President

Rice announces launch of Budget Transformation Initiative

I am excited to announce the launch of Rice’s Budget Transformation Initiative, co-led by Provost Amy Dittmar and Vice President for Finance and Administration Kelly Fox. The purpose of the initiative is to build transparency and an understanding of the university’s budget as well as design, develop and implement a new campus budget model built for Rice by Rice leaders and stakeholders that will better reflect our mission, values and priorities.

Rice to honor MacArthur-winning professor Kiese Laymon April 10

Rice President Reginald DesRoches, Provost Amy Dittmar and School of Humanities Dean Kathleen Canning invite all members of the Rice community to a special reception at Cohen House April 10 to formally honor English professor Kiese Laymon, recipient of a 2022 MacArthur Fellowship.

Rice hosts delegation of Brazilian higher education leaders

Rice President Reginald DesRoches, along with a cadre of university administrators and the Office of International Students and Scholars, hosted a Fulbright Brazil delegation of Brazilian university presidents, provosts and other leaders in the country’s higher education world March 9.

DesRoches, design firm discuss reimagined Academic Quad with students

Rice students gave feedback on plans to redesign the campus’ Academic Quadrangle and received an update on the project’s next steps during an event in the quad March 9.

Rice U. at CERAWeek 2023: Energy, health care and computing top research agenda

Rice U. representatives discussed the vision guiding the university’s research agenda during a panel discussion at CERAWeek, the leading annual energy conference taking place in Houston this week.

Rice leaders reaffirm commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion

President Reginald DesRoches, Provost Amy Dittmar and Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Alex Byrd stressed Rice’s commitment to upholding diversity, equity and inclusion in a March 8 email to the university community.

People, papers and presentations for March 6, 2023

Ed Emmett, Baker Institute Fellow in Energy and Transportation Policy, and Ruth Simmons, who was recently named a Rice President’s Distinguished Fellow, were named Houston Independent School District (HISD) Centennial Alumni Impact honorees at HISD’s State of the Schools event March 3.

Rodeo roundup with Reggie and Paula

Rice Owls dusted off their Stetsons and cowboy boots and dressed in their Western best to celebrate Rice Night at the Rodeo March 5.

Go Texan!

President Reginald DesRoches joined HOOTS (the High Order of Owl Tailgating Society) in the Fondren Library colonnade for breakfast tacos Feb. 24. Proceeds from sales benefited the HOOTS scholarship fund.

Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary and presidential adviser, announced as Rice’s 2023 commencement speaker

Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary and assistant to the president, will deliver the 2023 commencement address at Rice University during the undergraduate commencement ceremony the evening of May 6. All 2023 Rice graduates along with their families and guests and all members of the university community are welcome to attend the ceremony at Rice Stadium.

U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt visits Rice

On Feb. 13, U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt visited the Rice campus to meet with President Reginald DesRoches and members of the Baker Institute for Public Policy’s Center for Energy Studies.

Ruth Simmons to join Rice as President’s Distinguished Fellow

Ruth Simmons, a pioneer in higher education, will join Rice University as a President’s Distinguished Fellow, the university announced today.

Rice-U. of Edinburgh partnership funds research for global impact

Rice University and the University of Edinburgh in Scotland have unveiled the winners of the inaugural Rice-Edinburgh Strategic Collaboration Awards as part of their historic joint research initiative launched last year.

Danish space delegation tours Rice campus

A delegation of Danish representatives from government, academia and the space industry visited the Rice University campus last week for a half-day series of meetings, lab tours and conversations on avenues for growth and collaboration in space education and research.

Partners in learning

Rice President Reginald DesRoches met with Houston ISD Superintendent Millard House II Jan. 31 on campus to discuss current and future partnerships between Rice and the largest public school district in Texas.