Chris Stipes

Spotlight from The Franklin Institute Awards Ceremony: Celebrating Naomi Halas

Rice scientist and engineer Naomi Halas was awarded the 2025 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Chemistry May 1 at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.

Rice University celebrates largest graduating class in history

Rice awarded more than 2,900 degrees to its newest graduates — the most in the university’s history — during its 112th commencement weekend, held May 9–10.

Machine learning powers new approach to detecting soil contaminants

A team of researchers at Rice and Baylor College of Medicine has developed a new strategy for identifying hazardous pollutants in soil ⎯ even ones that have never been isolated or studied in a lab.

OwlSpark announces students, alumni and staff selected for its 13th cohort

OwlSpark, Rice’s startup and small business accelerator for Rice-affiliated ventures, brings together 11 companies in the program’s 13th year who represent a new wave of entrepreneurs tackling challenges across technology, consumer products, health care and more. Since 2013, the accelerator has supported 229 founders and launched 104 ventures with participants collectively raising more than $116 million in funding.

Rice to break ground on Moody Center Complex for Student Life May 8

Rice will break ground on the Moody Center Complex for Student Life at 3 p.m. May 8, marking a transformative moment for the university’s commitment to student engagement, development and success.

Proposed ‘anti-science’ federal budget will boost China’s progress, Baker Institute expert says

Experts on American science and research policy are available to discuss how the Trump administration’s proposed budget cuts could affect the country’s citizens and global leadership.

New national survey reveals what American consumers truly value across 18 key industries

The 2025 Customer Value Report, authored by marketing researchers at Rice and the University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert Business School, evaluates 18 sectors representing the full spectrum of American consumer life — from banking, education and health care to streaming services and law enforcement.

Rice president charts bold vision for growth, access in interview with The Chronicle of Higher Education

Rice President Reginald DesRoches offered a compelling and in-depth account of the university’s future during a one-on-one interview with The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Ian Wilhelm in Washington, D.C.

Extreme price variation at Houston hospitals continues, expert says

Houston hospitals show significant pricing differences in their procedures, according to a new brief from Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. The research revisits the websites of the four largest Texas Medical Center (TMC) hospitals to assess whether they have followed federal hospital price transparency laws. The analysis focuses on the listed prices from Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, HCA Houston Healthcare Medical Center, Houston Methodist Hospital and Memorial Hermann-TMC.

Rice President Reginald DesRoches honored by Phi Beta Kappa for outstanding contribution to education

Rice President Reginald DesRoches was recognized for his visionary leadership and lifelong commitment to education at the Phi Beta Kappa Alumni Association of Greater Houston’s Scholarship Awards Dinner, held April 23 at the Briar Club. DesRoches received the organization’s highest honor — Outstanding Contribution to Education — joining a distinguished group of leaders celebrated for their dedication to scholarship and public service.

Research takes center stage on Rice homepage amid national funding developments

With federal research funding in the headlines in recent months, Rice's Office of Public Affairs is spotlighting what’s at stake — and what’s possible — by putting the university’s research enterprise front and center on its newly updated homepage.

Light-based data made clearer with new machine learning method

Rice researchers have developed a new machine learning algorithm that excels at interpreting optical spectra, potentially enabling faster and more precise medical diagnoses and sample analysis.

Houston’s hidden financial divide: Thousands remain unbanked and unprepared for retirement

A report from Rice’s Kinder Institute highlights critical gaps in banking access, retirement savings and financial literacy.

Huff OEDK Showcase honors student ingenuity and impact

Student engineering teams at Rice demonstrated how hands-on design can drive real-world impact at the 2025 Huff OEDK Showcase and competition. Held April 17 at the Ion, the event featured 81 student teams, 93 judges and hundreds of visitors.

Graduate Student Spotlight: Thiago Pinheiro dos Santos ’25

For Thiago Pinheiro dos Santos, a doctoral candidate in chemical and biomolecular engineering from Brazil, research is a way to drive positive, meaningful impact across a wide range of real-world domains from energy innovation to medicine.