The first pastoralists in eastern Africa didn’t suddenly switch to a diet centered only on cows, sheep and goats. Instead, they kept eating a wide mix of foods — fish, wild animals and plants, according to key findings from new University of British Columbia-led research, with Rice University as a key contributor.
As more than 1,360 students crossed the stage at Rice during the university’s largest undergraduate commencement ceremony in history, the celebration at Rice Stadium was especially personal for a number of faculty and staff members watching from the stands — and in several cases, standing on stage to hand their own children a diploma.
Today, the big questions surrounding religion and science are about responsibly building and managing new scientific technologies, how they can shape what the world should be and what it could become — questions Rice’s Boniuk Institute for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance will try to answer in partnership with the University of California, San Diego thanks to a new $2.9 million grant from the Templeton Religion Trust.
Rice conferred 270 doctoral degrees during its 113th commencement May 9 at Tudor Fieldhouse. Doctoral candidates along with friends, family and loved ones gathered for the ceremony, which included the awarding of doctoral regalia and dissertation titles, congratulatory remarks, cheers and a few moments to reflect on this milestone.
Nearly 900 advanced degree recipients were celebrated May 9 as Owls walked across the stage at Tudor Fieldhouse to roars of applause and cheers, marking the culmination of their academic journeys at Rice University.
Fondren Fellows pairs Rice undergraduate and graduate students with faculty mentors and library staff to pursue original research projects grounded in Fondren Library’s collections and digital infrastructure.
GLP-1 medications have taken over the national conversation around weight loss, but new research from Rice suggests the social reality may be more complicated.
Rice’s Boniuk Institute for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance awarded its 2026 Senior Scholar Award to John Inazu, the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law & Religion and professor of political science at Washington University in St. Louis.
Rice’s 2026 University Awards Ceremony, hosted by the Center for Teaching Excellence, brought together faculty, students and academic leaders to celebrate one central idea: Great teaching transforms lives. The event highlighted not only outstanding educators but also the broader culture of mentorship, innovation and community that defines the university.