Current News

SpaceX launch 'historic,’ will pave way for NASA’s moon and Mars plans, Rice space expert says

HOUSTON -- (May 22, 2020) – The Crew Dragon space capsule made by Elon Musk's SpaceX faces a final big test when two astronauts climb aboard for a flight to the International Space Station on Wednesday. "This historic first launch of American astronauts from American soil since 2011 will mark the next stage in U.S. human spaceflight, paving the way for a more versatile and flexible access to the International Space Station," said astronomer David Alexander, director of the Rice Space Institute.

USMCA features new policies for the US

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) includes clauses never before seen in a U.S. trade agreement, according to an expert at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.

Rice community mourns loss of graduate student Clancy Taylor

Clancy Taylor, a Ph.D. student in the English department, died May 16. Taylor was 25 years old.

Campus Kindness: Rice garden donating produce to local food pantry

Campus Kindness is a series of features on Rice Owls contributing to the fight against COVID-19. 

White House peace plan leaves Palestinians in the dust, according to Baker Institute expert

Good ‘Karma:’ Rice alum turns reality TV star on Bravo's 'Family Karma'

When Shaan Patel returned to his native Miami after preparing for a career in architecture at Rice University, he didn't expect he'd also add reality television to his resume — but that's exactly what happened.

Posters, oral presentations pivot online for Undergraduate Research Symposium

Rice’s Undergraduate Research Symposium (RURS) is the big yearly event for students across disciplines to showcase their research projects and receive recognition for their work.

Kavraki earns top computer science honor

Rice computer scientist Lydia Kavraki has been honored for her foundational contributions to the discipline with this year’s ACM/AAAI Allen Newell Award.

Online conference to focus on how science and church communities can cooperate amid COVID-19

HOUSTON – (May 20, 2020) – Strengthening the faith of churches through science will be the focus of a virtual conferenceJune 5 hosted by Rice University's Religion and Public Life Program (RPLP).

Rice names campus grove in honor of Rev. William Lawson

Rice University has announced it will name part of its campus central quadrangle The Reverend William A. Lawson Grove.

Diploma from a distance

Quantum Hall effect 'reincarnated' in 3D topological materials

U.S. and German physicists have found surprising evidence of a link between the 2D quantum Hall effect and 3D topological materials that could be used in quantum computing.

New research to examine how COVID-19 recommendations impact human behavior

As governments and health professionals around the world attempt to contain the spread of COVID-19 and lessen its impact, a researcher from Rice University plans to examine how the barrage of information and recommendations related to the virus impact human behavior, thanks to a Rapid Response Research (RAPID) grant from the National Science Foundation.

Experts: Coordination key to North American recovery from pandemic's economic toll

The COVID-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc on trade between United States, Mexico and Canada, and the three countries must work together to recover from the slump, according to an economist at a panel discussion hosted by Rice's Baker Institute for Public Policy.

Calm before COVID-19: 2020 Kinder Houston Area Survey reveals growing sense of solidarity, empathy ahead of pandemic

HOUSTON – (May 18, 2020) – When surveyed in February and early March — on the brink of the coronavirus pandemic — Houstonians expressed a deeper sense of mutual trust, empathy and solidarity than ever before, with growing numbers of people calling for policies to reduce inequalities and improve public schools, according to the 2020 Kinder Houston Area Survey.