Dateline Rice for March 9, 2018

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Sugar cubes solve big problem with lithium metal batteries
Scientists at Rice and Arizona State University got a bit of sweet satisfaction from their solution to a long-standing conundrum: the formation of dendrites that degrade and ultimately destroy lithium metal batteries. Rice materials scientist Ming Tang is quoted, and former Rice postdoctoral researcher Liang Hong and graduate student Fan Wang are mentioned.
Futurity (This article was featured in the March 9 edition of the Futurity Today newsletter.)
http://bit.ly/2p3NAtp

Cancer-killing hydrogel stays in place until the job is done
An immunotherapy drug embedded in STINGel, a slow-release hydrogel invented at Rice in collaboration with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, appears to be highly effective at killing cancer cells. Jeffrey Hartgerink, a professor of chemistry and of bioengineering, is quoted.
New Atlas (Similar articles appeared in Pharmaceutical Technology, The Engineer and Brinkwire.)
http://bit.ly/2p2yt3x

In Texas midterms, ‘blue wave’ may look more like a ripple
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 in multiple articles on politics.
Christian Science Monitor (This article also appeared in more than 10 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/2p1kNWE
National Democrats stick with aggressive primary strategy despite Texas results
KWBE.com (This ABC News Radio article appeared in more than 10 media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/2DeVTYl
North Texas Republican enters House speaker race
Austin American-Statesman (Subscription is required.)
https://atxne.ws/2Dh6O48
Democrat turnout surges 87 percent in Texas primary since 2014
SenegalActu
http://bit.ly/2p1ovzn

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Wishing trees, Asian fare take Tiger Ball to the stars
Rice Board of Trustees Chairman Bobby Tudor ’82, President David Leebron and University Representative Y. Ping Sun attended Asia Society’s Tiger Ball. Tudor and Sun are pictured in a Houston Chronicle slideshow, and Leebron and Sun are pictured in a PaperCity slideshow. Leebron also is mentioned in a KUT-FM story on a group of about 50 college presidents who co-signed a letter sent to U.S. lawmakers criticizing a new tax on private university endowments.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required.)
http://bit.ly/2p1soo1
http://bit.ly/2p1mbZb
Houston’s own Taj Mahal hosts a wild Tiger Ball
PaperCity
http://bit.ly/2p1CqWd
Guests toast the diversity of Asia at 2018 Tiger Ball, exceeding fundraising goal and honoring Sylvia and Gordon Quan
Indo American News
http://bit.ly/2p25GMo
KUT-FM (Austin)
http://bit.ly/2DecWdd (Click the audio button to listen to the broadcast.)

#MeToo
An article on sexual abuse and harassment mentions Rice programs to prevent sexual misconduct and to provide support and services to survivors.
TMC News
http://bit.ly/2p1Kl5H

President’s perspective: Planning for green space and outdoor activity at the TMC
An article by Texas Medical Center President and CEO William F. McKeon mentions bike-share stations on the Rice campus.
TMC News
http://bit.ly/2DctUJ2

The Woodlands named 7th best city to live in USA
Alumnus Robert Heineman ’69, vice president of planning for the Woodlands Development Co., is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in the San Antonio Express-News and Courier of Montgomery County.)
http://bit.ly/2p1HTfK
http://bit.ly/2p3Kfun

Drink craft beer for a good cause at the Houston Zoo’s first-ever Brew at the Zoo event
A slideshow mentions that alumni Brock Wagner ’87 and Kevin Bartol ’81 founded Saint Arnold Brewing Co.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in the San Antonio Express-News.)
http://bit.ly/2DdJjc1
http://bit.ly/2DeZrde

Peggie Miller: Houston Early Music brings classical violin sonatas
Boston Baroque will perform “The Mystery Sonatas” May 5 at Rice’s Duncan Recital Hall.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/2Idvz4V

Karen Scholer sworn in as United States district judge for the Northern District of Texas
Alumna Karen Gren Scholer ’79 is featured.
Texoma’s Homepage
http://bit.ly/2Dd4NG5

BROADCAST

‘One-of-a-kind’ cricket complex to rise northwest of Houston
Research on the growth of Houston’s Asian population is mentioned.
KHOU.com (This article originally appeared in Houston Business Journal.)
http://bit.ly/2p46vEv

Walk with pets to raise money during the 3rd annual Bark for BARC Pet Walk
The Houston BARC Foundation’s Bark for BARC Pet Walk will be April 28 on the Rice campus.
ABC13.com
http://abc13.co/2p1n6cg

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

What’s behind Gazprom’s decision to cut off supply to Ukraine
Anna Mikulska, senior research analyst for energy studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, authored an op-ed on Russian state energy company Gazprom.
Energy Post (This article also appeared in Energy Collective.)
http://bit.ly/2Ddght2

Breaking the mold of fluorescence imaging
Lenses are no longer necessary for some microscopes, according to Rice engineers developing FlatScope, a thin fluorescent microscope whose abilities promise to surpass those of old-school devices. Quoted are Ashok Veeraraghavan, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering; Jacob Robinson, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and of bioengineering; and Richard Baraniuk, the Victor E. Cameron Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Space Daily (Similar articles appeared in Engineering.com and Zenopia.)
http://bit.ly/2DbDa01

Rational Middle begins screenings of immigration documentary series, prompting gears and discussion
Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy hosted a screening of short films from the “Rational Middle of Immigration” series March 7.
Construction Citizen
http://bit.ly/2p2qpjh

Bridging the gender wage gap
Yvette Pearson, associate dean for accreditation and assessment in Rice’s School of Engineering, is quoted.
American Society of Civil Engineers News
http://bit.ly/2DdYjGO

Back to the future of high-performance computing
The 11th annual Rice Oil and Gas High Performance Computing Conference, hosted by Rice’s Ken Kennedy Institute for Information Technology and scheduled for March 12-13, is featured. Jan Odegard, executive director of the Kennedy Institute, is mentioned.
Vertical Industries Blog
http://red.ht/2DcNLI4

Interview with the CFO: Spero Therapeutics Inc.
Alumnus Joel Sendek ’89 is featured.
Wall Street Transcript
http://bit.ly/2DcWtWR

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Big Squid Inc. welcomes Jorge Zuloaga as senior director of data sciences
Alumnus Jorge Zuloaga ’10 is featured.
WALB.com (This article appeared in more than 30 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/2DdCffH

Democrat hoping to unseat Reese
Alumna Clare Dooley ’91 is running for state representative in Pennsylvania.
Bradford Era (This article also appeared in Daily American.)
http://bit.ly/2Deln8g

Female engineering pioneers
Alumna Sandra Carberry ’70 is featured.
University of Delaware
http://bit.ly/2p3PUAD

‘The Badness of Pain’
Gwen Bradford, assistant professor of philosophy, will present a lecture March 14 in Vancouver, British Columbia.
University of British Columbia
http://bit.ly/2p1DdGt

Battle for Europe
Ewa Thompson, research professor of Slavic studies, is mentioned.
First Things
http://bit.ly/2DdXrSK

Soloists to join WMSO April 7
Alumnus Tomasz Robak ’13 will perform with the White Mountain Symphony Orchestra in Show Low, Ariz.
White Mountain Independent
http://bit.ly/2p2sGeq

Gracias a tu ADN, esta app te consigue la cita perfecta
Bin Huang, a postdoctoral fellow at Rice’s Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, is mentioned as a co-founder of Pheramor, a genetics-based dating app.
El Nuevodia (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/2p61D1U

SPORTS

Family, friends, teammates mourn Hardin-Jefferson, Rice football player
The Rice football team attended the funeral service for Lovett College junior Blain Padgett, a member of the Rice football team who died March 2. Former Owls player J.T. Granato is quoted in a Houston Chronicle article. He and former assistant coach Frank Okam are quoted in ABC13.com, KABB-TV and KFDX-TV stories, head coach Mike Bloomgren is quoted in a KRIV-TV story and player Jack Fox is quoted in a Fox4Beaumont.com article.
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in the Beaumont Enterprise.)
http://bit.ly/2p1Wxnd
Rice Owls football star Blain Padgett remembered
ABC13.com
http://abc13.co/2FnJ58l
KRIV-TV (Houston)
http://bit.ly/2IdskdL (Click the video button to watch the broadcast.)
Funeral held for Rice University football player Blain Padgett
KPRC.com
http://bit.ly/2p3TkTZ
KABB-TV (San Antonio)
http://bit.ly/2DfAsq7 (Click the video button to watch the broadcast.)
Family and friends celebrate the life and mourn the loss of football star Blain Padgett
Fox4Beaumont.com (This article also appeared in KFDM.com.)
http://bit.ly/2Df5hex
KBMT-TV (Beaumont, Texas)
http://bit.ly/2De5EGp (Click the video button to watch the broadcast, which also aired on KJAC-TV in Beaumont.)
KFDX-TV (Wichita Falls, Texas)
http://bit.ly/2IeciAf (Click the video button to watch the broadcast.)

Rice gets revenge, in semifinals
The Rice women’s basketball team defeated Middle Tennessee State University 61-53 March 8 in the quarterfinals of the Conference USA tournament in Frisco, Texas. Owl Erica Ogwumike is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (This article appeared in the March 9 print edition.)
http://bit.ly/2Id58fs
MTSU women’s basketball falls to Rice in Conference USA tournament
Daily News Journal
http://on.dnj.com/2p2dJsK
Women’s basketball: Lady Raiders eliminated by Rice in C-USA quarterfinals
MTSU Sidelines
http://bit.ly/2DdzB9B

CSCAA announces Jean Freeman Scholarship recipients
Rice assistant swimming coach Amanda Caldwell received a Jean Freeman Scholarship from the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America to cover the cost of attending the CSCAA Convention and Clinic May 6-8 in Evanston, Ill.
Swimming World
http://bit.ly/2Df6XVu
CSCAA selects 6 Freeman Award winners
SwimSwam
http://bit.ly/2p01Nre

Baseball preview: Head coach Machtolf swings for fourth conference title in six years despite lacking go-to player
An article on Gonzaga University’s baseball team mentions the Bulldogs face Rice March 9-11 at Reckling Park.
Gonzaga Bulletin
http://bit.ly/2p2pcbJ

Pioneers set for matches against Wyoming, Rice
The Rice women’s tennis team will face Denver University March 10 in Denver.
DenverPioneers.com
http://bit.ly/2Df9yid

Salisbury’s Nelson earns lacrosse honor
McMurtry College junior Davis Nelson, a member of Rice’s club lacrosse team, earned the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association Division II Under Armour Commanding Performance of the Week.
Salisbury Post
http://bit.ly/2DebQ0U

KHOU-TV (Houston)
Former Rice baseball player Anthony Rendon, who plays for the Washington Nationals, is featured.
http://bit.ly/2FruIQ0 (Click the video button to watch the broadcast.)

Chicago White Sox prospect preview: Nos. 22-24
Former Rice baseball player Jordan Stephens ’15 is featured.
Fansided
http://bit.ly/2p68JU6

South County boys’ basketball wins 1st-ever Virginia state championship
An article mentions high school basketball player Quentin Millora-Brown is signed to play at Rice.
Washington Post (Subscription is required.)
http://wapo.st/2Deyvu6

Veteran coach hired to take over local high school program
An article on Killeen Ellison High School football coach Todd Wright mentions he was a graduate assistant coach at Rice.
KWTX.com
http://bit.ly/2p0Pmf5