Dateline Rice for Sept. 23, 2025

dateline rice

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

US News & World Report 'Best Colleges' list is here. See how Texas universities ranked.
An article mentions that Rice is No. 17 in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report's 2026 "Best Colleges" rankings.
Yahoo! News (This article originally appeared in the Houston Chronicle.)
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-yahoo
UCLA loses No. 1 public university title in 2026 US News & World Report ranking
Daily Bruin
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-db
5 Houston universities land on US News' 2026 list of best colleges
CultureMap Houston
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-cmh
 
Rice's Midtown mixed-use project to add research-focused new building
An article features the news that Rice Real Estate Co. has collaborated with Lincoln Property Co. to open The Arc in the Ion District. Community members quoted or mentioned include President Reginald DesRoches; alumnus Ken Jett, vice president of facilities and capital construction and president of Rice Real Estate Co.; and Scott Irby, manager of real estate at Rice Real Estate Co.
AOL (This article originally appeared in InnovationMap.)
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-desroches-jett-irby

Does Donald Trump want control of Venezuela's oil?
Francisco Monaldi, fellow in Latin American energy policy at the Center for Energy Studies, fellow at the Center for the United States and Mexico, director of the Latin America Energy Program at Rice's Baker Institute for Public Policy and a lecturer in energy economics at Rice, is quoted.
Financial Times
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-monaldi

Real-time molecular recorders expose the inner lives of cells
Theresa Loveless, assistant professor of biosciences, is quoted.
Nature
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-loveless

America's flood insurance system is doomed to fail
Jim Blackburn, a professor in the practice of environmental law, co-director of Rice's Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters Center and a Rice Faculty Scholar at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
Yahoo! News (This article originally appeared in Vox.)
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-blackburn
 
How many immigrants have left the country?
Bill King, fellow in public finance at Rice's Baker Institute for Public Policy, authored an article.
AOL (This article originally appeared in Real Clear Politics.)
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-king

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Houston's climate tech progress stalls as anti-climate reputation grows, new report finds
An article features alumnus Paul Cherukuri, chief innovation officer, vice president for innovation and associate research professor in electrical and computer engineering, who will step down Sept. 30 to join University of Virginia.
Houston Business Journal
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-cherukuri

Kyle Zarosky '17 shares his story
Alumnus Kyle Zarosky is featured.
Southwestern University News
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-zarosky

BROADCAST

Hello Houston (Sept. 22, 2025)
Fred Oswald, the Herbert S. Autrey Professor of Psychological Sciences, is interviewed about how artificial intelligence is affecting the job market.
Houston Public Media
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-oswald
Hello Houston — The Commuter Cut (Sept. 22, 2025)
Houston Public Media
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-oswald
Hello Houston full episode — Sept. 22, 2025
Houston Public Media on YouTube
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-oswald

Hotel workers strike (Sept. 22, 2025)
Kirsten Siebach, assistant professor of Earth, environmental and planetary sciences, discusses new research into discovering evidence of previous conditions on Mars that could've supported life.
Houston Public Media
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-siebach
Houston Matters full episode — Sept. 22, 2025
Houston Public Media on YouTube
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-siebach
Did NASA scientists find signs of ancient life on Mars?
Houston Public Media
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-siebach
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-siebach.youtube

Redesigning Houston roads (Sept. 23, 2025)
Mandi Chapa, lecturer at the Rice School of Architecture, is interviewed about the design of Houston's roadways.
Houston Public Media
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-chapa
Houston Matters full episode — Sept. 23, 2025
Houston Public Media on YouTube
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-chapa

Gerentes apuestan por IA mientras trabajadores temen perder sus empleos
Vicente Ordóñez-Román, associate professor of computer science, is interviewed.
Telemundo Houston
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-roman

20 years after Hurricane Rita: Lessons that shaped the future
An article mentions Rice research following Hurricane Rita in 2005.
Click2Houston
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-c2h

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Rice University brings together experts to address critical water challenges
An article mentions that Rice recently hosted the Water Nexus Conference 2025. Community members mentioned include: Menachem Elimelech, the Nancy and Clint Carlson Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering; Michael Wong, the Tina and Sunit Patel Professor in Molecular Nanotechnology, professor and chair of chemical and biomolecular engineering and professor of chemistry, materials science and nanoengineering and civil and environmental engineering; Qilin Li, professor of civil and environmental engineering and co-director of Rice's Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT); Pedro Alvarez, the George R. Brown Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, co-director of the Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for NEWT and director of the WaTER Institute; and Eric Willman, executive director of the WaTER Institute and NEWT.
Scienmag
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-water.nexus

Plastics reality check for net-zero forecasts
Michelle Michot Foss, fellow in energy, minerals and materials in the Center for Energy Studies at Rice's Baker Institute for Public Policy, authored an article.
Energy Intelligence
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-foss

Carbon nanotubes could never
An article features collaborative Rice research into boron nitride nanotubes co-authored by Matteo Pasquali, the A.J. Hartsook Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, professor of materials science and nanoengineering and chemistry and director of Rice's Carbon Hub.
American Chemical Society
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-pasquali

Texas cities brace for budget shortfalls as economic growth slows John Diamond, the Edward A. and Hermena Hancock Kelly Fellow in Public Finance and director of the Center for Tax and Budget Policy at Rice's Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
Governing
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-diamond  

QS Online MBA Ranking: Consistent and reliable or boring and opaque?
An article mentions that Rice's online MBA program is ranked No. 5 according to the Poets&Quants Online MBA Program rankings.
Poets&Quants
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-p&q

My Opinion: AI is great — is there enough electricity to feed it?
An article mentions Rice research into recovering electricity from data centers' waste heat.
Tech Briefs
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-tb
 
US News 2026 Best Business Schools Ranking: MIT joins Wharton at the top
An article mentions that Rice's Jones Graduate School of Business is No. 24 according to U.S. News & World Report. 
Poets&Quants for Undergrads
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-p&q.u

PVAMU architecture students win award at Galveston Sandcastle Festival
An article mentions that a team from Rice recently competed in the AIA Sandcastle Design College Challenge at the annual Galveston Sandcastle Festival.
The HBCU Advocate
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-hbcu

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Aye robot — Borderlands Deep Tech Accelerator Hub announces partners
An article mentions that Borders College's Borderlands Deep Tech Accelerator Hub plans to collaborate with the Rice Space Institute. David Alexander, director of the Rice Space Institute, professor of physics and astronomy and Rice Faculty Scholar at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
Borders College News
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-alexander
Partners to help Borders firms harness deep tech
Daily Business
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-db

Annual Rothbaum Lecture returns to commemorate the Constitution at ECU
Alumnus Andrew Lang is featured.
East Central University
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-lang

EENS alumni spotlight
Alumna Emily Chin is featured.
Tulane University
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-chin

Pros and cons of living in Houston: Is it the right city for you?
Rice is mentioned.
The Clinton Courier
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-tcc

SPORTS

Unbeaten Navy football returns home to play host to Rice
An article mentions that Rice's football team is slated to play Navy Sept. 27.
NavySports.com
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-navy
Navy football looks to avenge last season's loss to Rice
The Baltimore Sun
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-tbs

The point after: Rice at Charlotte
An article mentions Rice's football team defeated the University of North Carolina at Charlotte 28-17 Sept. 18
Charlotte49ers.com
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-49ers
Texas Tech legit? Ranking all 13 FBS college football teams in Texas after Week 4
Houston Chronicle
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-hc

Week 4 Players of the Week
An article features Rice football player Andrew Awe, who has been named to the American Conference's weekly honorable mention list.
TheAmerican.org
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-awe

UAB, Rice, Tulsa, Wichita State earn weekly volleyball honors
An article features Rice volleyball player Lademi Ogunlana, who has been named the American Conference's Offensive Player of the Week.
TheAmerican.org
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-ogunlana

Rice, South Florida, UTSA earn weekly honors
An article features Rice soccer players Leah Chancey and Jadyn Jaeger, who have been named the American Conference's Offensive Player of the Week and Freshman Player of the Week, respectively.
TheAmerican.org
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-chancey-jaeger

Cougars complete weekend at Rice Invite
An article mentions that Rice's women's tennis team hosted the Rice Fall Invitational Sept. 19-21.
UHCougars.com
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-uh
Women's tennis finishes run at Rice Invitational
GoUTRGV.com
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-utrgv
Mustangs collect 14 wins at Rice Invitational
SMUMustangs.com
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-smu
Tennis kicks off fall at Rice
GoBearkats.com
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-gbk

Owls watch Sept. 22-28
An article mentions that Rice's women's soccer team is slated to play Temple University Sept. 25.
OwlSports.com
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-temple
Owls cruise to a 6-0 victory over Lincoln
OwlSports.com
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-temple

Clement and Carlini fall in ranked 3-set battle
An article mentions the Rice men's tennis doubles team of Santiago Navarro and Petro Kuzmenok.
RamblinWreck.com
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-navarro-kuzmenok

Pistons add former Lakers player Quincy Olivari to their roster
An article features former Rice basketball player Quincy Olivari.
Berawang News
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-olivari

Ruiz Report: Cal has some soul searching to do
An article mentions that Rice's football team defeated the University of California, Los Angeles 28-0 in 1970.
The Daily Californian
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-tdc

NEWS RELEASES

Rice rises in US News rankings, recognized for value, teaching and innovation
Rice continues its upward trajectory in national and international rankings, earning the No. 17 spot in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings released today. The university also ranked among the top 10 nationally for Best Value Schools (No. 5) and Undergraduate Teaching (No. 8), reflecting Rice’s ongoing commitment to academic excellence, affordability and a personalized education.
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-news-release-us.news

Rice convenes leaders to tackle urgent water challenges
Rice is fostering sustainable water and energy solutions by convening leaders across industry, policy and research to confront one of the most pressing challenges of our time: water scarcity and resilience. The Rice WaTER Institute, in partnership with Noverram, hosted the Water Nexus Conference 2025 as part of Houston Energy and Climate Week. Held on Rice's campus Sept. 16, the event brought together voices from across the ecosystem — researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, end users and policymakers — for a full day of discussions on the future of water. With keynote speakers, technical sessions and solution-driven panels, the program highlighted the urgent need for integrated approaches to ensure safe, reliable and sustainable water systems.
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-news-release-water.nexus

Rice sociologist's journey from simple curiosity to NSF-backed research reveals how physical infrastructure shapes inequality
As a graduate student living in New Haven, Connecticut, Elizabeth Roberto said she couldn't stop wondering why certain neighborhoods seemed connected while others were quietly walled off. "There were these places where the roads just stopped," Roberto recalled. "Like they were meant to go somewhere — but didn't." It was the kind of everyday sight the average person might drive past without a second thought. But for Roberto, it sparked a question that would stay with her for years: What happens when barriers separate people — not just symbolically but literally?
http://dateline.rice/sept-23-news-release-roberto

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