Activate fellows ‘embody the best of Rice entrepreneurship’
Four Rice fellows and three Rice-affiliated startup ventures were selected to be a part of the inaugural Houston cohort of The Activate Fellowship for 2024. Activate is widely recognized as one of the flagship entrepreneurship programs that support startups focused on deep tech, and these four founders are the only representatives of Texas academia in the cohort.
Turning groceries into credit: A new frontier in lending
A new paper published in Management Science by Jung Youn Lee, assistant professor of marketing at Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business, and colleagues from University of Notre Dame and Northwestern University identifies a widespread data source that could broaden the pool of qualified loan applicants: grocery store receipts.
ChatGPT could help people with creativity in everyday tasks, study says
ChatGPT, the generative artificial intelligence technology developed by OpenAI, could help humans with daily, creative tasks — even tasks typically thought to require the human ability to “read between the lines,” according to new research by the University of Houston and Rice University. Its capability has proven to be superior compared to traditional Google search or even human brainstorming without any technical assistance, the study authors argue.
Rice welcomes the newest Owls into the nest at O-Week matriculation
“Welcome to Rice!” President Reginald DesRoches exclaimed at the Aug. 18 matriculation ceremony for the Class of 2028. After spending the day helping the new class of freshmen move into its residential colleges, DesRoches and university leadership celebrated the new students’ official entry into Rice at Tudor Fieldhouse to share their advice and support for the upcoming years.
OpenStax Assignable expands, brings interactive learning to higher education
OpenStax, a nonprofit initiative of Rice, announces the expansion of OpenStax Assignable, a product allowing instructors to create custom assignments from high-quality, peer-reviewed OpenStax resources directly within their institution’s learning management system (LMS). The expansion of Assignable is aligned with the OpenStax commitment to expand access to high-quality educational materials and experiences to all.
A new paper from Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy argues that an annexation of Taiwan by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) would trigger economic shocks and diminish the quality of life for populations across Asia and beyond, as well as have devastating impacts on American interests and Americans’ well-being.
Rice’s Baker Institute unveils Argentina Energy Sector Initiative
Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy announces a new initiative focused on the Argentine energy sector that will result in conferences, reports and workshops. Argentina possesses a wide range of energy resources, including the Vaca Muerta shale formation which contains the world’s second largest unconventional natural gas and fourth largest unconventional petroleum reserves.
Bayou Startup Showcase highlights university-affiliated student ventures at the Ion
The annual Bayou Startup Showcase presented by Rice’s OwlSpark and the University of Houston’s RED Labs took place Aug. 1 at the Ion – Houston’s innovation hub powered by Rice.
Dissatisfied parents demand superintendents, school boards step up their game, Rice expert says
School district leaders including superintendents and board members are under increasing pressure from parents to show better results, according to research by an expert at Rice's Jones Graduate School of Business. Among superintendents there is an increasing trend of higher turnover, and among board members there is an increased risk of facing election challenges.
Rice energy experts available to explain Chevron’s headquarters move to Houston
Two energy experts from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy are available to comment on Chevron moving its headquarters to Houston.
Higher CEO pay in large health care systems linked to hospital consolidations, Rice study suggests
A new study from Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy reveals that CEO salaries for nonprofit hospitals and health care systems increased significantly from 2012 to 2019. This rise in compensation may be a factor driving the ongoing consolidation of health care systems, particularly among larger organizations, according to the researchers.
The gap between health insurance costs and workers’ wages has significantly expanded, and this trend has not only led to significant concerns about health care affordability but raised questions regarding whether hospitals or health insurance companies bear the blame for escalating costs, according to new research from Rice's Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Woodside Energy CEO, former Houston mayor highlight LGBTQ+ advances, leadership at Ion event
Woodside Energy CEO Meg O’Neill spoke with former Houston mayor and Rice alumna Annise Parker ’78 about LGBTQ+ representation in their respective fields at a June 20 event hosted by the Ion, Houston’s innovation hub powered by Rice. The fireside chat was a special edition of the Ion’s Visionary Voices speaker series in honor of Pride Month.
FBI, AAPI leaders meet at Rice to address discrimination toward Asian American academics
Leadership from the FBI joined a dialogue hosted by Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy to hear from the Asian American and academic communities to examine gaps between national science and technology policy and its implementation.
Expert available to discuss World Refugee Day
An expert on the rights of refugees and asylum-seekers from Rice's Baker Institute for Public Policy is available to discuss the annual internationally observed June 20 holiday “World Refugee Day,” which recognizes the rights, experiences and plight of global refugees — including many who have settled in Texas.
