Dateline Rice for Dec. 12, 2019

Stefan De La Garza
– December 12, 2019Posted in: Dateline Rice

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL
How to make ammonia with cobalt and crystals
Rice research into the development of an inorganic process that will allow ammonia to be produced anywhere it’s needed as a small-scale adjunct to industry is featured. Jun Lou, associate chair and professor of materials science and nanoengineering, graduate student Xiaoyin Tian and postdoctoral researcher Jing Zhang are quoted.
Futurity
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-lou
What Americans should know about Saudi Aramco’s IPO
Jim Krane, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow for Energy Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
PBS NewsHour
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-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. This article appeared in the Dec. 12 print edition and a previous edition of Dateline when it was first posted online.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-openstax

You know Greta Thunberg. Meet 15 other young climate activists taking on world leaders
An article mentions Rice research that determined the Marshall Islands have suffered the worst coral bleaching in history.
USA Today (This article also appeared in more than 75 other media outlets.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-usa-today

Delhi University ad hoc teachers’ protest points to a deep rot in our undergraduate system
Rice is mentioned.
The Print
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-theprint

HOUSTON/TEXAS
City Council approves $6M tax break for live-work-play entrepreneurial community
Jennifer Rabb, director and fellow of the McNair Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in the Dec. 12 print edition.) 
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-rabb
Record-setting appraisal protests cause delays for local taxing entities
Community Impact Newspaper (This article also appeared on the front page of the Dec. 11-Jan. 15 digital and print editions of the Lake Travis/Westlake issue.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-rabb2

Houston area tops Texas with biggest population of out-of-state residents
While Texas has seen a population spike, Harris County has experienced an overall decline in population growth since 2015, according to Bill Fulton, director of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research.
Houston CultureMap
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-fulton

Fox host Brian Kilmeade’s new book about the Alamo isn’t fair and balanced
Douglas Brinkley, the Katherine Tsanoff Brown Professor in Humanities, is quoted.
Texas Monthly
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-brinkley

Chevron makes another investment, Houston researchers nationally recognized, and more innovation news
Satish Nagarajaiah, professor of mechanical engineering, is featured.
Innovation Map
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-nagarajaiah

District H runoff opponents go way back
An article featuring alumna Karla Cisneros mentions that her husband, Tim, also attended Rice. The article also mentions that Isabel Longoria’s father, Rafael, attended Rice.
The Leader
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-theleader

Outside the Megaplex: Here are the Houston arthouse movies showing Dec. 13-19
A roundup of alternative Houston-area movie theaters mentions that Rice Cinema will present “Low-Fi,” a collection of unusual films from the Rice Cinema archive, Dec. 19.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required.) 
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-low-fi
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-low-fi

What’s on in Houston galleries this week
An arts roundup mentions that Rice’s Moody Center for the Arts will exhibit “Moon Shot” through Dec. 21.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required.) 
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-the-moody
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-the-moody
State of the art: What’s coming to Houston’s arts scene
Modern Luxury Houston
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-moody

Copperas Cove High School senior named National Merit Scholar semifinalist
An article featuring Isabella Childers mentions that she plans to attend Rice.
Copperas Cove Leader Press
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-cclp

Here were Houston’s top 5 fundraising stories in 2019
An article features The Artemis Fund, a female-led and female-focused venture capital firm in Houston, which awarded a $100,000 investment prize at the Rice Business Plan Competition.
Innovation Map
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-rbpc

BROADCAST
Political roundup: Impeachment, trade and local candidates in and out
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 interviewed by Houston Public Media and quoted by Insider Financial.
Houston Public Media
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-jones-hpm
Bills targeting transgender bathroom access are floundering
Insider Financial
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-jones-infin

HPM local newscast for 4 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019
Bob Stein, the Lena Gohlman Fox Professor of Political Science at Rice, is interviewed about a poll he recently conducted ahead of Houston’s mayoral election.
Houston Public Media
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-stein
HPM local newscast for 5 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019
Houston Public Media
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-stein

‘Social credit score’ is China’s latest tool of control

Steven Lewis, the C.V. Starr Transnational China Fellow at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
KTRH.iheart.com (This article also appeared in KPRC Online.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-lewis

Nassau Bay community mourns loss of Sgt. Kaila Sullivan after hit and run
A television broadcast featuring the late Sgt. Kaila Sullivan, who was recently killed during a traffic stop, mentions that she was a former Rice University Police Department officer. RUPD Chief Clemente Rodriguez is interviewed.
Fox 26 Online
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-rodriguez
‘Fox 10 News’
KTBC-TV (Austin)
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-rodriguez

‘News 8 Daybreak’
Rice is mentioned.
WFAA-TV (Dallas)
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-wfaa

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL
Rice University releases research on differing views by race in including creationism in the classroom
An article features research by Rice and the Catholic University of America about creationism in the curricula. Elaine Howard Ecklund, professor of sociology and director of the Religion and Public Life Program at Rice, is quoted.
Lutheran Alliance for Faith, Science and Technology
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-ecklund

HR&A Advisors names longtime partner Eric Rothman as chief executive officer
Rice’s development of a Midtown innovation district in Houston is mentioned.
CityBizList (This article also appeared in New York CityBizList.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-innovation-district

Industry veteran Randy Allen joins SiFive as vice president of RISC-V software
An article features alumnus Randy Allen.
Design & Reuse
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-allen

True confessions: A plastics engineer discovers the true meaning of Black Friday

President John F. Kennedy’s “moon speech” given at Rice Sept. 12, 1962, is mentioned.
Plastics Today
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-kennedy

The Great Oxidation Event explained: Scientists developed a model to describe how the tectonic plates affected the history of the atmosphere
An article features Rice research into a new theory to help explain the appearance of significant concentrations of oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere about 2.5 billion years ago.
The Science Times
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-st

Maglev technology will change the future
Rice research is mentioned.
Industry Global News 24
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-global

Other materials stories that may be of interest
An article features Rice research into mapping electrons both in normal conditions and in the critical moments just before a material transforms into a superconductor.
The American Ceramic Society
http://dateline.rice/dec-12/acs

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST
How fundraisers can maximize donations
An article features collaborative Rice research into increasing donation contributions. Co-authors Utpal Dholakia, the George R. Brown Professor of Marketing at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business, and Scott Sonenshein, the Henry Gardiner Symonds Professor of Management at the Jones School, are mentioned.
University of Delaware News
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-dholakia-sonenshein

ULI advisory panel charts path for more equitable Kansas City parks system
David Abraham, temporary research scientist at Rice, is quoted.
Urban Land
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-abraham

SPORTS
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to present Bob McNair’s Lifetime Achievement Award at Houston Sports event
An article about the Houston Sports Awards, which will be announced Jan. 21, mentions that Rice head women’s basketball coach Tina Langley has been nominated for Coach of the Year and student athletes Nicole Lennon (volleyball) and Erica Ogwumike (basketball) have been nominated for College Athlete of the Year.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in more than 25 other media outlets.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-hsa
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-hsa
Mercilus, Crane announced as 2020 legacy award winners
Click2Houston
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-c2h

Liberty High’s Christelle Bonzil accepts scholarship to Rice
An article featuring Christelle Bonzil mentions that she plans to join Rice’s track and field team.
Osceola News-Gazette
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-bonzil

An all-Houston championship game? It’s possible
An article mentions that the 2003 state high school football championship between North Shore and The Woodlands was held at Rice Stadium. Former Rice head football coach Ken Hatfield is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in the Dec. 12 print edition.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-hatfield

ALUMNI NOTEBOOK: College Park alum Barnes selected to C-USA second team
An article featuring Rice football player Chris Barnes mentions that he has been named to the All-Conference USA second team. Rice volleyball player Carly Graham is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in the San Antonio Express-News and more than 25 other media outlets.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-barnes-graham

LSU hires Sian Hudson as new soccer coach
Rice head soccer coach Brian Lee is mentioned.
The Advocate
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-brian-lee

Gridiron Heroes founder continues to lend support to spinal cord injury victims, families

An article mentions that the Gridiron Heroes Spinal Cord Injury Foundation has organized trips to watch Rice football games.
Austin American-Statesman
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-gridiron

Houston-born MLB third baseman signs $245M deal with LA Angels
Former Rice baseball player Anthony Rendon is featured.
ABC 13 Online
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-rendon
‘KPRC Channel 2 News Today’
KPRC-TV (Houston)
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-rendon
Rendon, Angels agree on contract
Houston Chronicle (This article appeared in the Dec. 12 print edition.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-rendon

The NFL is turning 100 and naming an all-time team. Here are the players from Texas.
A photo caption mentions the Nov. 7, 1981, football game between Rice and Southern Methodist University.
The Eagle
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-football

2019 DI women’s college volleyball championship: Bracket, schedule, scores
An article features Rice volleyball’s 2019 NCAA tournament results. Owl Nicole Lennon is highlighted.
NCAA
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-lennon

WATCH: Ben Sparks senior season highlights
Rice is mentioned.
247Sports.com
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-247

(11) Texas A&M women hand TCU first loss of the year
An article mentions that Rice’s women’s basketball team was defeated by Texas A&M University earlier this season.
KAGS Online (A similar article also appeared in The Eagle and WTAW Online.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-wbb

NEWS RELEASES
Deadly ‘superbugs’ destroyed by molecular drills
Researchers at Rice, Texas A&M University, Biola University and Durham (U.K.) University showed that motorized molecules developed in the Rice lab of chemist James Tour are effective at killing antibiotic-resistant microbes within minutes.
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-news-release-tour

Chemists’ calculations may advance cancer prediction
Rice chemist Anatoly Kolomeisky, with postdoctoral research associate Hamid Teimouri and graduate alumna Maria Kochugaeva, directed their theoretical expertise in modeling random processes to the problem of why cancerous cells that are usually destroyed by the body’s immune system sometimes overcome a gauntlet of defenses to become tumors.
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-news-release-kolomeisky

Rice men’s basketball to host 7th annual School House Mania Dec. 19
Rice’s Athletics Department will host more than 3,500 local elementary schoolchildren for its seventh annual School House Mania when the Owls men’s basketball team tips off against the University of St. Thomas at 11:15 a.m. Dec. 19 at Tudor Fieldhouse.
http://dateline.rice/dec-12-news-release-school-house-mania

About Stefan De La Garza

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