Dateline Rice for June 28, 2017

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Freshwater from salt water using only solar energy
A federally funded research effort to revolutionize water treatment has yielded an off-grid technology that uses energy from sunlight alone to turn salt water into fresh drinking water. The desalination system, which uses a combination of membrane distillation technology and light-harvesting nanophotonics, is the first major innovation from the Center for Nanotechnology Enabled Water Treatment, a multi-institutional engineering research center based at Rice University. Qilin Li, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering and of materials science and nanoengineering, and Naomi Halas, the Stanley C. Moore Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and professor of chemistry, of bioengineering, of physics and astronomy and of materials science and nanoengineering, are quoted.
National Science Foundation (This also appeared in Environment Guru.)
http://bit.ly/2s29y0r

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Memorial Hermann lays off another 350 workers
Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and professor of economics, is quoted about health care costs.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front page of the June 28 print edition with a different headline, “Memorial Hermann to lay off 350 more.”)
http://bit.ly/2uhY1uA
Memorial Hermann laying off 350 employees
KPRC
http://bit.ly/2toXB9l

The future of civil-military relations in an age of heightened populism
Abdullah Aydogan, postdoctoral fellow in the Center for the Middle East at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, authored an op-ed.
Houston Chronicle’s “Baker Institute Blog”
http://bit.ly/2shz06d

BROADCAST

Houston is sticking with the Paris Climate Deal, but how much can it really accomplish?
Charles McConnell, executive director of Rice’s Energy and Environment Initiative, is quoted.
Texas Standard (This also aired on 24 radio stations.) 
http://bit.ly/2uipTie

NAFTA on agenda for Sen. Flake’s meeting with Mexican senators
Tony Payan, the Baker Institute for Public Policy’s Françoise and Edward Djerejian Fellow for Mexico Studies and director of the institute’s Mexico Center, is quoted.
Arizona Public Media
http://bit.ly/2t13C91

Classical Classroom, Episode 70: Piano versus orchestra, with Jon Kimura Parker
Jon Kimura Parker, professor of piano, is featured.
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/2s27l59

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Ruthenium rules for new fuel cells
Rice scientists have fabricated a durable catalyst for high-performance fuel cells by attaching single ruthenium atoms to graphene. James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, is quoted.
Phys Org
http://bit.ly/2t0xouH
Ruthenium atoms on graphene to match platinum standard for fuel cells
Nanowerk
http://bit.ly/2smn91F

‘Pompom’ stars may solve quasar puzzle
An image is credited to Rice and alumna Kerry Handron ’96.
Phys Org
http://bit.ly/2tkwprL

New guidelines for teaching religion in schools
Rice is mentioned.
Education Week
http://bit.ly/2tkJaCE

EIA conference panel examines produced water, induced seismicity
Linda Capuano, fellow in energy technology at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
Oil & Gas News
http://bit.ly/2sR2S81

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Olson: Rediscovering JFK’s legacy
President John F. Kennedy’s famous “Moon Speech” delivered at Rice Sept. 12, 1962, is discussed.
The Hoya
http://bit.ly/2toUlLe

Reconcile partners with RMG Amplify for new mixtape
Alumnus Ronald “Reconcile” Lillard ’12 is featured.
The Christian Beat
http://bit.ly/2s1JHWm

How we come apart
Rice is mentioned.
National Review
http://bit.ly/2s1VUdn

Author Andrew Bledsoe is at Chickamauga Battlefield Saturday
Alumnus Andrew Bledsoe ’10 will speak at the visitor center at Chickamauga Battlefield July 1.
The Chattanoogan
http://bit.ly/2toVvX3

SPORTS

Do blades give runners an unfair advantage?
An article mentions a Rice study on athlete Oscar Pistorius.
Deseret News
http://bit.ly/2uhX6u6

Rhoades’ roots run deep
An article mentions that Mike Rhoades coached at Rice.
Standard-Speaker (This also appeared in the Republican Herald.)
http://bit.ly/2shFceu

Remember when the Big 12 was going to expand …
Rice football is mentioned.
ESPN
http://bit.ly/2toIEUz
Commentary: Call your Texas rep! We need a vote on Longhorns versus Aggies in football!
ET Final Score
http://bit.ly/2ui5I3O
The most overrated college football team from each preseason AP Poll ever
SB Nation
http://bit.ly/2tkpLBu
Dave Campbell’s Texas football: Mag’s arrival means football is on the horizon
Baytown Sun (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2t0I4JQ
Daily Longhorn football history: The 1949 season
Hook ’em
http://bit.ly/2tp3Vxo

Baseball: Goldschmidt having All-Star caliber season for Diamondbacks
Former Rice baseball player Kevin McCanna is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/2tkq4Mu

Draft profile: Mom’s sacrifices led Myers to Tigers
Former Rice baseball player Dane Myers is mentioned.
The Detroit News
http://detne.ws/2tlckS6

Ole Miss releases nonconference basketball schedule for upcoming year
Rice men’s basketball is mentioned.
Rivals
http://rvls.co/2s1B660
Ole Miss basketball announces nonconference schedule for 2017-18 season
Red Cup Rebellion
http://bit.ly/2t0FHq9

The 5 worst fall college football wedding weekends for 2017
Rice and Stanford will open the 2017 football season Aug. 26 at the Sydney Cup at Allianz Stadium in Sydney.
The Comeback
http://bit.ly/2toNnWg

Kansas State athletics, 1925-26: 4 Cats to the NFL
Rice is mentioned.
Bring on the Cats
http://bit.ly/2s22FMs

NEWS RELEASES

OpenStax’s 2016 partner schools expected to save students $8.2M
Eleven U.S. colleges and universities that partnered last summer with Rice University-based nonprofit publisher OpenStax to boost the use of freely available textbooks and learning materials on their campuses expect the program to save their students nearly $8.2 million — about $4 million more than projected — in the coming academic year.
http://bit.ly/2sRtOoo

Baker Institute paper: Mexico’s Southern Border Program lacks ‘structure and a clear-cut road map’
Mexico’s Programa Frontera Sur (Southern Border Program or PFS) is not meeting its goals of containing the mixed migration flows from Central America to Mexico and the United States, according to a paper from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
http://bit.ly/2tkQair

Ruthenium rules for new fuel cells
Rice University scientists have fabricated a durable catalyst for high-performance fuel cells by attaching single ruthenium atoms to graphene.
http://bit.ly/2shHqdS