Dateline Rice for Nov. 7, 2014

FEATURED ITEMS

The $11M tool that could help computers write their own code
Computer scientists at Rice are leading an $11 million-project called PLINY to develop software that makes it easier to write code. Vivek Sarkar, the E.D. Butcher Chair in Engineering, chair of the Department of Computer Science and the principal investigator on the PLINY project, is quoted. The Wired article includes a video produced by Rice’s Brandon Martin. Swarat Chaudhuri, assistant professor of computer science, is quoted in the SDTimes.com article.
Wired
http://wrd.cm/111UUIQ
DARPA targets autocomplete for programmers
HPCWire.com
http://bit.ly/1EoJ1dS
Google’s successful Google Play app guide; auto-correct for programmers; Confluent, an Apache Kafka real-time data startup
SDTimes.com
http://bit.ly/1AzbfEi
Computer programming may become much easier
Cambodian Times (This article also appeared in Kenya Star and Gadget.)
http://bit.ly/1qtM24m

Conservancy worries power lines could harm Katy Prairie
The proposed high-voltage electric transmission line to be built across 20,000 acres of land protected by the Katy Prairie Conservancy could interfere with Katy’s grasses, wetlands and wildlife. Evan Siemann, the Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary biology, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (This appeared on the front page. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/10EjUF1

Study: Hispanic progress stalls after third generation and later
A new report released by Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research reveals a barrier faced by Houston Hispanics to further their progress past education and increased salaries. Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and co-director of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1tQ2lO9

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

College rankings 2014
Rice is No. 14 on The Daily Beast’s list of the top colleges in the nation, based on data from the National Center for Education Statistics, PayScale and Niche.
The Daily Beast
http://thebea.st/13RuhYd

Texas Democrats face long-term harm
Mark Jones, the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies, professor and chair of political science and fellow in political science at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted about Greg Abbott’s plans for Texas, Wendy Davis’ campaign tactics and exit polls.
The Wall Street Journal
http://on.wsj.com/112bFUc
Elephants trample Democrats’ dream to turn Texas blue
Breitbart (This article also appeared in 790TalkNow.com, David Webb Show, One News Page and CNMNewz.com.)
http://bit.ly/1tIgCL7
Can Abbott be the education governor?
San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/1Eb5Tvs
Davis is latest to fail with ‘Austin insider’ attack
The Texas Tribune (This article also appeared in My High Plains and KEYE-TV.)
http://bit.ly/1z6gDu7
Battleground Texas has to sell its pricey goal to big donors again
KUT.org
http://bit.ly/1tPZYLg
Texas Democrats say exit polling on Hispanics is inaccurate
Austin American-Statesman
http://bit.ly/1qtEYF8
Abbott debe probar interés por latinos más allá de su lazo matrimonial: expertos
La Voz (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1uGw918
Qué pueden esperar los latinos de Patrick
La Voz (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1zAk3IJ

Cybersecurity: A new regime on government-compromised encryption analysis
Christopher Bronk, fellow in information technology policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, authored an analysis of today’s encryption standards’ effect on cybersecurity.
Eurasia Review
http://bit.ly/1AzikEZ

In deep space: Thoughts on interstellar and science fiction
An article mentions President John F. Kennedy’s 1962 speech at Rice Stadium.
Consequence of Sound
http://bit.ly/1u6Gl1s

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Realtors, homebuilders adapting to Houston’s diverse suburbs
Houston’s foreign-born population grew by almost 60 percent in 13 years, and many of these families are moving to the city’s suburbs. Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and co-director of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, comments on realtors’ awareness of the demographic shift.
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1AyvPVu

Cannabis industry: What does the future hold?
Alumna Leslie McAhren ’05 authored a blog post about the future of a cannabis industry in Texas.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1uGm4Bo

Houston’s first Hispanic music director offers new Spanish dialogue concert experience, featuring Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony
Colombian violinist and conductor Andrés Orozco-Estrada will incorporate Spanish language commentary and a performance of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony at Rice’s Stude Concert Hall.
Houston Style Magazine
http://bit.ly/1tQeeUn
Houston Symphony’s Andres Orozco-Estrada to offer Spanish dialogue concert experience
Broadway World
http://bit.ly/112hPU9

Church concerts open to community
Alumnus Yuri McCoy ’14 will perform at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church Nov. 9.
Bellaire Examiner
http://bit.ly/1zAn2AJ

Arranca el Festival Internacional de Literatura 2014
Rice will host the Literature Festival in the Memorial Center Grand Hall Nov. 8.
La Voz (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1snayoH

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Rice consortium helped spark Biotech researchers’ inner entrepreneur
The Houston Area Translational Research Consortium, which is housed at Rice’s BioScience Research Collaborative, is closing in June. Cindy Farach-Carson, the Ralph and Dorothy Looney Professor of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, and provost George McLendon are quoted.
Xconomy
http://bit.ly/1EaUADq

‘Supercapacitors’ combine with regular batteries to boost the power of electric cars
Matteo Pasquali, professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry and professor of chemical and bimolecular engineering, and graduate student Francesca Mirri co-developed lightweight “supercapacitors” that can be combined with regular batteries to boost the power of an electric car.
ECN Mag (This article also appeared in Controlled Environments, Nanotechnology Now, Science Codex and ScienceNewsline.)
http://bit.ly/1xcRbmi
Energy storage slam-dunk: Graphene + carbon nanotubes + Li-ion EV batteries
Clean Technica
http://bit.ly/1u6vEMj
Can EVs ever be completely powered by PVs?
Engineering.com
http://bit.ly/1u6IgDb

New e-incubator enables real-time imaging of bioengineered tissues in environmentally controlled unit
Antonios Mikos, the Louis Calder Professor of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, is an author of the journal “The e-Incubator: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Compatible Mini Incubator,” which is available on the Tissue Engineering website until Dec. 5.
HealthCanal
http://bit.ly/10yjuj8

Polypropylene found in new form
A researcher in France found a fifth crystal form of isotatic polypropylene that may have industrial applications for lightweight formulations. Edwin Thomas, the William and Stephanie Sick Dean of the George R. Brown School of Engineering, is quoted.
Chemical & Engineering News
http://bit.ly/1qtJUcR

Rice University makes a breakthrough in hydrogen fuel production
Rice scientists turned molybdenum disulfide into a nanoporous film that can catalyze the production of hydrogen or be used for energy storage. James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, is quoted. Postdoctoral researcher Yang Yang and graduate student Huilong Fei helped create the film.
Hydrogen Fuel News
http://bit.ly/1EoDuUI

Return to Nepal: Digging sensors out of ice and dirt
Alumna Ulyana Horodyskyj ’07 is climbing Mount Everest to determine how much soot is settling on snow at the top of mammoth glaciers.
Scientific American
http://bit.ly/1AyXRAa

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Why saving Madagascar’s lemurs will save its rainforests
Amy Dunham, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, and graduate student Onja Razafindratsima are studying the positive impact lemurs have on tree populations in Madagascar.
Take Part
http://bit.ly/1xf6snQ

St. Mary’s ranked highly by College Factual
Rice is No. 1 on the USA Today’s blog College Factual’s list of the best colleges in Texas.
StMaryTX.edu
http://bit.ly/1xcE3O8

SPORTS

KTRK-TV
Rice football will play against University of Texas at San Antonio Nov. 8 at Rice Stadium.
http://bit.ly/1EbibnK

Football head to Norfolk to take on the Monarchs
Rice football’s game against Florida International University is mentioned.
FIUSM.com
http://bit.ly/10ECrB3

Early season analysis of American Athletic Conference Swimming
Rice women’s swimming match against University of Houston is mentioned.
Swimming World Magazine
http://bit.ly/1z6iuiu

Wire taps: Nationals’ Anthony Rendon is a Silver Slugger award winner
Alumnus Anthony Rendon ’12 was named the 2014 NL Silver Slugger Award winner.
Federal Baseball
http://bit.ly/1ydRahg

NEWS RELEASE

Hispanics are a growing presence in Houston, but more must be done to close the achievement gaps
More than Anglos or African-Americans, Houston’s Hispanics recognize the importance of education and believe that hard work will be rewarded, but more must be done to close the gaps in their educational achievement, according to a new report from Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research. Titled “Shared Prospects: Hispanics and the Future of Houston,” the report also shows that Hispanic immigrants do better economically the longer they live in America, but progress stalls after the second generation.
http://bit.ly/1zAv0di