Benefits boost for parents not enough, says Baker Institute expert
HOUSTON – (Feb. 4, 2020) – Congress recently passed a bill granting 12 weeks of paid parental leave to federal workers the same week it established the SECURE Act, which offers new parents an option for penalty-free withdrawals from retirement accounts.
Persian Gulf security strained by receding US leadership, says Baker Institute expert
HOUSTON -- (Feb. 28, 2020) – The drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani has hardened attitudes toward the U.S. across the six states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), according to a new research paper by an expert in the Center for the Middle East at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Israeli West Bank settlements may have dangerous consequences, experts say
As President Donald Trump unveils his new Middle East peace plan, experts in the Center for the Middle East at Rice's Baker Institute for Public Policy say the administration's green light for the establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank comes with the potential for dangerous consequences.
Fed grant backs Rice earthquake research
Rice University Earth scientist Melodie French earns a prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER Award to support her investigation of the tectonic roots of earthquakes and tsunamis.
HOUSTON – (Jan. 30, 2020) – Amid his impeachment trial, President Donald Trump is preparing for his annual State of the Union address next week. Rice University political scientist Paul Brace is available to discuss what to expect in the president's remarks.
Cells’ springy coils pump bursts of RNA
Models by Rice chemists calculate the chemical and mechanical energies involved in “bursty” RNA production in cells.
Ordering in? Plants are way ahead of you
Dissolved carbon in soil can quench plants' ability to communicate with soil microbes, allowing plants to fine-tune their relationships with symbionts. Experiments show how synthetic biology tools developed at Rice University can help understand environmental controls on agricultural productivity.
Rice fluids researcher earns solid federal support
Rice University engineer Jesse Chan wins a prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER Award to develop reliable simulations of fluid flow.
Veteran and military spouses given new opportunities
HOUSTON – (Jan. 27, 2020) – A dozen spouses of veterans and active duty military personnel will be awarded scholarships to train for careers in human resources thanks to a partnership between Schlumberger and Rice University’s Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies.
Environmental expert to Chinese government: Banning single-use plastics is not enough
HOUSTON – (Jan. 27, 2020) – The Chinese government has announced it plans to address the world's growing plastic waste problem by phasing out single-use plastics by 2025. But such a ban is premature and “puts the cart before the horse,” according to an expert at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Rice lab turns trash into valuable graphene in a flash
Scientists at Rice University are using high-energy pulses of electricity to turn any source of carbon into turbostratic graphene in an instant. The process promises environmental benefits by turning waste into valuable graphene that can then strengthen concrete and other composite materials.
New trade agreement good for US digital products, says Baker Institute expert
HOUSTON – (Jan. 27, 2020) – The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) sends a clear and welcome message acknowledging the enormous importance of digital products produced in the U.S. for sale around the world, according to a report from the Center for the United States and Mexico at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Third Reich's legacy tied to present-day xenophobia and political intolerance
Who — or what — is to blame for the xenophobia, political intolerance and radical political parties spreading through Germany and the rest of Europe? A new study from Rice University and Washington University in St. Louis shows a major factor is people's proximity to former Nazi concentration camps.
Fear of wildfires inspires forward-thinking communities
A Rice architecture student is thinking hard about the problem humans have with fire and how future dwellers at risk could consolidate resources for their own protection while retaining a sense of community.
CPRIT grant bolsters Rice biosciences
Rice University recruits synthetic biologist Caroline Ajo-Franklin with a $6 million grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to bolster the university’s cutting-edge Systems, Synthetic and Physical Biology program.
