Dateline Rice for Dec. 11, 2019

FEATURED ITEMS

Rice, Shell launch climate change research initiative
Rice has launched the Carbon Hub, a major research initiative that will partner 70 researchers from 20 universities, national laboratories and research institutes to fund and direct $100 million to efficiently deploy technologies for a zero-emissions future. Matteo Pasquali, the A.J. Hartsook Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, a professor of materials science and nanoengineering and of chemistry and director of the Carbon Hub, is pictured and quoted in the Houston Chronicle and quoted in H2 View. Carbon Hub researcher Carrie Masiello, professor of Earth, environmental and planetary sciences, is quoted in H2 View and World Oil. Yousif Shamoo, Rice’s vice provost for research and a professor of biochemistry and cell biology, and Kenneth Medlock, senior director of the Center for Energy Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, are quoted in World Oil.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in the Dec. 11 print edition of the Chronicle, and it appeared online in the San Antonio Express-News.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-feature-carbon-hub
‘Game-changing’ idea: Splitting hydrocarbons to make hydrogen energy and valuable carbon materials
H2 View (A similar article also appeared in Science & Enterprise.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-feature-h2
Shell and Rice University partner on hydrocarbon-based zero-emissions technologies
World Oil (A similar article also appeared in Fuel Cell Works.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-feature-wo

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Saudi Aramco stock surges, but questions loom
Jim Krane, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow for Energy Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
The New York Times (Subscription is required.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-krane

How professors help rip off students
An article highlights OpenStax, a Rice-based publisher of open educational resources.
The New York Times (Subscription is required.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-openstax

Emir Qatar Absen di KTT Teluk di Riyadh
Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, fellow for the Middle East at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
MSN ID (An English translation is not available.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-ulrichsen
GCC summit: Why does Gulf rapprochement matter?
CGTN
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-cgtn
Qatar, Saudi edge toward thaw despite hurdles
Al Khaleej Today
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-khaleej
Amir hails positive steps to forget the past at Gulf meet
Al Khaleej Today (This article also appeared in Kuwait Times.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-khaleej

Walmart tests self-driving cars for grocery delivery in Houston
Rice is mentioned.
Newsweek
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-newsweek

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Photos: Rice Alliance reveals new office space
An article features the new Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship Bill and Stephanie Sick Suite, donated by alumnus and Rice Trustee Emeritus Bill Sick. Brad Burke, managing director of the alliance, and Quynhmai Nguyen, the alliance’s senior director of operations and event planning, are quoted. The suite is in McNair Hall, which houses the Jones Graduate School of Business. Also mentioned is Rice’s Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Innovation Map
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-rice-alliance

Why businesses need to rethink diversity training
Rice research into the efficacy of diversity training is featured. Eden King, associate professor of psychological science, is quoted.
Houston Style Magazine
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-king

HISD enrollment ticks higher in 2019, ending two years of student losses
An article mentions that the University of Houston and Rice’s Houston Education Research Consortium will conduct an enrollment study of the Houston Independent School District.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in the Dec. 11 print edition.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-herc

UTEP graduates-to-be share thoughts on winter commencement
An article mentions that Paul Bower will attend Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business in January 2020.
El Paso Herald-Post
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-jones-school

Start slurping: Here’s where to find the best ramen in Houston
A slideshow caption mentions Rice.
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in more than 25 other media outlets.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-hc

Modern Israeli restaurant to open in Rice Village
Rice Management Co. Senior Investment Associate Morgan Lera is quoted.
Bisnow Houston
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-lera

Rice Village lights up with art, music for holidays
A Houston-area holiday events roundup mentions that the third annual Rice Village Sing Off, a holiday-themed a cappella competition Dec. 13, will include the Rice University Philharmonics and Rice Apollos.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-sing-off

Graduates from these Texas universities are earning the most
Rice is mentioned.
Dallas Business Journal
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-dbj

‘Kids & Christmas Pops Concert’
An article mentions that the Houston Children’s Chorus will perform the “Kids & Christmas Pops Concert” at Rice Dec. 21.
Houston Style Magazine (This article also appeared in The Katy News.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-kids-pops

Ex-astronaut’s breathtaking photos change how we view Earth’s geography
An article featuring astronaut Leroy Chiao mentions that he gave a talk and presented his photos at Rice’s Moody Center for the Arts Nov. 7.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article appeared in the Dec. 11 print edition of the Chronicle’s Bay Area Citizen and a previous edition of Dateline when it was first posted online.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-moody-center

Cy-Fair ISD graduate performs heart surgery on current principal
Alumnus Tom Nguyen is featured and pictured.
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in the Dec. 11 print edition of the Chronicle’s Cypress Creek Mirror Cy-Fair.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-nguyen

BROADCAST

2020 is shaping up to be a competitive primary season in Texas
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 or interviewed in several stories about Texas politics.
Texas Standard (This segment aired on more 30 stations across Texas, and a print version appeared at TSNRadio.com.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-jones-ts
There’s a new Bush running for public office In Texas
KRLD Online
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-jones-krld
KLBJ-AM (Houston)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-jones (This segment aired four times.)
Texas Public Radio 
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-jones-tpr (This segment aired twice on 30 stations across Texas.)
KRLD-AM (Dallas)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-jones-krld (This segment aired three times.)

Turner leads Buzbee by more than 20 points in runoff race, HPM-KHOU 11 poll finds
An article mentions that Bob Stein, the Lena Gohlman Fox Professor of Political Science at Rice, recently conducted a poll ahead of Houston’s mayoral election.
Houston Public Media
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-stein

KTRH-AM (Houston)
An article mentions that computer scientists from Rice and Amazon have shown they can slash the amount of time and computational resources it takes to train computers for product search and similar problems. Anshumali Shrivastava, assistant professor of computer science, is interviewed.
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-shrivastava (This segment aired three times.)

Clingy spouse could mean heart problems

“Clingy” spouses are at greater risk for heart problems and poor mental health after their spouses die, according to new research from psychologists at Rice. Co-authors in psychological sciences mentioned include: Christopher Fagundes, associate professor; postdoctoral research fellow Angie LeRoy; Jacoba Heijnen, adjunct professor of psychological sciences; Luz Garcini, adjunct assistant professor; former postdoctoral research fellow Kyle Murdock; and alumna Tess Gabert.
KTRH.iheart.com
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-rice-psych
KTRH-AM (Houston)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-rice-psych

‘Wake Up! with SallyMac & Lina’
Rice is mentioned.
KRIV-TV (Houston)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Gulf Coast corals face catastrophe
An article mentions that Rice collaborated on research to determine how climate change will impact reefs in the Gulf of Mexico in the near future. Sylvia Dee and Mark Torres, both assistant professors of Earth, environmental and planetary sciences, are quoted.
Frontiers Science News
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-dee-torres

Rice University scientists show how to make batteries better by speeding up lithium absorption
An article features Rice research into the theoretical calculations about specific defects in the crystalline lattice of lithium iron phosphate-based cathodes, which could improve performance by up to two orders of magnitude. Rice materials scientist Ming Tang, assistant professor of materials science and nanoengineering, and graduate student Kaiqi Yang are quoted. Alumnus Liang Hong is mentioned. A Rice video is included.
PV Buzz
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-tang

The fallout from the CRISPR infant experiment continues
An article about gene editing in humans mentions Michael Deem, the John W. Cox Professor of Biochemical and Genetic Engineering and a professor of physics and astronomy, and that He Jiankui, the Chinese scientist who claimed he produced the first genetically engineered twins, attended Rice.
Lab Roots
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-deem

Defective 2D material can turn nitrogen into ammonia
An article features Rice research that has developed an inorganic method to synthesize ammonia that is both environmentally friendly and can produce the valuable chemical on demand under ambient conditions. Co-authors Jun Lou, associate chair and professor of materials science and nanoengineering, graduate student Xiaoyin Tian and postdoctoral researcher Jing Zhang are quoted.
Materials Today
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-lou

Industry News: GenScript releases Precision Mutant Library Services for drug development and synthetic biology
Rice research into the library of mutant caspids for adeno-associated vectors is featured. Junghae Suh, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, and graduate student Susan Butler are quoted.
Select Science 21
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-suh

VC ARTIST | Rolston Quartet — Banff String Quartet Competition 1st prize winners
An article about the Rolston String Quartet, which has served as the graduate quartet-in-residence at Rice’s Shepherd School of Music, features alumnae Luri Lee, Hezekiah Leung and Jonathan Lo.
The Violin Channel
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-rolston

Barrington Stage Company announces 2019 Associate Artists
Alumnus Alan Green, named one of the 2019 Associate Artists at Barrington Stage Company, is featured.
Broadway World
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-green

Researchers recognize the Achilles’ heel of resistant super bacterium
Collaborative Rice research into antibiotic resistance is mentioned.
Our Bitcoin News
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-ocn

Scientists explore new ideas on how to make better EV batteries
Rice research into reducing dendrite growth in lithium ion batteries with carbon nanotubes is featured.
Ride Apart
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-ra

Planning for CO2 storage in US soil
An article mentions that Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy has initiated a working group to develop a United States protocol for paying ranchers and farmers to store carbon in their soil.
Engineering 360
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-e360

Deans List: Sarah Whiting on taking the helm of Harvard’s Graduate School of Design
Sarah Whiting, former dean of Rice’s School of Architecture and former William Ward Watkin Professor of Architecture, is featured.
Archinect
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-archinect

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Pierce Bush: 5 fast facts you need to know
Douglas Brinkley, the Katherine Tsanoff Brown Professor in Humanities, is quoted.
Heavy
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-brinkley

SPORTS

Football: Crosby, Rice alum Austin Walter’s career continues with the XFL’s Dallas Renegades
Former Rice football player Austin Walter is featured and pictured. Head coach Mike Bloomgren is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in more than 25 other media outlets.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-walter-bloomgren
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-walter-bloomgren

FB: 2019 All-conference teams
An article mentions that Rice football player Blaze Alldredge was named to the 2019 All-Conference USA first team and teammate Chris Barnes was named to the second team. Owls receiving honorable mention were Shea Baker, Brian Chaffin, Justin Gooseberry, Nick Leverett, Brad Rozner, Austin Trammell, Myles Adams, Treshawn Chamberlain and Campbell Riddle.
Conference USA (Similar articles also appeared in 10 other media outlets.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-alldredge

2019 American Volleyball Coaches Association honors, Southwest All-Region 
An article mentions that Grace Morgan, Nicole Lennon, Anota Adekunle and Lee Ann Cunningham were honored as 2019 American Volleyball Coaches Association Southwest All-Region players. Conference USA also mentions that Lennon and Adekunle were named to the All-Conference USA first team, while Cunningham and Morgan were named to the second team.
Conference USA
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-cusa
Four Longhorns honored on the AVCA’s all-region team
Austin American-Statesman
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-vb

Georgia Tech, S. Dakota win in NIVC quarters, AVCA all-region teams, Chisum retires
An article mentions that Rice’s volleyball team was defeated by Texas State University in the first round of the 2018 NCAA tournament.
VolleyballMag.com
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-vb

Texas A&M women’s basketball team to host savvy TCU on Wednesday night
An article mentions that Texas A&M University’s women’s basketball team defeated Rice earlier this season.
The Eagle
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-vb

Major League Baseball
Former Rice baseball player Anthony Rendon is featured.
MLB Network
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-rendon

NEWS RELEASE

Rice Business Plan Competition alumni make Forbes 30 Under 30 list
The Rice Business Plan Competition, the world’s richest and largest student venture competition, had six of its recent alumni startups featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for 2020, an annual compilation of the most innovative and exciting young entrepreneurs in the United States and Canada.
http://dateline.rice/dec-11-news-release-rbpc

About Stefan De La Garza

Stefan De La Garza is a news analyst in Rice University's Office of Public Affairs.