Dateline Rice for Dec. 20, 2018

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

What lies beneath: To manage toxic contamination in cities, study their industrial histories
Jim Elliott, professor of sociology and fellow at Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, co-authored an op-ed about the dangers of developing former industrial sites for commercial or residential use.
The Conversation (This article also appeared in more than 30 other media outlets.)
https://bit.ly/2SZeGiP

Careful, some holiday donations can land you in jail
Zahra Jamal, associate director for community engagement at Rice’s Boniuk Institute for Religious Tolerance, authored an op-ed about how to avoid potential pitfalls when donating to charitable organizations.
The Hill
http://bit.ly/2A81uB0

Democrats can’t avoid identity politics in 2020
An article mentions that former President Barack Obama spoke at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy’s 25th anniversary celebration.
NPR (This article appeared in more than 900 other media outlets.)
https://n.pr/2QJDxKE

45 percent of UK scientists don’t believe in God
A collaborative study co-authored by Elaine Howard Ecklund, professor of sociology and director of the Religion and Public Life Program at Rice, that determined the religiosity of scientists in the U.K. is featured.
Futurity (This article also appeared in Phys.org and Science Daily.)
http://bit.ly/2Si7e2w

ACLU sues Texas AG, universities over law barring anti-Israel boycotts
Graduate student Obinna Dennar is mentioned.
Daily Beast
https://thebea.st/2SdxdYC
ACLU sues Paxton, officials in 2nd challenge to Israel boycott law
Austin American-Statesman (A similar article also appeared in Arkansas Times.)
https://atxne.ws/2rM9F1q
‘KVUE News Daybreak’
KVUE-TV (Austin)
http://bit.ly/2A8ff2O
’13 Eyewitness News at 4 p.m.’
KTRK-TV (Houston)
http://bit.ly/2A8vj4J

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Writer, actor, director Peter Masterson dies
An article featuring alumnus Peter Masterson mentions that he died Dec. 18 at 84.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in the Dec. 20 print edition.)
http://bit.ly/2SdOvos
Actor-director Peter Masterson dead at 84
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in more than 25 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/2S9QTww

Listen: What can the Catholic Church learn from big business about its sex abuse scandal?
Anastasiya Zavyalova, assistant professor at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business who specializes in reputation management of organizations in crisis, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required.)
http://bit.ly/2AiH7S7

Here’s where Houston is most likely to gentrify in the future
A study by Wendie Choudry, the Urban Disparity and Opportunity Research Fellow at Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, about the challenges facing Houston’s gentrifying neighborhoods is featured.
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/2Secq7e

RUSMP provides math challenges for students at School House Mania
Carolyn White, director for elementary programs at the Rice University School Mathematics Project (RUSMP), authored a column about School House Mania, a collaboration between RUSMP and Rice’s Athletics Department to welcome more than 3,500 students to participate in STEM activities and attend a men’s basketball game at Rice’s Tudor Fieldhouse. Clinical assistant professors Richard Parr, executive director of RUSMP, Anne Papakonstantinou, director of RUSMP, and Susan Troutman, director for secondary programs at RUSMP, and mentioned.
Village News
http://bit.ly/2ScafRP

UTHealth, Rice researchers: 1 injection appears to stop this cancer in mice
An immunotherapy drug embedded in a slow-release hydrogel invented at Rice in collaboration with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston that appears to be highly effective at killing cancer cells in mice is featured. Jeffrey Hartgerink, professor of chemistry and bioengineering, is pictured.
UTHealth School of Dentistry’s Discover Magazine
http://bit.ly/2A8bJW0

PV Galleries 1221
The multipart, site-specific installation “Matthew Ritchie: The Demon in the Diagram” at Rice’s Moody Center for the Arts, on display through Dec. 22, is featured.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required.
http://bit.ly/2S7vnZu

West Texas chemical plant means products, hundreds of jobs
Alumnus Nick Fowler is featured.
Houston Chronicle (This Associated Press article also appeared in more than 30 other media outlet and a previous edition of Dateline.)
http://bit.ly/2S7NcaJ

BROADCAST

C-SPAN2
A television broadcast mentions that Rice experts determined FEMA flood-risk maps for Houston captured only 25% of actual damage from storms that hit the city between 1999-2009.
http://bit.ly/2Ab4Tzd

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Biggest Texas cases of 2018
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.
Law360 (Subscription is required.)
http://bit.ly/2Aak7oa

Once unstuck, boron nitride nanotubes show promise
Rice research that determined surfactants — the basic compounds in soap — offer the best and easiest way to keep boron nitride nanotubes from clumping is featured. Cited are co-authors Angel Martí, associate professor of chemistry, of bioengineering and of materials science and nanoengineering; Matteo Pasquali, the A. J. Hartsook Professor of Chemistry and Materials Science and NanoEngineering; and graduate student Ashleigh Smith McWilliams.
Nanowerk
https://bit.ly/2V394pN

Researchers enhance grapheme with nanotube rebar
The research 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, whose lab developed nanotube rebar, is featured.
Coherent Chronicle
https://bit.ly/2Lt6k0n

Mighty morphing materials take complex shapes
Rice research that developed a rubbery, shape-shifting material that morphs from one sophisticated form to another on demand is featured. Rafael Verduzco, an associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, and graduate student Morgan Barnes are quoted and pictured.
Phys.org (This article also appeared in Science Daily.)
http://bit.ly/2SdCBLg

Research reveals ‘fundamental finding’ about Earth’s outer core
An article about a collaborative study between Rice, Florida State University and Louisiana State University, which calibrated simulations to determine the maximum amount of nitrogen that can possibly exist in the Earth’s outer core, is featured.
Florida State University News (This article also appeared in Phys.org.)
https://fla.st/2ScpXwj

New study touts agricultural, environmental benefits of biochar
A collaborative study co-authored by Elsie Hung, energy forum research analyst at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Kenneth Medlock, senior director of the Center for Energy Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; and Caroline Masiello, a professor of Earth, environmental and planetary sciences, that determined the benefits of a biomass-made material called biochar in the agricultural sector is featured.
Phys.org
https://bit.ly/2Abvvjz

World’s top 50 universities for physical science degrees, 2019
Rice is No. 50 on CEOWorld Magazine’s global ranking of the best physical science degree programs.
CEOWorld Magazine
https://bit.ly/2EIlu1p

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

In memoriam: Jenessa Shapiro, 38, expert on stereotype threat, discrimination and prejudices
An article featuring alumna Janessa Shapiro mentions that she died Dec. 6 at 38.
UCLA News
http://bit.ly/2SdjEZ8

SPORTS

Rice adds burst of speed, size in early signing period
Several articles and broadcasts feature football players who have signed letters of intent to play at Rice. Head coach Mike Bloomgren and assistant coaches Brian Smith and Jerry Mack are quoted in the first Houston Chronicle article, and Bloomgren is quoted in the second.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in the Dec. 20 print edition.)
http://bit.ly/2SdcbJA
Stanford’s Herbig will enter draft, but a scout wonders if he’s ready
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in more than 30 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/2A56wOQ
Full list of Dallas-area players who signed their national letter of intent Wednesday
Dallas Morning News
http://bit.ly/2A9fdrv
New Canaan’s Braden, Conley, Stewart sign to play Division I football
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in more than 30 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/2AcnMlc
Signing Day at Lake Travis: Hunter Henry signs with Rice
KVUE Online
https://bit.ly/2A8aVkf
Houston high school football players celebrate early National Signing Day
ABC 13 Online
https://abc13.co/2R5U5Ml
Football: Garrett Jr. takes JUCO route to Division I scholarship
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in more than 30 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/2A63RUX

Christian Archangel signs with Louisiana Tech
Rice is mentioned.
Daily Advertiser
https://bit.ly/2QFk3qA

Texas only has a few remaining needs following early signing day
Former Rice football player Calvin Anderson is mentioned.
SB Nation
http://bit.ly/2A814L4

North Texas early signing day recap
Rice is mentioned.
SB Nation
http://bit.ly/2AbL2zT

NEWS RELEASES

Federal student loan program doesn’t need more regulations, Baker Institute expert says
More regulations would only make the existing federal student loan programs more complicated, according to an expert in the Center for Public Finance at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. At the end of 2017, 44 million Americans collectively owed $1.4 trillion on student loans, according to the new report by Joyce Beebe, a fellow in public finance at the Baker Institute.
http://bit.ly/2AiKCbd

Natural disasters widen wealth gap between whites and blacks
From wildfires to hurricanes, it’s been a year full of natural disasters in the U.S. Jim Elliott, a Rice sociologist and co-author of a recent paper about disasters’ role in the growth of the wealth gap between whites and blacks, is available to discuss this topic as the year draws to a close.
http://bit.ly/2AbHgXf

Mighty morphing materials take complex shapes
Rice scientists have created a rubbery, shape-shifting material that morphs from one sophisticated form to another on demand. The shapes programmed into a polymer by materials scientist Rafael Verduzco and graduate student Morgan Barnes appear in ambient conditions and melt away when heat is applied. The process also works in reverse.
http://bit.ly/2AaB41C