Dateline Rice for July 6, 2017

FEATURED ITEMS

Water scarcity: Global shortages drive innovation even as crisis continues
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 is the first major innovation from Rice’s Center for Nanotechnology Enabled Water Treatment. 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.
IBT
http://bit.ly/2uOo7Wf
Clean drinking water from solar power
Technology.org
http://bit.ly/2tMGXQM

Cheap textbooks from Rice’s OpenStax bring $8.2M in savings
Eleven U.S. colleges and universities that partnered last summer with Rice-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. Nicole Finkbeiner, OpenStax’s associate director for institutional relations, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2sty4rs
http://bit.ly/2sK5DcM

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Australia’s conflicting natural gas policies
Michael Maher, senior program adviser for the Center for Energy Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, and Anna Mikulska, senior research analyst for energy studies at the Baker Institute, co-authored op-eds about Australia’s natural gas policies and U.S. exports.
Forbes
http://bit.ly/2ttAI1D
An abundance of riches? US natural gas, manufacturing and LNG exports
Forbes
http://bit.ly/2uuePiR

Tuition calculator helps soften the sticker shock
An article discusses an online calculator created to help families get a more accurate estimate of the actual cost of attending college. Rice is cited as one of the universities offering the calculator.
Boston Globe
http://bit.ly/2sKeCuA

Collaborating in the desert: A commencement address to the graduates of 2017
President John F. Kennedy’s famous “Moon Speech” delivered at Rice Sept. 12, 1962, is discussed.
Huffpost
http://bit.ly/2sKhcRe

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Greener molecular intermediates may aid drug design
Scientists at Rice have simplified their approach to synthesize a highly versatile family of precursors en route to biologically active compounds. Their method should make drug design and development cheaper and more environmentally friendly. László Kürti, associate professor of chemistry, and postdoctoral researchers Zhiwei Ma and Zhe Zhou are mentioned.
TMC News (This also appeared in R&D and Phys Org.)
http://bit.ly/2tl3vaj
US scientists further simplify method to make important precursor molecules
Xinhua Net (This also appeared in ECNS.)
http://bit.ly/2tl3za3

‘The room where it happens’: In chambers with Chief Judge Lee Rosenthal
Trustee emerita Lee Rosenthal is featured.
The Houston Lawyer
http://bit.ly/2suPljY

Air assault
An editorial mentions a Rice study.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2tVBFTn

Family friendly happenings around Houston
The Rice Farmers Market is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2utZZsy
http://bit.ly/2tVrNcs

Art gallery and museum listings: July 6-12
Rice’s Moody Center for the Arts will present teamLab’s “Flower’s and People, Cannot Be Controlled But Live Together — A Whole Year Per Hour” through Aug. 13 and “David Scanavino: Repeater” through Aug. 26.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2tMps2Y
http://bit.ly/2uuk7ei

New Texas campus amnesty law cheered by rape prevention advocacy group
An article mentions Rice’s “Critical Thinking in Sexuality” course.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2uOuEAg
http://bit.ly/2uO9zpJ

University enrollment is declining nationally; Texas campuses are seeing the opposite
Rice is mentioned in a slideshow.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/2sJKJKW

Review: Mimir Chamber Music Festival 2017 Concert 3
Joan DerHovsepian, artist teacher of viola at Rice’s Shepherd School of Music, is mentioned.
Theater Jones
http://bit.ly/2tkW1UL

BH student participates in national leadership program
An article mentions the Economics for Leaders program at Rice.
Baytown Sun
http://bit.ly/2tl3EKF

From agitator to negotiator: Ted Cruz’s changing role has high stakes
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.
Dallas Morning News
http://bit.ly/2uOAzoO
Why hasn’t any democrat emerged to challenge Gov. Abbott
WOAI (This also appeared in Q101.9.)
http://bit.ly/2sQubfp

BROADCAST

Turner now says it is unlikely repeal of revenue cap will be on November ballot
Bob Stein, the Lena Gohlman Fox Professor of Political Science, is quoted.
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/2tun0LV

Encore Houston, episode 26: Chamber Music Houston — Quatuor Ébene
An article mentions that Quatuor Ébène performed at Rice.
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/2sQrA55

‘Imus in the Morning’
Douglas Brinkley, professor of history, is mentioned.
WABC (This also aired on 66 other stations.)
http://bit.ly/2tu1QNT (Click on the audio button to listen to the broadcast.) 

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Formula nano
The Rice and University of Graz team finished first in the inaugural international Nanocar Race in Toulouse, France, April 28. James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, is mentioned.
Nature
http://go.nature.com/2tkTABv

Story tips from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, July 2017
Rice is mentioned.
Bioengineer.org
http://bit.ly/2tMsLXW

Notorious LIG helps prevent bacteria growth
Scientists at Rice and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have discovered that laser-induced graphene is a highly effective anti-fouling material and, when electrified, bacteria zapper. 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 Yilun Li are mentioned.
Oil Pro
http://bit.ly/2sK8Fha

Liquidity and transparency in natural gas markets
Vince Kaminski, professor in the practice of management, is mentioned.
Lexology
http://bit.ly/2uOBS7g
Industry asks FERC to make harbor safer for NatGas price reporters
NGI’s Shale Daily
http://bit.ly/2sKOaRL

LNG a test case for Trump’s energy ‘dominance’
Christopher Smith, the Baker Institute Advisory Board Fellow in Energy Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is mentioned.
E&E News (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2tQnsq3

Researchers develop probiotic beer that ‘boosts your immunity and improves gut health’
A Rice study is mentioned.
ZME Science
http://bit.ly/2tkTKJ3

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Forget a higher minimum wage — here’s a better way to help American workers
An article mentions a study by Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research.
Washington Monthly
http://bit.ly/2uOr3C2

Ask the Thoughtful Pastor: Do you believe anything in the Bible is true?
Alumna Christy Thomas ’71 authored an op-ed.
Patheos
http://bit.ly/2tVAbZB

Building circuits without touching them: Watch carbon nanotubes self-assemble
Scientists at Rice have discovered that the strong force field emitted by a Tesla coil causes carbon nanotubes to self-assemble into long wires, a phenomenon they call “Teslaphoresis.”
Lifeboat Foundation
http://bit.ly/2stnsc9

Blossom Music Festival: The Cleveland Orchestra and Franz Welser-Möst launch a season of musical wonders
Alumna Erin Wall ’00 is mentioned.
Akron Beach Journal
http://bit.ly/2uOuPvv

Castle Harlan promotes 2 to vice president
Alumnus Murat Konuk ’11 is mentioned.
ABL Advisor
http://bit.ly/2uu3GhQ

State spending cuts heavily impact children, according to study
State spending cuts during economic downturns fall more heavily on children than the elderly, according to new research by Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and professor of economics.
Life Science Daily
http://bit.ly/2stvS31

Sri Lanka considers setting up gene therapy to treat patients
An article mentions specialist doctors who are receiving training at Rice.
ColomboPage
http://bit.ly/2stOdgl

Making dollars and cents of BREC’s operations
Bill Fulton, director of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is quoted.
Greater Baton Rouge Business Report (A correction on the misspelling of Fulton’s last name has been requested.)
http://bit.ly/2sQo6zN

SPORTS

LSU football countdown Day 59: In the beginning, there was Rice
Rice football is mentioned.
Times-Picayune
http://bit.ly/2sKeDPf

¿#VoteRendon? El jugador favorito de Max Scherzer tiene calidad de Todos Estrellas
Former Rice baseball player Anthony Rendon is mentioned.
ESPN Deportes (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/2tUYs1H

Expectations sky high for Judson, Steele football this season
A Rice commit is mentioned.
KENS
http://bit.ly/2uukENa

Waxahachie High HC Jon Kitna to spread message of brotherhood during 85th THCA convention
Rice volleyball head coach Genny Volpe is mentioned.
Waxahachietx Daily Light
http://bit.ly/2sQl5iX

Cincinnati Reds links — Time to trade Tony Cingrani
Former Rice baseball player Tony Cingrani is mentioned.
Red Reporter
http://bit.ly/2tVkFNb

Bears roster breakdown, 90-in-90: Bryce Callahan
Former Rice football player Bryce Callahan is mentioned.
Windy City Gridiron
http://bit.ly/2tkL5q4

Personal foul?
Rice is mentioned in an article about NCAA testing for sickle-cell.
Genome
http://bit.ly/2sQHVXz