Rice researcher develops interactive tool to track FEMA buyouts
A new interactive tool created at Rice shows that the vast majority of people aren’t relying on FEMA buyout program, which has major implications for resilience.
STaRT@Rice offers a “panoramic view of the research process,” combining workshops, mentoring and interdisciplinary exposure to help participants at all levels build confidence and capability.
Exploring links between AI and the brain as Texas weighs Proposition 14
LLMs and the Brain, a symposium featuring researchers from Rice, Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Texas, the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Montreal and other institutions explored the intersection between neuroscience and AI. The conversation around brain research extends beyond the university and is unfolding at the state level. On Nov. 4, Texas voters will decide on Proposition 14, which would fund the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT) with $3 billion over 10 years, creating the largest state-funded dementia research program in the country.
Rice faculty recognized for national awards in inaugural ceremony
President Reginald DesRoches and Provost Amy Dittmar welcomed winners of highly prestigious and prestigious awards to the Brockman Hall for Opera to celebrate Rice faculty excellence. On Oct. 6, Rice honored those faculty who have earned prestigious and highly prestigious awards, defined as such by the Organization of the National Research Council and the Association of American Universities.
Biosciences student shares Rice Global Paris Center experience
From her morning commute on the Metro to afternoon classes in social psychology and evenings exploring the 13th arrondissement, sophomore Jessica Ji shares what it’s like to live, learn and study abroad while staying on track with her Rice degree.
One year in, Momentous strategic plan accelerates Rice’s path toward bold future
One year after launching its ambitious 10-year strategic plan, Momentous: Personalized Scale for Global Impact, Rice is already seeing the transformative results of its bold vision.
‘A life well lived in service’: Rice celebrates retiree West
Rice recently honored an employee who has dedicated more than 36 years of service to the campus and all who enter its doors. The Sept. 25 celebration for alumna Jan West ’73, assistant director of multicultural community relations, highlighted her tenure, which is marked by breaking barriers and championing diversity.
New faculty tackle power, identity, health and war in fast-paced social sciences showcase
The School of Social Sciences’ latest Research Relay gives new Rice faculty members a platform to share their research.
Forging her own path: Ortiz blends journalism, sport management, heritage
When Kathleen Ortiz arrived at Rice, she wasn’t sure if journalism would remain part of her life. A senior majoring in social policy analysis and sport management, Ortiz said she originally wanted to carve out an academic identity apart from her journalist parents — her mother, a high school journalism teacher and former reporter, and her father, the founder of a media company and longtime Houston Chronicle sports reporter.
Faculty invited to teach at Venice International University as Rice joins global academic network
When classes began at Venice International University Sept. 8, a delegation from Rice University was there to witness it.
Landing a job traditionally meant polishing a resume and sitting across from a hiring manager; today, the first “person” to evaluate you might not be a person at all — it could be a chatbot powered by artificial intelligence.
‘Imaginative inner world’: Rice anthropologist shares books that shaped her life at Fondren Library
Rice anthropologist Gökçe Günel traced her path from childhood novels in Turkey to groundbreaking ethnographic research during a Sept. 10 talk at Fondren Library
Rice sociologist investigating how features of the built environment — like dead-end streets, highways, fences and railroad tracks — shape patterns of neighborhood separation and access to opportunity across U.S. cities.
Rice rises in US News rankings, recognized for value, teaching and innovation
Rice continues its upward trajectory in national and international rankings, earning the No. 17 spot in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.
For decades, researchers believed that Homo habilis — the earliest known species in our genus — marked the moment humans rose from prey to predators, but new findings from a team led by a Rice anthropologist challenge that view.