Fondren Fellows document Fifth Ward’s toxic history through archive
Seniors Catherine Cook and Shay Olaifa are building a public archive that preserves decades of community stories, environmental records and lived experiences surrounding creosote contamination in Houston’s Fifth Ward.
Rice faculty and leadership highlighted cutting-edge research and national collaborations during the Research Frontiers Showcase in Washington, D.C., held one day ahead of the Owls’ Sept. 27 football game at Navy.
Future of business strategy must be customer-focused, Rice Business expert says
At Rice Business, the Center for Customer-Based Execution and Strategy — better known as C-CUBES — helps scholars excel in rigorous, peer-reviewed research focused on customer-based strategy.
Rice algorithms take on quantum adversary
Rice computer scientists have developed algorithms that account for quantum noise that is not just random, but malicious interference from an adversary.
Science’s vital role in American innovation examined at Baker Institute
U.S. Representative Dr. Brian Babin (R-Texas 36) spoke with Paul Cherukuri, vice president of innovation at Rice University, and discussed how the United States aims to remain at the forefront of space exploration, emerging technologies and scientific advancement at an Aug. 27 campus event.
AI tools aren’t a creativity machine on their own, Rice expert says
Can generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools that create text, images and other content truly enhance employee creativity? A new paper published in the Journal of Applied Psychology and co-authored by Jing Zhou, Rice’s Mary Gibbs Jones Professor of Management, finds that generative AI doesn’t enhance creativity equally for everyone. Instead, its impact depends on how well people manage their own thinking while using it.
Pattern Materials makes its mark in Houston
A Rice graduate student has launched a company aiming to make graphene production faster, cheaper and more scalable. Alex Lathem founded Pattern Materials in January to commercialize his proprietary laser-induced graphene and flash graphene technologies, which create graphene and carbon nanotube-like patterns in a single, rapid step. He believes these materials, known for their exceptional electrical conductivity, flexibility and strength, could significantly enhance the performance of sensors and other electronic devices.
New national survey reveals what American consumers truly value across 18 key industries
The 2025 Customer Value Report, authored by marketing researchers at Rice and the University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert Business School, evaluates 18 sectors representing the full spectrum of American consumer life — from banking, education and health care to streaming services and law enforcement.
Research takes center stage on Rice homepage amid national funding developments
With federal research funding in the headlines in recent months, Rice's Office of Public Affairs is spotlighting what’s at stake — and what’s possible — by putting the university’s research enterprise front and center on its newly updated homepage.
Sustainable practices can be based in nature, expert says
Rice biogeochemist Carrie Masiello was a headliner in CERAWeek’s “lyceum” where experts from industry and academia present research and technical expertise at the annual energy conference in Houston.
Energy transition is also a tech transition, Rice experts stress
Rice research was well represented at CERAWeek, the annual energy conference in Houston. It provides a global and high-level framework for understanding what’s ahead for energy markets and forums to exchange insights and solutions among academic and industry peers.
Rice experts at CERAWeek showcase their research
CERAWeek, an annual energy conference, kicked off March 10, and Rice experts are presenting their work on the energy transition.
Federal research funding feeds technological advancement, US official says at Baker Institute event
Dario Gil, senior vice president and director of research at IBM and recently nominated undersecretary for science and innovation at the U.S. Department of Energy, spoke at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy March 4 about the importance of research and development (R&D) funding and the future of U.S. science and technology (S&T).
Racial earning gap in gig work eliminated through new rating system
A new study published in Nature uncovers a hidden problem — racial bias in customer evaluations — which led to a 9% income gap between white and non-white gig workers in a home services platform. The study also proposes an unexpected but simple solution: changing how customers rate workers from a five-star to a thumbs-up/thumbs-down system.
Research universities enable innovation by doing much of the behind-the-scenes work
Two university presidents hosted a conversation at the Ion Feb. 24 to discuss how American research universities serve the public. Rice University President Reginald DesRoches and Michael Crow, president of Arizona State University (ASU), shared how research universities are engines of innovation, economic growth and social mobility while educating millions and driving scientific and technological discovery to help sustain U.S. global competitiveness.
