Dateline Rice for Oct. 30, 2018

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz could see midterm boost from straight-ticket voting
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 several articles about Texas politics ahead of the November midterm elections.
Fox News (This article also appeared in WCSI Online and Gossipela.)
https://fxn.ws/2ABxChc
New poll puts Sen. Ted Cruz ahead of Beto O’Rourke by 5 points
KHOU Online (This segment also aired on KYTX in Tyler, Texas.)
http://bit.ly/2AAE0W4
Democrats’ closing argument against John Culberson: Pre-existing conditions
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in more than 25 other media outlets.) 
http://bit.ly/2AzUTjw
http://bit.ly/2AB5Ama
Zerwas drops House speaker bid, Bonnen gains support
Austin American-Statesman
https://atxne.ws/2ABxOwW

Sulfur regulations on coal power plants could improve air quality, study says
Cleaning up or replacing coal-fired power plants that lack sulfur pollution controls could help Texans breathe cleaner, healthier air, according to researchers at Rice. Daniel Cohan, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, is quoted. Alumnus Brian Strasert and Martel College senior Su Chen Teh are mentioned. Cohan is interviewed by Houston Public Media about his research findings.
United Press International (This article also appeared in more than 10 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/2Rjeji4
Researchers say Texas regulations ignore most harmful pollutants from coal 
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/2EQ5SJS
Study: Texas coal plants neglect a crucial, dangerous pollutant
Laboratory Equipment
http://bit.ly/2Rp3yLb

Owning your own home doesn’t make you rich. Owning somebody else’s does.
An article about wealth and homeownership cites a 2016 study by Brielle Bryan, assistant professor of sociology, and sociologists from Harvard.
Washington Post
https://wapo.st/2DfkZuE

New research on inflammation shows how extreme grief can undermine health
Research by the lab of Chris Fagundes, assistant professor of psychological sciences, that determined grief can cause inflammation that can kill, is featured.
Forbes (A similar article also appeared in ZME Science.)
http://bit.ly/2AANOPN

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Amazon gave Houston the cold shoulder. So what’s next?
Peter Rodriguez, dean of Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business, is quoted.
Dallas Morning News (Subscription is required.)
http://bit.ly/2AADcAo

Being Latino in the Trump era: Another kind of harassment
An article cites the annual Houston Area Survey conducted by Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research and quotes Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and founding director of the Kinder Institute.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in the Oct. 30 print edition, and it appeared in more than 25 other media outlets.) 
http://bit.ly/2AByGSe

Fire & Smoke: Plant-based (don’t call it vegan) brisket
An article and podcast feature senior executive chef Roger Elkhouri, who recently debuted plant-based charcuterie as part of a larger movement at Rice to incorporate more plant-based options on campus. Susann Glenn, communications manager for Housing and Dining, is quoted in the accompanying article. An article from Foodservice Director mentions that Rice has the best dining program in Texas.
Texas Monthly
http://bit.ly/2AzrSo5
The best college dining program in each state
Foodservice Director
http://bit.ly/2AzEw6L

More on the STAR voting system 
Dan Wallach, professor of computer science and of electrical and computer engineering and a Rice Faculty Scholar at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in a blog post about electronic voting security.
Off the Kuff
http://bit.ly/2AAzuGZ

BROADCAST

Dave Ward’s Houston: Rice University’s hidden secrets 
A broadcast features the history of Rice.
KTRK-TV (Houston)
https://abc13.co/2ETLiIK

Younger voters in Harris County keep topping usual midterm turnout
Bob Stein, the Lena Gohlman Fox Professor of Political Science at Rice, is interviewed in a television broadcast.
KHOU Online
http://bit.ly/2EPKHaX

Houston study encourages cost, revenue sharing 
An article cites a study by Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, which determined that the Houston region is growing faster than local utility districts and infrastructure can keep up with. Kyle Shelton, director of strategic partnerships at Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is quoted.
KTRH.iheart.com (This article also appeared in KPRC.iheart.com.)
https://ihr.fm/2EUn6Wx

How the experiment with Houston’s decentralized school district has worked out
Jodi Moon, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Houston Education Research Consortium at Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is quoted in an article about  decentralized school systems, which put principals in charge of managing their school budgets, hiring and other key decisions.
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/2ESmQr6

Golf Channel
A television broadcast mentions McMurtry College freshman Jalil Spearman.
http://bit.ly/2RoybjV
‘Morning Drive’
Golf Channel
http://bit.ly/2RolG85

Survey: School violence tops social concerns for teen voters
Duncan College senior Meredith McCain, who co-organized the Houston Youth Voters Conference held at Rice, is pictured in an article about issues that matter most to young voters.
Houston Public Media (This article also appeared in High Plains Public Radio.)
http://bit.ly/2ETgCax

What do you do with the family ghost stories? An investigation into the paranormal
Jeffrey Kripal, the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice, is cited.
To The Best of Our Knowledge (This segment aired on more than 900 NPR-affiliated radio stations.)
http://bit.ly/2AzUTQx

Texas Book Festival
President John F. Kennedy’s “Moon Speech” given at Rice Sept. 12, 1962, is mentioned.
C-SPAN2
http://bit.ly/2AAzert

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Nanotubes may give the world better batteries
The lab of James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Chair in Chemistry and a professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, has shown that thin nanotube films effectively stop dendrites that grow naturally from unprotected lithium metal anodes in batteries. Tour is quoted, and postdoctoral researcher Rodrigo Salvatierra and graduate student Gladys Lopez-Silva are mentioned. This research is also mentioned in OilPrice.com.
Printed Electronics World (This article also appeared in Naver Blog, Topix and Yerepouni News.)
http://bit.ly/2EPCwva
Innovations are rocking the battery industry
OilPrice.com
http://bit.ly/2F1dPfc

Can you feel what I’m saying?
An article features Rice research that developed a haptic armband that communicates with signals comprised of squeeze, stretch and vibration. Marcia O’Malley, the Stanley C. Moore Professor of Mechanical Engineering, professor of computer science and professor of electrical and computer engineering, is quoted. Graduate student Nathan Dunkelberger is quoted and pictured and graduate student Jenny Sullivan is pictured. Rice video is included.
ECNmag.com
http://bit.ly/2AzC4gu

Relationship between tremors, water at the Cascadia margin
Rice postdoctoral researcher and seismologist Jonathan Delph and Earth scientists Fenglin Niu and Alan Levander make a case for the incursion of fluid related to slippage deep inside the Cascadia margin off the Pacific Northwest’s coast.
Geology Page
http://bit.ly/2ET2CgM

Cancellation of $13 billion airport in Mexico raises concerns among energy investors: Analysts
Francisco J. Monaldi, fellow in Latin American energy policy at the Center for Energy Studies, the Mexico Center and the Latin America Initiative at the Baker Institute for Public Policy and a lecturer in energy economics at Rice, is quoted.
S&P Global Platts (This article also appeared in DieselGasoil.)
http://bit.ly/2ERQkW6

Digital device overload linked to how 1st impressions are formed
Articles cite research by Richard Lopez, postdoctoral research fellow in the psychological sciences, that suggests a link between media multitasking and how people form impressions of others.
Science & Technology Research News
http://bit.ly/2F3Yx9V
Personenwahrnehmung hängt eng mit Nutzung digitaler Geräte zusammen
ICT Kommunikation (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/2AACJOF

5G and 6G wireless technologies have security issues | Virtual Reality 
An engineering news roundup mentions that researchers from Rice collaborated on a study that determined the security vulnerabilities in terahertz data links, which may have a role in future ultra-high-speed wireless data networks.
Prosyscom Technews (A similar article also appeared in Everything RF.)
http://bit.ly/2AySZQ7

OpenStax and LabArchives partner 
An article mentions OpenStax, a Rice-based publisher of open educational resources.
University Business
http://bit.ly/2ERe1h7

534: Alanna Jones on auditioning in New Zealand
Alumna Alanna Jones ’16 is featured in a podcast. Tim Pitts, professor of double bass at Rice’s Shepherd School of Music, is mentioned.
Contrabass Conversations
http://bit.ly/2ABQay5

Health Wildcatters ranked as a top accelerator for the 3rd year in a row
An article mentions that Rice is part of a collaborative research effort called the Seed Accelerator Rankings Project, which is aimed at helping entrepreneurs determine top accelerator programs.
D Healthcare Magazine
http://bit.ly/2AAI5cX

Post-Trump rise of religious left: Real trend or wishful thinking? We’ll find out soon 
Rice is mentioned in an article on evangelical Doug Pagitt.
Get Religion
http://bit.ly/2OMGZmS

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

These colleges offer the best bang for your buck
An article mentions that Rice is ranked No. 9 in the nation in terms of best value by WalletHub.
Mental Floss
http://bit.ly/2ABFu2e

Khashoggi case: US defense secretary calls for transparent investigations
Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, fellow for the Middle East at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
Latestly
http://bit.ly/2ETeKhT

Anthropologist to speak on climate change denial Oct. 30
An article mentions that Jennifer Carlson, a visiting scholar in energy humanities at Rice’s Center for Energy and Environmental Research in the Human Sciences and a current Cornell Society for the Humanities 2018-19 sustainability fellow, will speak about global warming denial Oct. 30 at Cornell University.
Cornell Chronicle
http://bit.ly/2AzCPWS

Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration study available online
An article mentions that the Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study builds on the work of scientists, engineers and other experts from Rice and other institutions.
Dredging Today (Similar articles also appeared in Defender Networks and Texas Insider.)
http://bit.ly/2ABF4ca

Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down
An article mentions Rice’s annual mock trial tournament.
The Advocate
http://bit.ly/2ABzBCa

Flautist Andrea Maurer to perform at St. Thomas Church
Alumna Andrea Maurer ’86 is featured and pictured.
NJ.com
http://bit.ly/2AASXHB

SPORTS

College Pod: Rice coach Matt Bragga
Rice head baseball coach Matt Bragga is featured in a podcast.
Baseball America
http://bit.ly/2RnaDMe

Aggies score 3 in the 12th for 9-6 exhibition win at Rice                                                   
An article mentions that the Rice baseball team was defeated by Texas A&M University 9-6 in an exhibition game Oct. 26 at Reckling Park.
KBTX Online (Similar articles also appeared in KXXV Online and KBTX Online.)
http://bit.ly/2AAyine

Despite 20-game losing streak, UTEP favored to beat Rice
The Rice football team is mentioned or featured in several articles ahead of its Nov. 3 homecoming game against the University of Texas at El Paso.
KTSM News Channel 9 Online
http://bit.ly/2AAJWyg
Miners head to Rice looking for first win of the season
The Prospector
http://bit.ly/2AALyIk
Winless Miners open the Week as 1-point favorites over Rice
KROD Online
http://bit.ly/2ACoby7

Torrey, defense shine in homecoming victory over Rice
An article mentions Rice football team’s 41-17 loss against the University of North Texas Oct. 27 in Denton.
North Texas Daily
http://bit.ly/2AAb8NK

WKU, Rice, Charlotte garner Conference USA weekly awards
An article mentions that Rice volleyball player Lee Ann Cunningham was named the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week.
VolleyMob
http://bit.ly/2AADtna

Successful road trip helps Lady Toppers build momentum in conference
An article mentions that the Rice volleyball team is in first place in Conference USA.
College Heights Herald
http://bit.ly/2AzPCbH

MU soccer playing for tournament berth
An article mentions that the Rice soccer team will compete in the Conference USA tournament, which begins Oct. 31.
Huntington Herald Dispatch
http://bit.ly/2F0eduO

Spasojevic highlights the River Oaks Invitational with 4 singles wins
An article mentions that Rice’s women’s tennis team competed in the River Oaks Invitational.
The Daily Texan
http://bit.ly/2ES5ESE

Playoff turnover: 6 of 13 on CFP selection committee new
An article mentions that former Rice football coach Ken Hatfield has been selected to join the College Football Playoff selection committee.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This Associated Press article also appeared in more than 150 other media outlets.) 
http://bit.ly/2ETnMeO

Ed Oliver named Bednarik Award semifinalist for second year in a row
Rice is mentioned.
CW39 Online
http://bit.ly/2AzP85w

A Big 12 starting QB has been benched 
A 2015 Rice football game against Baylor University is mentioned in a caption.
The Spun
http://bit.ly/2EOLKHV

MMO exclusive: Mets 1st-round pick, Jarred Kelenic
An article mentions former Rice baseball player Philip Humber.
Metsmerized Online
http://bit.ly/2ES2Kxc

DISD inducts sports standouts into Hall of Fame
An article featuring John Paul Ott, who was inducted into the Dayton Independent School District Sports Hall of Fame, mentions he received an athletic scholarship to attend Rice.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in more than 25 other media outlets.) 
http://bit.ly/2AAUqOc
http://bit.ly/2AC0GFz

Lufkin holds steady in state rankings
Rice is mentioned.
Lufkin Daily News (Subscription is required.)
http://bit.ly/2EU1kSZ

NEWS RELEASES

Flood of genome data hinders efforts to ID bacteria
Fast techniques to sequence genomes have flooded the public databases and in a biased fashion, containing lots of genomic data about some species and not enough about others, according to a Rice computer scientist.
http://bit.ly/2ETAQku

Baker Institute expert: Vaccination myths must be debunked  
An analysis of anti-vaccine witness statements presented during the Texas Legislature’s 2017 session revealed recurring misconceptions that need to be challenged, according to Kirstin Matthews an expert at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, who is available to discuss the science and necessity of vaccinations with the media.
http://bit.ly/2ETAWsm