Dateline Rice for July 18, 2018

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Tumult of Trump’s Europe trip smashes presidential precedent
An article about the unprecedented nature of and possible political damage caused by President Donald Trump’s recent trip abroad quotes History Professor Douglas Brinkley.
Washington Post (Subscription is required. This Associated Press article appeared in more than 650 other media outlets.)
https://wapo.st/2L6mOP5

Bodies believed to be those of 95 black forced-labor prisoners from Jim Crow era unearthed in Sugar Land after one man’s quest
At the site of the former Imperial State Prison Farm in Sugar Land, Texas, archaeologists unearthed 95 graves thought to be laborers from Texas’ convict-leasing system, which was outlawed in 1912. Associate Professor of History Caleb McDaniel is quoted.
Washington Post (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in more than 30 other media outlets.)
https://wapo.st/2uHW4ti

HOUSTON/TEXAS

As Democratic candidate for governor Valdez struggles to raise money, party looks to ‘reverse coattails’ effect
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 articles from the Houston Chronicle and Dallas Morning News about the fundraising efforts of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Lupe Valdez ahead of the November midterm elections and in an Austin American-Statesman article about Republicans’ 34-to-1 funding advantage over Democrats statewide. Jones is also quoted in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about highly contested Senate District 10.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in the San Antonio Express-News.)
http://bit.ly/2O1LHsX
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has over 100 times as much cash as challenger Lupe Valdez, filings show
Dallas Morning News (Subscription is required.)
http://bit.ly/2NXfZ03
Texas Democrats far behind in money race for statewide office 
Austin American-Statesman (Subscription is required.)
https://atxne.ws/2NYd9YA
Konni Burton, challenger spend big bucks in race for Texas’ only ‘swing’ Senate seat
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
http://bit.ly/2NWJPlr

No tow jams: Free hauls cut traffic and make local freeways safer [editorial]
An article mentions that Houston’s Safe Clear program, which provided free towing service to haul stranded highway motorists to safety, was studied by Rice researchers who determined traffic flow improved and freeway crashes dropped by 10 percent during the program, saving drivers an estimated $35 million.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article appeared in the July 18 print edition with a different headline, “Tow and go.”)
http://bit.ly/2O0G0M6

Inside the new holey house in downtown Houston
An article about a collection of dwellings from Houston’s early days that originally appeared in OffCite, a publication of the Rice Design Alliance, is republished in the Houston Chronicle’s “Gray Matters” online magazine.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required.) 
http://bit.ly/2NWvsgM

Community calendar
A roundup of community events in the Houston area mentions that the University of Houston-Clear Lake’s Center for Robotics Software is hosting the third-annual Houston Robotics and AI Day, which showcases current research into robotics and artificial intelligence at Rice and other area colleges.
Bay Area Citizen (This article also appeared in the Pearland Journal, Friendswood Journal and Deer Park Broadcaster.)
http://bit.ly/2LlBvNq (Scroll down to “Aug. 3 — Register for Houston Robotics and AI Day at UHCL.”)

Edinburg’s retail economy in May 2018 shows more than 7 percent improvement over same month in 2017, Texas Comptroller announces
An article mentions that Rice is represented in the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine’s Class of 2022.
Edinburg Politics
http://bit.ly/2NZ1jNV (Scroll down to “University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine welcomes Class of 2022 with orientation.”)

BROADCAST

KTRH-AM (Houston)
President John F. Kennedy’s “Moon Speech” given at Rice Sept. 12, 1962, is mentioned in a radio broadcast and an article from Lafayette College News.
http://bit.ly/2NXKzql (This broadcast aired on more than 25 other affiliate stations.)
10 lessons that will make your career more colorful
Lafayette College News
http://bit.ly/2Nn8gHt (Scroll down to “9. Have a vision.”)

’10 News at 11 p.m.’
Two television broadcasts and several articles feature OpenStax, a Rice-based publisher of open educational resources, which has partnered with Palomar College and San Diego City College to provide free or low-cost textbooks to students.
KGTV-SD (San Diego)
http://bit.ly/2O1rWSj (Click the video button to watch the broadcast.)
Palomar, City College to receive free, low-cost e-textbooks for students
Times of San Diego (This article also appeared on Fox5SanDiego.com, CBS8.com, 760KFMB.com, KFMB Online and CW6.)
http://bit.ly/2NWoDM6
‘News 17 Univision San Diego’
Univision San Diego
http://bit.ly/2O06OMr (Click the video button to watch the broadcast. An English translation is not available.)

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Rice University ready to build new home for social sciences school
Rice will break ground on the Patricia Lipoma Kraft ’87 and Jonathan A. Kraft Hall for Social Sciences in August. The new building will be named for Rice Trustee Patti Kraft and her husband, Jonathan Kraft, the lead donors for the project. Rice President David Leebron is quoted.
American School & University (This article also appeared in 4-Traders.)
http://bit.ly/2NYwdWK

How to choose the right target-date retirement fund
An article about retirement funds cites research from a working paper co-authored by Rice researchers who analyzed 401(k) enrollment data for nearly 34,000 participants who had invested in a single target-date fund.
Consumer Reports (This article also appeared on Yahoo! News.)
http://bit.ly/2NWT70N

Timothy Morton: ‘What it’s like to be on hurricane time’
An excerpt of an op-ed originally published in The Atlantic by Timothy Morton, the Rita Shea Guffey Chair in English, is featured in E-Flux Conversations, and a Broadway World article mentions he will be a keynote speaker at the 11th Creative Time Summit Nov. 1 in Miami.
E-Flux Conversations
http://bit.ly/2NVRBvL
Creative Time announces lineup for 11th annual summit
Broadway World
http://bit.ly/2NlD4bq

With a carbon tax, US could surpass Paris Climate goals
An article mentions that Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy collaborated with Columbia University, the Rhodium Group and the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center to co-author a series of reports analyzing the environmental implications of federal carbon taxes in light of 2017 federal tax reform.
Earth Institute, Columbia University (This article also appeared in Inside Sources.)
http://bit.ly/2NVC1Aa

News analysis: Implications of US sanctions on Iran
Michael Maher, senior program adviser for the Center for Energy Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in an article about the possible effects on the global economy if the U.S. imposes new sanctions on Iran.
China Economic Net
http://bit.ly/2NU9vz3

In borophene, boundaries are no barrier
Borophene, the atomically flat form of boron with unique properties, is even more interesting when different forms of the material mix and mingle, according to scientists at Rice and Northwestern universities. Boris Yakobson, the Karl F. Hasselmann Professor of Materials Science and NanoEngineering and of Chemistry, and graduate student Luqing Wang are quoted.
R&D Magazine (This article also appeared in Times of News and Innovations Report.)
http://bit.ly/2NZNYop

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Beware of potentially harmful stem cell therapies, researchers warn
Kirstin Matthews, a fellow in science and technology policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in an article about the dangers of underregulated and expensive stem cell clinics.
Dotemirates
http://bit.ly/2O1CuAL

Putnam Hospital Center Auxiliary awards volunteers scholarships
An article mentions that Nora Maerean plans to attend Rice.
TAPinto.net
http://bit.ly/2NYOq6G

Mountain Light Music Festival to bring world-class brass music to Pagosa Springs
An article mentions that the Mountain Light Music Festival was featured as a trombone summit in 2015 with students and faculty from Rice, other Texas universities and the Houston Grand Opera.
Pagosa Springs Sun
http://bit.ly/2NZ0nZV

Why we won’t get to Mars without teamwork
An article about teamwork and collaboration cites research from co-author Eduardo Salas, the Allyn R. and Gladys M. Cline Chair of Psychology.
Someone Somewhere Blog
http://bit.ly/2Nm11iQ

Análisis: La trágica y evitable autodestrucción de la economía petrolera de Venezuela
Francisco J. Monaldi, fellow in Latin American energy policy at the Center for Energy Studies, the Mexico Center and the Latin America Initiative at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and a lecturer in energy economics, is quoted in an article about Venezuela’s diminishing oil production.
La Patilla (An English translation is not available. This article also appeared in AperturaVen Blog.)
http://bit.ly/2NqBPrz

Profesor Edgar Ortegón presentará libro sobre políticas públicas
Alumnus Edgar Ortegón Quiñones ’74 is featured and pictured.
Perú Informa (An English translation is not available.) 
http://bit.ly/2No8UEM

SPORTS

Creech: Never mind critics — Houston is a big-event city
An article about Houston’s sports culture mentions Rice, which will serve as a co-host for the 2023 NCAA Final Four men’s basketball tournament at NRG Stadium.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required.)
http://bit.ly/2NYU34D

Conference USA media days storylines
Rice football head coach Mike Bloomgren is mentioned.
Denton Record-Chronicle
http://bit.ly/2NY4uVW

ODU football picked 6th in C-USA East preseason poll
A roundup of Conference USA football preseason rankings mentions Rice.
The Virginian-Pilot (Similar articles appeared in more than 20 other media outlets.) 
http://bit.ly/2NX6cHa

Marshall C-USA hoops schedule released
A roundup of Marshall University’s men’s basketball games mentions the team will play Rice Feb. 9.
WSAZ-TV Online (This article also appeared in the Ironton Tribune and Huntington Herald-Dispatch.)
http://bit.ly/2NYTCYe

Playing with pain, all for the love of a game
An article featuring Irish tennis player Amy Bowtell mentions that her sister, Hanszen College sophomore
Anna Bowtell, plays on Rice’s women’s tennis team.
Irish Independent
http://bit.ly/2O1jW3B

Here’s what Texas’ Tom Herman had to say during Big 12 media days
Former football player Calvin Anderson is mentioned.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
http://bit.ly/2NSdhZL
Bohls: Still longing for elite status for Texas? The Horns still have ‘some’ way to go
Austin American-Statesman
http://bit.ly/2NrFVzT

Beaty believes Texas program will thrive due to Herman’s energy
Former Rice assistant football coach David Beaty is featured, and former assistant coach Tom Herman and former head coach David Bailiff are mentioned.
247Sports.com
http://bit.ly/2NWasGQ

NEWS RELEASES

Texas must rethink long-term hazard mitigation efforts, according to new Rice U. report
Texas must rework its long-term hazard mitigation efforts to improve overall recovery from natural disasters, according to a new report from Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research and the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
http://bit.ly/2NYV4tq

Lake bed reveals details about ancient Earth
Sleuthing by a Rice postdoctoral fellow is part of a new Nature paper that gives credence to theories about Earth’s atmosphere 1.4 billion years ago. Rice’s Justin Hayles and his colleagues, led by Peter Crockford at McGill University in Montreal, analyzed samples from an ancient Canadian lake bed that turned up anomalous oxygen isotopes embedded in deposits of sulfate, hinting at the extent of life on ancient Earth’s surface.
http://bit.ly/2NYFKwZ