Dateline Rice for March 26, 2012 (Weekend Edition)

FEATURED ITEMS

New space biomedical research facility opens in heart of Houston’s medical district
National Space Biomedical Research Institute officially opened its new facility located in Rice’s BioScience Research Collaborative March 19. Rice President David Leebron is mentioned and pictured.
West University Examiner (This article also appeared in the Bay Area Citizen, the River Oaks Examiner, the Memorial Examiner, the Friendswood Journal, the Deer Park Broadcaster, the Pasadena Citizen, the Pearland Journal and the Bellaire Examiner.)
http://tinyurl.com/6shpps9

More heat makes better biochar
Rice scientists found that biochar baked at above 842 degrees Fahrenheit helped soil hold water and carbon better than biochar cooked at lower temperatures. Caroline Masiello, assistant professor of Earth science, is quoted.
Futurity.org
http://tinyurl.com/7cpbv5f
How homegrown charcoal may get your garden through a drought
NPR.org (This article also appeared on KUHF.org, RedRiverRadio.org [Shreveport, La.], GPB.org [Georgia], KUNC.org [Colorado], WKAR.or [Michigan], KERA.org [Dallas], KBIA.org [Missouri], PBA.org [Atlanta], KALW.org [San Francisco], KUNM.org [New Mexico], KCUR.org [Kansas City, Mo.], NorthCountryPublicRadio.org [New York], VPR.net [Vermont], WWNO.org [New Orleans], WFIT.org [Florida], TriStatesRadio.com [Missouri], NYNow.org [New York City], WKYUFM.org [Kentucky], WAMU.org [Washington, D.C.] and WFSU.org [Florida].)
http://tinyurl.com/6shzfmw

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Stuck with high gas prices, drivers just pump less
Americans have pumped less gas every week for the past year. Ken Medlock, the James A. Baker III and Susan Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics at the Baker Institute and adjunct assistant professor in economics, is quoted.
San Francisco Chronicle (This Associated Press article also appeared in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, U.S. News & World Report, the Boston Globe, the Houston Chronicle, ABCNews.com, CBSNews.com, NPR.org, AOLNews.com, HuffingtonPost.com and nearly 500 other media outlets.)
http://tinyurl.com/7eo6odz

Santorum’s Catholicism proves a draw to evangelicals
William Martin, the Harry and Hazel Chavanne Senior Fellow in Religion and Public Policy at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in an article about GOP presidential contender Rick Santorum.
New York Times (This article also appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and TaiwanNews.com.tw.)
http://tinyurl.com/cafyept

Obama addresses Trayvon Martin shooting death in personal terms
Declaring that “if I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon,” President Barack Obama chose a highly personal way to join the heated national debate over the death of Trayvon Martin, the black teenager fatally shot by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Florida. Douglas Brinkley, professor of history and fellow in history at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
Los Angeles Times (This article also appeared in the Chicago Tribune, the Fort-Worth Star-Telegram, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Bradenton Herald, the Nashua Telegraph, the Columbus Republic, the Bellingham Herald, the Macon Telegraph, the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, the Bradenton Herald, the Oregonian, the Sacramento Bee, the Tri-City Herald and the Kansas City Star.)
http://tinyurl.com/6ukpfqg

Who would take over after al-Assad?
For 12 horrific months, Syrian dissidents and world leaders have dreamt of one outcome for the Syrian crisis: the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad. But who would take over the embattled country remains a mystery. Edward Djerejian, founding director of the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
CNN.com (This article also appeared on Local10.com [Miami].)
http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/26/world/meast/syria-next-leader/index.html

Made in Singapore, snapped up in India
The Rice and Singapore-based creators of the I-slate educational tablet and local government officials in India’s Mahabubnagar District plan to adopt 50,000 of the low-cost electronic educational slates into middle and high school classrooms throughout the district over the next three years. Krishna Palem, the Ken and Audrey Kennedy Professor of Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering, is quoted.
Malaysia Star
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/3/25/asia/10954025&sec=asia
A $45 tablet computer?
GPSWorld.com
http://www.gpsworld.com/gis/gss-weekly/45-tablet-computer-12788

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Rice to name new School of Social Sciences building after generous alum
Rice University received a $25 million gift from alumnus Robert Klein to name a new School of Social Sciences building.
KHOU.com
http://tinyurl.com/cjtawkg

A story from nation’s ‘most diverse’ metro area
Michael Emerson, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology and co-director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is quoted in an op-ed about refugee Thao Costis and Houston’s diversity. Emerson also appeared on KTRK-TV’s “Viva Houston” to discuss a recent report by the Kinder Institute showing that Houston is the most diverse city in the nation.
Houston Chronicle
http://tinyurl.com/7h9j75a
KTRK-TV’s ‘Viva Houston’
http://tinyurl.com/bmcsetm

Asian Americans’ huge jump in census includes San Antonio
Over the past decade, no other ethnic group in the United States has seen the explosive growth experienced by the country’s Asian American population, according to a recently released report by the U.S. Census Bureau. Steve Murdock, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology and a former director of the U.S. Census Bureau, is quoted.
San Antonio Express-News
http://tinyurl.com/cv8hert

Childhood hunger policies should target neighborhoods
To address childhood hunger, government policy should focus on entire neighborhoods rather than individual families, new Rice research shows. Justin Denney, assistant professor of sociology, and Rachel Tolbert Kimbro, assistant professor of sociology and director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research’s Urban Health Program, are quoted.
Cypress Times
http://tinyurl.com/6ntxoj5

Rice University study shows bilingual immigrants are healthier
Bilingual immigrants are healthier than immigrants who speak only one language, according to new research from sociologists at Rice University. Rachel Kimbro, assistant professor of sociology, Rice scholar at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy and director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research’s Urban Health Program; Bridget Gorman, associate professor of sociology; and alumna Ariela Schachter ’09 are quoted.
UltimateWestU.com
http://tinyurl.com/7fzchbq

Encourage equal benefits at UT
A column about the debate over domestic partner benefits at the University of Texas at Austin mentions that Rice is one of several institutions in the state to offer such benefits.
DailyTexanOnline.com
http://tinyurl.com/7p6ef7w

UT Dallas leads way in Tier One research
An op-ed about the University of Texas at Dallas’ efforts to achieve Tier One status mentions that Rice is one of three Tier One institutions in the state.
Dallas Business Journal
http://tinyurl.com/6pcbb72

BROADCAST/WEBCAST

Bloomberg Radio
Bob Stein, the Lena Gohlman Fox Professor of Political Science, appeared on Bloomberg Radio to discuss the GOP presidential race. A link to this broadcast is not available.

KTRH-AM
Mark Jones, the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies, professor and chair of political science and fellow in political science at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, appeared on KTRH-AM to discuss the upcoming Texas primary. A link to this broadcast is not available.

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

The new Mideast?
Research by Amy Myers Jaffe, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow in Energy Studies at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy; Ted Loch-Temzelides, professor of economics; and Songying Fang, assistant professor of political science, is cited in an article about energy production in the Mideast.
Zawya.com
http://tinyurl.com/crh3bs8

Damaging sea-level rise is on the way
John Anderson, the W. Maurice Ewing Chair in Oceanography and professor of Earth science, is mentioned in an article about climate change research.
Charlotte Observer (S.C.)
http://tinyurl.com/bla83to

Boston University announces 2012-2013 tuition increase
Rice is mentioned in an article about a tuition increase at Boston University.
BUQuad.com
http://tinyurl.com/7tumq4k

Achievers awarded for defying the odds
Rice is mentioned in an article about a Brandywine High School student.
South Bend Tribune (Ind.) (This article also appeared in the Aberdeen News and Individual.com.)
http://tinyurl.com/cj7mj3o

SPORTS

Reckling tosses first shutout as Rice tops Memphis
Articles recap a baseball series between Rice and the University of Memphis.
Houston Chronicle
http://tinyurl.com/8xc48jn
Rice’s Reckling sharp in 1-0 win over Memphis Tigers; U of M’s Moll shines too
Memphis Commercial-Appeal (Tenn.)
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/mar/24/owls-stifle-tigers-attack/
Memphis Tigers’ baseball team’s errors let No. 9 Rice take control
Memphis Commercial-Appeal (Tenn.)
http://tinyurl.com/7mfrlug
Rice defeats Memphis 15-4 with late-inning outburst
Cypress Times (Texas)
http://tinyurl.com/7hsae5p
Matthew Reckling fires complete game shutout in 1-0 victory at Memphis
Cypress Times (Texas)
http://tinyurl.com/86cppjb

UNLV men’s tennis
A news brief recaps a men’s tennis match between Rice and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
http://tinyurl.com/78t2jsd

Irish impress with four victories on day one
Articles recap the Victor Lopez Track Classic track-and-field tournament at Rice.
UND.com
http://www.und.com/sports/c-track/recaps/032412aaa.html
Both squads win in Houston
NDSMCObserver.com
http://tinyurl.com/748986w
UTPA’s Lopez second in 800 at Lopez Classic
Brownsville Herald (Texas)
http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/sports/northwood-138363-scorpions-run.html

Phil Humber throws six one-hit innings
Former Rice baseball player Philip Humber is profiled for his work with the Chicago White Sox.
ESPN.com
http://tinyurl.com/6mhe9cq

The college report: Gladewater’s McCauley played in NCAA tourney
Wiess College junior Christian Stringer is mentioned in an article about student-athletes from Longview, Texas.
Longview News-Journal (Texas)
http://tinyurl.com/75bu6b4

Lang garners all-area honor, MacArthur’s Jones player of the year
Rice is mentioned in an article about a student-athlete from Rockwall, Texas.
Rockwall Herald Banner (Texas)
http://tinyurl.com/74qxsgp

NEWS RELEASES

Rice receives $25 million naming gift from alumnus Robert Klein for a new social sciences building
Rice University has received a $25 million gift from alumnus Robert Klein to name a new School of Social Sciences building. The Rice Board of Trustees approved the proposal at its March 22 meeting.
https://news2.rice.edu/?p=24711

Nanostarfruits are pure gold for research
They look like fruit, and indeed the nanoscale stars of new research at Rice University have tasty implications for medical imaging and chemical sensing.
https://news2.rice.edu/?p=24702