Dateline Rice for March 23, 2018

FEATURED ITEMS

Houston speculators make a fast buck from storm’s misery
Antonia Sebastian, a research associate at Rice’s Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters Center, is quoted in an article on people buying and selling homes flooded during Hurricane/Tropical Storm Harvey. Research on the diversity of Fort Bend County by Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research is mentioned.
New York Times (Subscription is required.)
http://nyti.ms/2pw1BRW

Rice engineering students build an upside-down room you have to see
Students created an upside-down room inside the commons area of Martel College as part of Willy Week festivities. Senior Gigi Rill is quoted, and freshman Amanda Suarez and sophomore Jonathan Bunt are mentioned. Photos by Rice photographer Jeff Fitlow are included in a slideshow.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in the San Antonio Express-News.)
http://bit.ly/2pEcsJF
http://bit.ly/2pB1Nz6

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Help wanted: Teachers. Police. Even mayors: Jobs crucial to society plagued by discontent
An article mentions research by the Center for Local Elections in American Politics (LEAP), part of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, that showed about half of mayoral elections from 2000 to 2016 in six states featured only one candidate. Melissa Marschall, director of LEAP and a professor of political science in Rice’s School of Social Sciences, is quoted.
USA Today (This article also appeared in more than 40 other media outlets.)
https://usat.ly/2pBk7YQ

Mat ‘baits, hooks and destroys’ pollution in water
A polymer mat developed at Rice has the ability to fish biologically harmful contaminants from water through a strategy known as “bait, hook and destroy.” Pedro Alvarez, director of Rice’s NEWT Center and the George R. Brown Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and former Rice postdoctoral researcher Chang-Gu Lee are quoted.
Futurity (Similar articles appeared in more than 10 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/2pzc1Qv

How to find yourself, according to science: Live abroad
Living abroad can clarify your sense of self, according to new research by a team of social scientists at Rice, Columbia University and the University of North Carolina.
Pacific Standard (Similar articles appeared in Inc. and New Kerala.)
http://bit.ly/2pylaZK

Too convenient to fail
Hedge funds that frequently accessed SEC filings such as annual reports posted better-than-average returns in the following month compared with non-users, according to a working paper from Rice. Findings by co-authors Alan Crane, Kevin Crotty and Tarik Umar, assistant professors of finance, are discussed.
Bloomberg
https://bloom.bg/2pyWHUd

These beautiful chapels around the world are literal works of art
James Turrell’s “Twilight Epiphany” Skyspace on the Suzanne Deal Booth Centennial Pavilion is mentioned.
Southern Living (This article also appeared in Travel and Leisure.)
http://bit.ly/2pzvHUA

High consumption of red, processed meat causes insulin resistance, liver disease
An article mentions a hydrogel developed at Rice that can help the body heal may also be particularly good at treating wounds related to diabetes. Jeffrey Hartgerink, a professor of chemistry and bioengineering, is quoted.
The Guardian (Similar articles appeared in more than 10 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/2G7PS1V

State’s top student science winners head to the USA
Off-grid water sterilization technology developed at Rice is mentioned.
Sydney Morning Herald
http://bit.ly/2pykQu0

Sports psychology bringing out the best in Lennie Waite
Alumna Lennie Waite ’08 is featured.
The National (This article also appeared in the Sunday Herald.)
http://bit.ly/2pzJJpb

Las cuerdas invitan a Rubén Rengel a seguir trabajando
Graduate student Rubén Rengel, a violinist who won first place in the senior division of the Sphinx Competition in Detroit, is featured.
El Nacional (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/2pyo5BG

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Veterans Business Battle to shake things up in its 4th year
Veterans Business Battle, co-established by Rice’s Veterans in Business Association and hosted by the university, is featured.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in the San Antonio Express-News.)
http://bit.ly/2pyArtD
http://bit.ly/2pBytZp

The race to the world’s 1st ‘exascale’ computer
Jan Odegard, executive director of Rice’s Ken Kennedy Institute for Information Technology, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required.)
http://bit.ly/2pvS9Os

The flip side of college sticker shock: Almost nobody pays retail
Rice is featured in an article on college tuition and financial aid.
Houston Business Journal (Subscription is required.)
http://bit.ly/2pywaWY

Houston Arts Alliance innovators — 7 creative forces who’ve used grants to make magic
An article mentions rapper Bernard “Bun B” Freeman is a former distinguished lecturer at Rice.
PaperCity
http://bit.ly/2pzvmkJ

Chron overview of CD07 runoff
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 an article on a primary runoff election for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives in Houston’s Seventh Congressional District. Jones also is quoted in articles on Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke and Democratic Texas gubernatorial candidate Lupe Valdez.
Off the Kuff
http://bit.ly/2G5MFAb
LGBT group Victory Fund endorses Lupe Valdez in Texas gubernatorial race
On Top Magazine
http://bit.ly/2pzhqaq
Can Beto O’Rourke win in Texas?
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/2pzGdLy

BROADCAST

KRIV-TV (Houston)
A story mentions the Houston Latino Film Festival will be screened at Rice Cinema.
http://bit.ly/2pAWvD1 (Click the video button to watch the broadcast.)

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

‘Bellwether’ Gulf lease sale fails to send strong oil, gas market signal
Ken Medlock, the James A. Baker III and Susan Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics and senior director of the Center for Energy Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and lecturer of economics, is quoted.
S&P Global
http://bit.ly/2pzWLTG
Rice researchers develop facile mechano-chemical process to make graphite pellets from functionalized graphene
It’s easy and economical to make shiny pellets of graphite from functionalized graphene, according to scientists at Rice. Former Rice graduate student and lead author Mohamad Kabbani is quoted, and Pulickel Ajayan, chair of the Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering, the Benjamin M. and Mary Greenwood Anderson Professor in Engineering and a professor of chemistry, is mentioned. A Rice video is featured.
Nanowerk (Similar articles appeared in more than 10 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/2pyLJxR

Evolutionary selection yields roll-to-roll production of single-layer graphene
Boris Yakobson, the Karl F. Hasselmann Professor of Materials Science and NanoEngineering and a professor of chemistry, is quoted. Yakobson, Rice research administrator Ksenia Bets and graduate student Nitant Gupta are pictured.
Engineering.com (A similar article appeared in I-Connect007.)
http://bit.ly/2G60IWv

Harvard GSD appoints Mark Lee as chair of department of architecture
An article on the Harvard University Graduate School of Design mentions that Mark Lee held the Cullinan Visiting Chair at Rice.
Arch Daily (Similar articles appeared in more than 10 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/2pzmc7P

Rice University creates faculty ombuds program
Anne Schnoebelen, Rice faculty ombuds and the Joseph and Ida Kirkland Mullen Professor Emerita of Music, is featured.
The Ombuds Blog
http://bit.ly/2pznK1z

2 billion-year-old salt rock reveals the rise of oxygen in Earth’s ancient atmosphere
Postdoctoral research associate Justin Hayles is mentioned as a co-author of a study.
Astrobiology Web (Similar articles appeared in more than 10 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/2pBfJsU

Growth factor gradients in migration-permissive hydrogels for salivary gland assembly
Graduate student Kelsea Marie Hubka made a presentation at the 47th annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental Research March 22 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Phys.org
http://bit.ly/2pzrn7B

American Composers Orchestra announces 2017-2018 emerging composers
Graduate student Jihyun Kim will participate in the 27th annual Underwood New Music Readings. Karim Al-Zand, associate professor of composition and theory at Rice’s Shepherd School of Music, and Shih-Hui Chen, professor and chair of composition and theory at the Shepherd School, are mentioned.
Broadway World
http://bit.ly/2pzG1M6

How energy is converted
A single catalyst developed by scientists at Rice and the University of Houston to split water into hydrogen and oxygen to produce clean energy is mentioned.
Boston Commons
http://bit.ly/2G5rZZ8

Best transfer schools for investment banking
Rice is mentioned.
Wall Street Oasis
http://bit.ly/2pw91EM

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

New technology being developed for pacemakers
Scientists are now working on better, more effective and less-shocking ways to get a heart to start beating again. Aydin Babakhani, former assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, is quoted.
NewsRains
http://bit.ly/2pEmJon

Webster University 2018 Alumni Association award winners: Cano, Demings, Horn, Lange, Merschen
Alumna Jennifer Johnson Cano ’08 is featured.
Webster University News
http://bit.ly/2pBBZCY

IT-Konferenz in Wien: Datenbanken warden intelligent
Chris Jermaine, associate professor of computer science, will speak at a conference in Vienna.
TU Austria (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/2pzjFur

Damit Bildschirme kräftiger leuchten: Bayreuther Forscher entdecken Weg zur Farbsteuerung von OLEDs
Peter Rossky, the Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Chair in Natural Sciences, a professor of chemistry and dean of the Wiess School of Natural Sciences, is mentioned.
Universitat Bayreuth (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/2G5NZD9

SPORTS

4 Big 12 teams among top 40 teams nationally in 2018 strength of schedule
The Rice football team faces 10 teams next season that finished with winning records last season.
Big 12 Diehards
http://bit.ly/2pzenil

Texas A&M volleyball opens spring season at Rice
The Rice volleyball team faces Texas A&M University March 23 at Tudor Fieldhouse.
KBTX.com
http://bit.ly/2pyWvEu
Aggie volleyball starts spring against Rice
KXXV.com
http://bit.ly/2pzP1kA

Aggies host Saturday afternoon tilt versus TCU
The Rice soccer team faces Texas A&M University March 24 in College Station.
KBTX.com
http://bit.ly/2pBEaXa

Getting to know the newest Lions
Former Rice football player Luke Willson ’12, who now plays for the Detroit Lions, is featured.
NFL.com
http://bit.ly/2G1YQ0N

Track and field: Highlanders relay team off to blazing start to season
Articles on track and field mention the Victor Lopez Classic at Rice.
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in the Courier of Montgomery County.)
http://bit.ly/2pzdgiC
KHOU-TV (Houston)
http://bit.ly/2G32BTz (Click the video button to watch the broadcast.)
La. Tech T&F heads to Rice for Victor Lopez Classic
LaTechSports.com
http://bit.ly/2py3kGg

NEWS RELEASES

Baker Institute study: Consumerism in health care increasing
Rising costs and changing attitudes about convenience and the ability to personalize life choices are driving a trend toward greater consumer purchasing power and individual responsibility in health care services, according to a new issue brief by experts at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
http://bit.ly/2pBzmkH

For graphite pellets, just add elbow grease
It’s easy and economical to make shiny pellets of graphite from functionalized graphene, according to scientists at Rice. A report in Carbon shows how chemically altered graphene powder can be pressed into a lightweight, semiporous solid that retains many of the strong and conductive qualities of graphite, the form of carbon found in pencils, lubricants and many other products that normally requires high-temperature processing to make.
http://bit.ly/2pynz6x

Implications of drug policy reform is topic at Rice’s Jones School April 4
A panel of experts will gather at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business April 4 to discuss the implications of drug reform — in particular marijuana legalization — on the economy, society and culture in the United States. Hosted by the Rice MBA chapter of the Adam Smith Society, the event is free and open to the public but registration is required.
http://bit.ly/2pyokg4