In The News

Each month
Rice News will publish a sampling of faculty, staff and
administrators who have been quoted in newspaper or magazine
articles or have been interviewed on television or radio.
To obtain a copy of the clipping packet from which the In
the News items are collected, contact the Office of Media
Relations and Information at (713) 348-6774.

The New York
Times
An article mentioned molecular research conducted in part
by Rice scientists. Jim Tour, the Chao Professor of Chemistry,
commented on single-molecule switches and their potential
applications.
Amy Jaffe, senior energy adviser at the James A. Baker III
Institute for Public Policy, commented that the current
politics within some OPEC-member countries are such that
they can do nothing but keep up higher revenues, challenge
the West and act only in their own self-interest.

The Wall
Street Journal
Jaffe commented on OPEC’s success over the past year
at keeping prices in its target range and how that has emboldened
its ministers.

United Press
International (Web)
In an article about a small black hole recently detected
by Rutgers astronomers, Markus Boettcher, postdoctoral research
associate in space physics and astronomy, commented that
it may be a hint that massive black holes could form by
gradual growth from smaller entities.

The Christian
Science Monitor
Commenting on the difficulty President Bush is finding in
holding his base among men while reaching out to women,
Earl Black, the Herbert S. Autrey Professor of Political
Science, said the political dynamics of such moves are very
tricky.

The Jerusalem
Post
Edward Djerejian, director of the Baker Institute, was mentioned
as among those attending a meeting of top American Middle
East experts who gathered to generate ideas on what the
United States should do next to try to bring an end to Israeli-Palestinian
fighting.

Nature
An article written in part by Janet Siefert, postdoctoral
research associate in statistics, appeared.

Houston Chronicle
An opinion piece written by Ewa Thompson, professor of Slavic
studies, appeared.
In an article about Houston pursuing designation of Buffalo
Bayou as a National Heritage Area, Stephen Fox, lecturer
at the School of Architecture, commented that Buffalo Bayou
is a nationally significant site, noting that it is what
led the Allen brothers to found the city of Houston at what
they declared to be the headwaters.
In an article about OPEC’s consideration to pull oil
from the market, Jaffe commented that OPEC countries are
very committed to a price of oil of $25 and that they are
under pressure to keep the oil revenues flowing steadily,
but they are swimming against the current.
Commenting on a lack of professors and instructors in colleges
and universities, Walter Isle, the Clarence L. Carter Distinguished
Service Professor of English, said that there always are
enough teachers in humanities, and that will continue, but
the real problem comes in the area of engineering and that
kind of field.
Commenting on author Eudora Welty, David Minter, the Bruce
and Elizabeth Dunlevie Professor of English, said that Welty
had a knack for writing about people who were part of a
small community but in some ways had a sharp edge in them.

The Dallas
Morning News
In an article about a handful of Shakespeare’s plays
being performed ad nauseam, Alan Grob, professor of English,
commented that he treats Shakespearean plays as exercises
in interpretive choices and that the variations in different
productions of the same play can be incredible.

Forth Worth
Star Telegram
In an article about the Texas affiliate of the Christian
Coalition of America, Bill Martin, the Harry and Hazel Chavanne
Professor of Religion and Public Policy, said Texas is fertile
ground for the Christian Coalition.

KHOU-TV
Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology, commented on
a recruiting controversy within the Houston Fire Department.

KRIV-TV
Robert Bixby, research professor in computational and applied
mathematics, commented on a new technology program, “Traveling
Salesman,” being developed to help prevent flight delays
by finding the quickest routes between cities.

KTRH-AM
In a story about the State Department warning of a terrorist
attack in the Persian Gulf, Djerejian commented that the
threat must be taken seriously.