News Releases

Women’s rights advance in Mideast, North Africa -- to a point

HOUSTON – (July 15, 2020) – Although women’s rights have undergone significant reforms in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), legislative change is not enough, according to the authors of a collection of briefs released by the Baker Institute.

Enzyme from fungi shows molecules which way to turn

A small fungal enzyme could play a significant role in simplifying the development and manufacture of drugs, according to Rice University scientists.

Matthew Loden, CEO of Toronto Symphony Orchestra, returning to Rice as dean of Shepherd School

HOUSTON – (July 7, 2021) – Matthew Loden, an award-winning musician and symphony leader currently serving as the CEO of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, will become the next dean of Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music.

Study: Early economic action in response to pandemic mitigated downturn

HOUSTON – (Oct. 28, 2020) – Decisive action taken by monetary and fiscal policymakers mitigated the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.

Vicente Ordóñez joins Rice with CAREER Award

Rice computer scientist Vicente Ordóñez receives an NSF CAREER Award to advance machine-learning algorithms’ ability to recognize complex visual concepts.

Oil demand likely to grow despite pandemic, study says

HOUSTON – (July 10, 2021) – The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected both consumer and commercial transportation, but global oil demand will probably continue to grow through 2030, according to a new study.

Scientists seek details of cancer’s evolutionary tree

Rice University computer scientists will take full advantage of new technology to sequence the genome of a single cell to decode mysteries contained in tumors.

Rice, Rutgers developing inhalable COVID-19 vaccine spray

Scientists at Rice and Rutgers developing two COVID-19 vaccine strategies that do not require cold storage, one of which can be inhaled.

Soft shell makes hard ceramic less likely to shatter

Coating ceramic schwarzites, 3D-printed lattices, with a thin polymer helps keep them from shattering under pressure.

NIH grant will help streamline chemical synthesis

Rice University chemist Julian West has won a five-year, $1.8 million National Institutes of Health grant to advance his lab’s efforts to simplify the synthesis of organic chemicals.

Rice sociologist Rachel Tolbert Kimbro named dean of School of Social Sciences

HOUSTON – (March 24, 2021) – Rachel Tolbert Kimbro, an award-winning educator and prolific researcher in the field of children's health, has been named the newest dean of Rice University's School of Social Sciences effective July 1.

Flood relocation programs more disruptive to those who don’t live in white or affluent neighborhoods

HOUSTON – (June 29, 2021) – A government policy that removes homeowners from flood-prone areas disproportionately disrupts the lives of residents from less white and affluent neighborhoods, according to new research from sociologists at Rice University and Temple University.

Fungi embrace fundamental economic theory as they engage in trading

HOUSTON – (June 29, 2021) – When you think about trade and market relationships, you might think about brokers yelling at each other on the floor of a stock exchange on Wall Street. But it seems one of the basic functions of a free market is quietly practiced by fungi.

Reversal speeds creation of important molecule

A Rice lab’s reverse approach to making halichondrin B is the shortest route to a “rather complex and important molecule."

Keck backs Rice bid to ‘build a brain’

A $1 million Keck Foundation grant will support work by Jacob Robinson to understand neural pathways.