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.
Shepherd School to host annual Family Concert Feb. 1
HOUSTON – (Jan. 24, 2020) – Selections from Bach, Debussy and Mozart will be among the musical works performed at the annual Family Concert presented Feb. 1 by Rice's Shepherd School of Music.
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.
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.
Climate change 'a strategic dilemma' for Persian Gulf, Baker Institute expert says
Climate change poses a strategic dilemma for oil-exporting states of the Persian Gulf, according to a new paper by an expert in the Center for Energy Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Less may be more in next-gen batteries
Rice University engineers build full lithium-ion batteries with silicon anodes and an alumina layer to protect cathodes from degrading. By limiting their energy density, the batteries promise excellent stability for transportation and grid storage use.
Uighur humanitarian crisis in focus at Rice event
HOUSTON – (Jan. 21, 2020) – Rice University's Islamophobia Resistance Campaign and the Muslims in American Society sociology course will host "Voices From the Uighur Community" Jan. 23 to shed light on the humanitarian crisis in China.
Study finds billions of quantum entangled electrons in 'strange metal'
Rice physicists and collaborators have observed quantum entanglement among "billions of billions" of flowing electrons in a quantum critical material.
Media advisory: 'Radical Revisionists' opening Jan. 24 at Rice’s Moody Center for the Arts
HOUSTON – (Jan. 16, 2020) – Rice’s Moody Center for the Arts will unveil its spring exhibition Jan. 24 with an opening reception for “Radical Revisionists: Contemporary African Artists Confronting Past and Present.”
USMCA trade pact will reap 'significant economic benefits,' says Baker Institute expert
HOUSTON – (Jan. 15, 2020) – The Senate is expected to approve the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement this week, and the deal stands to benefit all three countries, according to an expert at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. David A. Gantz, the Will Clayton Fellow in Trade and International Economics at the Baker Institute, is available to discuss this development and its implications.
Rice engineers find a way to turn water pollution into valuable chemicals
Rice University researchers have identified a simpler way to rid water of cancer-causing pollutants and turn them into valuable chemicals.
Rice PR expert weighs in on Astros cheating scandal
HOUSTON – (Jan. 14, 2019) – Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch were fired by team owner Jim Crane Monday after Major League Baseball suspended them for a year each following an investigation that discovered Houston cheated using technology en route to winning the 2017 World Series. "Sports is a unique context where (fan) loyalty persists in spite of transgressions by the team or its players," said Anastasiya (Annie) Zavyalova, associate professor of strategic management at Rice University's Jones Graduate School of Business. "Considering the Astros' recent victory right after Hurricane Harvey, I expect Astros fans to continue to support the team in light of this scandal."
Not so fast: Some batteries can be pushed too far
Fast charge and discharge of some lithium-ion batteries with intentional defects degrades their performance and endurance, according to Rice University engineers.
Vigil and program to celebrate MLK Jan. 19
HOUSTON – (Jan. 14, 2020) – In celebration of the life of Martin Luther King Jr., Rice University's Black Male Leadership Initiative will host a vigil and program, “Keeping the Dream Alive,” at 6 p.m. Jan. 19 at the Rice Memorial Chapel.