English

Senior Spotlight: Riya Misra ’25

At Rice, senior Riya Misra found that studying the humanities wasn’t only about literature; it was about sharpening the essential tools for any storyteller.

Rap meets rhetoric

For fall 2025, professor Kiese Laymon is breaking new ground with a course that centers on the beef between Lamar and Drake, a cultural moment that’s still reverberating in real time.

At Rice, research opportunities help senior bring childhood dreams to life

For senior Dasseny Arreola, pursuing two majors, one minor, three research fellowships and even a novel was never about checking boxes.

Building better AI starts with asking better questions; Rice is doing just that

Humanities disciplines, especially medical humanities, shouldn’t just be consulted at the end of the development pipeline when systems are being evaluated for bias or misuse.

Creative crossroads: Scholars, artists converge at Rice to discuss Black aesthetic dialogues

The rich interplay between African American literature and the other arts took center stage at a two-day symposium at Rice March 7-8 where scholars, poets and artists explored the aesthetic, cultural and political dimensions of Black creative expression.

New study reveals climate change’s limited presence in popular films

A new study led by Rice’s Matthew Schneider-Mayerson reveals that climate change and other environmental issues are notably absent from most popular films despite their increasing urgency.

Shaping climate conversations: How Rice’s Matthew Schneider-Mayerson is using media to spark change

A new study examines the portrayal — or lack thereof — of climate change and other environmental challenges in popular films.

What does it mean to think across disciplines?

“Interdisciplinarity is not just something that happens between disciplines but actually many different knowledge projects with their own originary force,” said Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan.

Moody Fellow explores writing as a therapeutic tool for others

Maya Harpavat’s love of writing began when she was 6 years old, sitting at the kitchen table with her father.

Rice hosts Southeast Mellon Mays Fellowship conference, fostering future scholars in humanities and social sciences

The Southeast Regional conference of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) Program unfolded at Rice Nov. 1-3, gathering undergraduate fellows from across the Southeast to present their research, connect with peers and explore graduate school opportunities.

At Rice, novelist Andrea Bajani finds himself in translation

At the bustling crossroads of the Frankfurt Book Fair where novelist and poet Andrea Bajani visited for the prelaunch of his new novel “The Anniversary” (“L’anniversario”), he found himself face-to-face with four people — no, four versions of himself.

‘An institutional investment’: Evolution and impact of Rice’s Center for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality

At a time when some states and public universities are eliminating gender, sexuality and related studies, Rice’s Center for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality stands strong as an example of interdisciplinary scholarship and advocacy.

Amy Kahrmann Huseby to lead Studies in English Literature 1500-1900

As an undergraduate student, Amy Kahrmann Huseby remembers reading articles in Studies in English Literature 1500-1900 and being “overawed by the knowledge, interpretive work, clarity of prose and cleverness of its articles.”

Rice professor’s memoir secures spot in NYT’s ‘100 Best Books of the 21st Century’

“I found out with everyone else,” said Kiese Laymon, the Libbie Shearn Moody Professor of Creative Writing and English.

Rice student’s Juneteenth poem celebrates legacy of Freedmen’s Town

Though she grew up in Houston’s Freedmen’s Town, Avalon Hogans didn’t start digging into the history of the area until she came to Rice.