Tina Villard wins Elizabeth Gillis Award
Tina Villard, senior associate athletic director of recreation, was named this year’s winner of the Elizabeth Gillis Award for Exemplary Service at President Reginald DesRoches’ event celebrating staff accomplishments April 21.
Reginald DesRoches, Lydia Kavraki elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Rice University President Reginald DesRoches and Professor Lydia Kavraki have been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the nation’s foremost society of scholars.
President DesRoches honors Rice staff’s ‘excellence in action’
President Reginald DesRoches welcomed staff members to a morning breakfast and recognition ceremony April 21 at Rice Memorial Center’s Grand Hall. Themed “Excellence in Action,” the gathering highlighted the university’s successes and growth during the previous year, and also marked DesRoches’ first in office.
Rice English’s MacArthur ‘genius’ Kiese Laymon honored by campus community
In an afternoon reception at Cohen House April 10, Kiese Laymon — Rice’s Libbie Shearn Moody Professor of Creative Writing and English — was joined by his students, family, friends and colleagues alongside Rice President Reginald DesRoches and leaders from across campus to celebrate the esteemed author in light of his recent MacArthur Fellowship , popularly known as the “genius grant.”
Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher visits Rice
Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas) visited the Rice Welcome Center April 5 for a lunchtime conversation with members of the university community.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) took time during a congressional recess to visit The Ion.
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.
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.
