Rice celebrates new Virani Undergraduate School of Business with Virani family, friends
Rice Business hosted a celebration Feb. 13 for the newly named Virani Undergraduate School of Business. Houston business and community leaders Farid and alumna Asha Virani ’89 made a historic gift to the university’s business program last fall, igniting a new era of opportunity for students.
The 2025 Rice Business Plan Competition (RBPC) announced today the 42 startups invited to compete for more than $1 million in prizes April 10-12 at Rice University and the Ion in Houston.
Practical civics: Members of Rice community discuss how to get involved in government locally
Members of Rice’s Office of Public Affairs hosted a panel discussion about the “practical civics” of how people can interact with local, state and federal government Feb. 13 at Fondren Library’s Kyle Morrow Room. The panelists explained the nuts and bolts of how individuals might navigate civics in impactful ways.
US research universities’ innovation and future to be examined at Ion event Feb. 24
Rice President Reginald DesRoches and ASU President Michael Crow, two distinguished leaders in higher education and public service, will discuss the evolving role of U.S. research universities in driving innovation, equity, accessibility and affordability and more Feb. 24 at the Ion — Houston’s innovation hub powered by Rice. The event will include a livestream option with the recording available afterward.
OpenStax algebra curriculum receives unanimous approval in Texas
OpenStax, the world’s largest publisher of open educational resources based at Rice, announced that its algebra curriculum has received unanimous approval from the Texas State Board of Education. With this approval, the curriculum has been added to the Texas Instructional Materials Allocation list, underscoring OpenStax’s commitment to providing secondary educators with affordable, high-quality resources that support student success.
Rice Reflects, an initiative of Rice’s Office of the Provost to highlight and create opportunities for conversations across perceived differences, is announcing its next four events available for students, faculty and staff.
Brain health initiatives can learn from heart health, Rice Baker Institute expert says
A national commitment to improve the U.S. population’s brain health through research, education and investment can provide economic benefits, according to an expert from Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy has renamed two of its key research centers to reflect their evolving missions and strengthen their impact on policy debates.
Trump’s tariff gambit: Rice experts weigh in on economic, political fallout
As President Donald Trump imposes new tariffs on imports from Canada and China, Rice offers a cadre of experts ready to provide in-depth analysis on the economic and political implications of the new policies.
Rice researchers have developed a tool designed to make identifying and analyzing research security risks more efficient and effective. The new tool, called PRISM (Preventive RISk Monitoring), leverages advanced artificial intelligence technologies to help with rapidly evolving federal regulations and protect against potential reputational and financial risks.
Rice Business Wisdom: Hidden inequality exists in auto lending
Rice’s Alex Butler and James Weston uncover troubling inequalities in America’s auto loan market. Using a dataset that spans over a decade, the experts at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business find that Black and Hispanic borrowers face higher rejection rates and steeper borrowing costs than white borrowers, even when they have comparable credit profiles.
New OpenStax digital resource supports the field of neuroscience
OpenStax, Rice’s initiative to make education affordable and accessible to learners everywhere and the world’s largest publisher of open educational resources (OER), announces the release of “Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience,” a free, openly licensed digital learning resource.
Cannabis regulation, not bans, will help public safety, Rice Baker Institute report says
The rapid growth of cannabis products in Texas, combined with growing consumer safety concerns, has led some lawmakers to propose a ban on the hemp industry. However, experts from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy say this approach is unlikely to effectively reduce access to products or improve public safety.
Owls flock to nation’s capital to sharpen public policy skills
The Jesse Jones Leadership Center Summer in D.C. Policy Research Internship Program from Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy offers undergraduate students hands-on experience in public policy research and analysis in the nation’s capital. Since its inception, the program has provided more than $1.5 million in stipends to students making a difference in Washington, and applications are open.
Amid discussion of a possible ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, David Satterfield, former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues, is available to discuss the situation.
