is mentioned.
Pasadena Now
http://bit.ly/2onGyCt

Cy Lakes educator to attend elite particle physics program
An article mentions a summer workshop hosted at Rice.
Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District
http://bit.ly/2oo2lK5

BROADCAST

Groundwater districts fear loss of local control with proposed changes
Gabriel Collins, the Baker Botts Fellow in Energy and Environmental Regulatory Affairs at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted about Texas Senate Bill 1392.
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/2pdpu19
KUT
http://bit.ly/2oEG8U5 (Click on the audio button to listen to the broadcast.) 

Can cell phones really cause brain tumors?
Lin Zhong, professor of electrical and computer engineering, discusses radiation from cellphones.
KIAH
http://bit.ly/2psKL7U
http://bit.ly/2oYo1vb

A quarter-million people fleeing sea level rise could end up in Austin, study says
Steve Murdock, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology and director of Rice’s Hobby Center for the Study of Texas, is quoted.
Texas Standard (This also aired on 24 other stations.) 
http://bit.ly/2paeVtM

‘Saving Madagascar’
Amy Dunham, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, discusses conservation efforts in Madagascar.
KPRC
http://bit.ly/2pamAs0
Watch KPRC2’s ‘Saving Madagascar’ special
KPRC
http://bit.ly/2oYnlWB

C-SPAN2
Alumnus Mugambi Jouet ’01 is featured.
http://bit.ly/2pYnfzt

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

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Gifts roundup: T. Denny Sanford gives $28M to advance fundraising and education
The Kinder Foundation has awarded a $10.7 million grant to Rice’s Houston Education Research Consortium to expand its innovative work to additional school districts in the Greater Houston region.
Chronicle of Philanthropy
http://bit.ly/2oDJ96E

When 1 person’s high performance creates resentment in your team
Jing Zhou, the Houston Endowment Professor of Organizational Behavior and director for Asian management research and education at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business and professor of psychology, co-authored an op-ed.
Harvard Business Review
http://bit.ly/2oEAf9z

Scientists spear out a new strategy to discover drugs for ALS
An article mentions research by Jacob Robinson, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering.
ALS Research Forum
http://bit.ly/2pa0VzX

With new advance, natural gas filtering technology moves closer to commercial reality
Natural gas producers want to draw all the methane they can from a well while sequestering as much carbon dioxide as possible and could use filters that optimize either carbon capture or methane flow. No single filter will do both, but thanks to Rice scientists, they now know how to fine-tune sorbents for their needs.
Oil Pro
http://bit.ly/2oENzuu

Video Friday: RoboCup, Drone Magic and NotBot is Pedro
A group of Rice students has created a convincing lookalike of NASA’s humanoid robots Valkyrie and Robonaut that the agency can use to easily assess human-robot interactions and help future astronauts develop everyday protocols with their artificial helpers on missions to Mars and beyond.
IEEE Spectrum
http://bit.ly/2onYFIt

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

March for Science: Why scientists will no longer be silent
Graduate student Paz Zait-Givon is quoted.
Independent Journal Review
http://bit.ly/2q7p4qs

Gold also in demand for environmental cleaning and energy production
Rice research is mentioned.
Commodity Trade Mantra
http://bit.ly/2pXNeqW

Northwestern opposes executive order restricting immigration
Rice is one of the 31 universities that signed an amicus brief about President Donald Trump’s travel ban.
Northwestern Now
http://bit.ly/2pdfDbJ
NU opposes executive order restricting immigration
Evanston Round Table (This also appeared in Evanston Now.)
http://bit.ly/2q7j3d6

Paremski goes big with Beethoven and the BPO
Alumnus Philip Rothman ’98 is mentioned.
Buffalo News
http://bit.ly/2pXZHeb

ASU venture Swift Coat wins big at Rice Business Plan Competition
The Rice Business Plan Competition is mentioned.
ASU Now
http://bit.ly/2pa06r1

The colleges announce commencement speakers
Richard Tapia, University Professor and the Maxfield-Oshman Professor of Computational and Applied Mathematics, will be the commencement speaker at Harvey Mudd College.
Claremont Courier
http://bit.ly/2oEsnoI

Executive Q&A with Becky Pasternik-Ikard
In an interview, Becky Pasternik-Ikard, CEO of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, mentions that her mother attended Rice.
NewsOK
http://bit.ly/2psW93J

Meet the sweet company of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,’ opening tonight on Broadway!
Alumnus Alan Green ’95 is mentioned.
Broadway World
http://bit.ly/2pa4ZQW

Wearable windows into breast tumors
Alumnus Darren Roblyer ’09 is mentioned.
BU Today
http://bit.ly/2pWSPL2

Man’s dilemma: Bifurcate or die
Scott Solomon, professor in the practice of ecology and evolutionary biology, is mentioned.
Science Vibe
http://bit.ly/2pXRx5j

Firefly Classics Concert: Jeffrey Gilliam
Rice is mentioned.
Whatcom Talk
http://bit.ly/2pWW05p

SPORTS

Rice tennis teams sweep C-USA titles for 2nd-straight year
The Rice men’s and women’s tennis teams each captured the 2017 Conference USA Championship April 23. The men defeated Old Dominion 4-3 in Murfreesboro, Tenn., while the women downed Florida International 4-1 in Denton, Texas.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2pdamRq
http://bit.ly/2pd4yHF
Around sports: Capitals, Senators wrap up NHL series
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2oY4ESS
Sunday’s ‘360’: W&M women take 25th CAA tennis crown; U.Va. gains more football commitments
Daily Press
http://bit.ly/2onyRw0
Women’s tennis: UNT rolls into C-USA semis with win over Old Dominion
Denton Record-Chronicle
http://bit.ly/2paaNd0
Rice rules C-USA women’s tennis
Herald-Dispatch
http://bit.ly/2pa6BKt
Hilltoppers eliminate Herd in C-USA tennis tourney
Herald-Dispatch
http://bit.ly/2q7miBr
Fans vote C-USA men’s basketball run top Herd moment
Herald-Dispatch
http://bit.ly/2oExk0x
Tennis season draws to a close as Rice advances past North Texas
North Texas Daily
http://bit.ly/2pWPxI0
Tennis advances to C-USA semifinals for 2nd straight year
North Texas Daily
http://bit.ly/2q7ljBb
No. 40 Rice ends UTSA’s season with 4-0 decision on Friday at C-USA Tournament
UTSA Athletics
http://bit.ly/2pWT09f
No. 37 Rice ends UTSA’s season with 5-0 victory in C-USA Tournament quarterfinals
UTSA Athletics
http://bit.ly/2pXVozH
No. 2 seed FIU ends Lady Tops’ C-USA Tournament run in semifinals
Bowling Green Daily News
http://bit.ly/2oEFHcB
Rice downs host Hilltoppers in baseball matchup
Bowling Green Daily News
http://bit.ly/2oYf5pK
Rice rallies past ODU in C-USA men’s tennis title match
Virginian-Pilot
http://bit.ly/2pabQtB
Blue Raider men’s tennis falls short against Rice
MTSU Sidelines
http://bit.ly/2q7sauk
Raiders close season in C-USA semis
MT Athletics
http://bit.ly/2oYqeH3

What we learned from college football’s spring practice
Rice football is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2pWcN8R
http://bit.ly/2onqUqF
http://bit.ly/2onpI6x

College baseball: No. 24 UH beats Tulane in walk-off fashion
Rice baseball won all three games against Western Kentucky University.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2onrOn4
College baseball: No. 23 Texas A&M beats Tennessee in walk-off fashion
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2pWurcH

Sunday letters: Gerrymandering, Rice football, free speech
Alumnus Galloway Hudson ’60 authored a letter to the editor about a 1994 Houston Chronicle article that reported Rice football’s historic win over the University of Texas.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2oXWr0U

Conversations with Clayton: Sam Razz and Dustin Rensink
Rice baseball is mentioned.
Down the Drive
http://bit.ly/2psQx9z
College baseball: How teams with the top pitching staffs fared in each of the past 25 seasons
NCAA
http://on.ncaa.com/2oDJIxc

Hicks breaks program discus record at Saturday’s J. Fred Duckett Twilight
Rice hosted the J. Fred Duckett Twilight Meet April 22.
UTSA Athletics
http://bit.ly/2pWpnoB
UTSA to head to Houston for Saturday’s J. Fred Duckett Twilight
UTSA Athletics
http://bit.ly/2p9WcON
Roadrunners to compete at Saturday’s J. Fred Duckett Twilight
UTSA Athletics
http://bit.ly/2pXInFY

X’s sign 3 pitchers, including former MLB hurler
Former Rice baseball player Kevin McCanna is mentioned.
KTIV
http://bit.ly/2oYbSGs
Explorers add 3 pitchers to roster
Sioux City Journal
http://bit.ly/2oYkVau

Williamson: Rapper takes to the mound
Former Rice baseball player John Williamson is mentioned.
My Horry News
http://bit.ly/2psJeia

Westminster has 20 signees
A Rice commit is mentioned.
Miami Herald
http://hrld.us/2pXQ8vG

H.S. BOYSBB: Mahanoy Area’s Joseph All-Area Player of the Year
Former Rice coach Mike Rhoades is mentioned.
Republican-Herald
http://bit.ly/2pdytiM

Lozano paces Roadrunners on opening day of C-USA Championship
Rice golf is mentioned.
UTSA Athletics
http://bit.ly/2oEG2fx
Roadrunners to play at 4-day C-USA Championship
UTSA Athletics
http://bit.ly/2oE2hkC
Miners shoot under par in round 1 of C-USA Tournament
El Paso Herald-Post
http://bit.ly/2pXVZ4d
Men’s golf team prepares for C-USA Tournament
El Paso Herald-Post
http://bit.ly/2psVaAs
Men’s golf ready for C-USA Championship
Marshall Athletics
http://bit.ly/2psKT7w

In 1943, Missouri’s Don Faurot nearly won a national title … by beating Missouri
Rice football is mentioned.
Rock M Nation
http://bit.ly/2psKxOi
Pick 6: Toughest nonconference schedules in Power 5 in 2017
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
http://bit.ly/2psQSsZ

Detroit Lions — 5 thoughts from draft analyst Mike Mayock on running back class
An article includes a photo from a Rice football game.
Morning Sun
http://bit.ly/2oYcwUE

Isaac Kante starts official visit to St. John’s; other news and notes
A Rice transfer is mentioned.
Double in the Garden
http://bit.ly/2pdOANh

Best bets: Community events and announcements
Rice baseball will play Middle Tennessee State May 12.
Huntsville Item
http://bit.ly/2q7lBYD

The transformation of Ironfist
Rice is mentioned.
Ultiworld
http://bit.ly/2oDLuhQ

WDUZ
Rice men’s basketball coach Scott Pera is mentioned.
http://bit.ly/2q7zHt0 (Click on the audio button to listen to the broadcast.) 

NEWS RELEASE

Creating a digital cure for epilepsy
A team of Rice engineering students recently took top honors and a $5,000 prize for its development of a potential digital cure for epilepsy.
http://bit.ly/2ptpGtY