Dateline Rice for April 18, 2012

FEATURED ITEMS

Low-cost solar cells from nanotube ‘forests’
By replacing platinum with carbon nanotubes, researchers hope to make efficient solar cells at a fraction of the current cost for silicon-based solar cells. Jun Lou, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and materials science, is quoted. Pei Dong, a graduate student in mechanical engineering and materials science, is mentioned.
Futurity.org
http://tinyurl.com/8337b2o
Dye-sensitized solar cells get a nanotube electrode boost
Science20.com
http://tinyurl.com/d4n2pym
Nanotubes could make more robust, cheaper solar cells
TheEngineer.co.uk
http://tinyurl.com/csejn3n
Solar cells to become more affordable with nanotechnology
DeathAndTaxesMag.com
http://tinyurl.com/cxyxthv

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Oil-loving sponge can soak 100 times its weight
By adding boron to carbon nanotubes, Rice scientists have created spongy, reusable blocks that absorb oil spilled in water. Pulickel Ajayan, the Benjamin M. and Mary Greenwood Anderson Professor in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and of chemistry, and Daniel Hashim, a graduate student in mechanical engineering and materials science, are quoted in these news items. A Rice-produced video is featured.
MSNBC.MSN.com
http://tinyurl.com/89nfhf3
The superabsorbent nanosponge that only soaks up oil 100 times its own weight
Discover
http://tinyurl.com/cvdjx78
This ultra-absorbent nanosponge could fix the world’s worst oil spills
iO9.com
http://tinyurl.com/d2qfq62
Nanosponges soak up more than 100 times their weight in oil
ZDNet.com
http://tinyurl.com/cj87525
New nanosponge can clean seas of oil spills
MSN.com (This Indo-Asian News-Service article also appeared on UzbekistanNews.net, BarcelonaNews.net, BeijingNews.net, AzerbaijanNews.net, AustralianNews.net, PakistanNews.net, JakartaNews.net, BruneiNews.net, BombayNews.net, NetIndia123.com, BangkokNews.net, SentinelAssam.com, NewKerala.com, DaijiWorld.com, Mangalorean.com and KenyaStar.com.)
http://news.in.msn.com/international/article.aspx?cp-documentid=6029256
Researchers create nanosponges to suck up oil spills
DemocraticUnderground.com
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002577311
Carbon nanotube sponge devours oil
Alltop.com
http://holykaw.alltop.com/carbon-nanotube-sponge-devours-oil
Nanosponges soak up oil again and again
LittleGreenFootballs.com
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/page/274515_Nanosponges_Soak_Up_Oil_Again_
Carbon nanosponge for oil clean up
OverclockersClub.com
http://www.overclockersclub.com/news/31280/

War of the worlds: When science, politics collide
Ken Whitney, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, is quoted in an article about the tension between science and politics.
NPR.org (This article also appeared on KUHF.org [Houston], KQED.org [San Francisco], KBIA.org [Missouri], OPB.org [Oregon], NorthCountryPublicRadio.org [New York], VPR.net [Vermont], NWPR.org [Washington], WBUR.org [Boston], WKAR.org [Michigan], Minnesota.PublicRadio.org, WFAE.org [Charlotte, N.C.], GPB.org [Georgia], KUNC.org [Colorado] and LittleGreenFootballs.com.)
http://tinyurl.com/7w6cdmu

Neonatal monitor ‘Babalung’ could save preemies
An inexpensive, battery-powered neonatal monitor may save the lives of infants in the developing world. Lovett College senior Rachel Alexander is quoted. A Rice-produced video is featured.
CNet.com
http://tinyurl.com/bwo2s6j

BBC Radio 5
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 BBC Radio 5 to discuss Argentina’s nationalization of its largest energy company. Jones is also quoted in an article on the same subject. A link to the BBC Radio 5 broadcast is not available. An English translation of the Reportero24.com article is not available.
Kirchner makes good on her threat and nationalizes YPF
Reportero24.com
http://tinyurl.com/7ovveuh

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Texas Children’s Hospital awarded grants for research
Jane Grande-Allen, associate professor of bioengineering; Daniel Harrington, faculty fellow in biochemistry and cell biology; Zachary Ball, assistant professor of chemistry; and Laura Segatori, the T.N. Law Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, received awards from the Virginia and L.E. Simmons Family Foundation.
UltimateBellaire.com
http://tinyurl.com/bv24v83

Two Rice students named Truman Scholars
Martel College senior Benjamin Chou and Sid Richardson College senior Rahul Rekhi are among the 54 college students nationwide named 2012 Truman Scholars. Each Truman Scholarship provides up to $30,000 for graduate study. Caroline Quenemoen, director of fellowships and undergraduate research, is also quoted.
Cypress Times
http://tinyurl.com/88xu3fq
Three Indian Americans named 2012 Truman Scholars
IndiaWest.com
http://tinyurl.com/d8muvg2

Baker Institute teams up with Brazilian think tank
Rice’s James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy entered into a formal agreement March 29 with Brazilian think tank Fundacao Getulio Vargas.
UltimateWestU.com
http://tinyurl.com/c6nmt8m

Architectural photographer to the stars believes Houston is as good of an art town as New York
Rice is mentioned in a Q-and-A with architectural photographer Scott Frances.
Culturemap.com
http://tinyurl.com/6lzk7nr

Rice to host an UnConvention
This article from last week promoted the Rice UnConvention.
VisitHoustonTexas.com
http://tinyurl.com/brb4w5w

Wilson pupils to learn about solar power
Rice is mentioned in an article about a solar power generator installed at Woodrow Wilson Montessori School.
Houston Chronicle
http://tinyurl.com/83kalxs

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Nano-syringe could help treat brain tumors
A team from Rice and the Methodist Neurological Institute has developed a 20-nanometer syringe, capable of delivering combination chemotherapy drugs directly into cancer cells, selectively killing malignant tissues.
FierceDrugDeliver.com
http://tinyurl.com/ccz4fwt

Business plan competition awards $1.6 million
An article discusses the winners of the Rice Business Plan Competition.
HispanicBusiness.com
http://tinyurl.com/cy6gbsg

New test could enable dentists to detect oral cancer faster
A researcher from the University of Sheffield is working with Rice to develop a revolutionary technique that could allow dentists to diagnose oral cancer in 20 minutes or less.
DentistryToday.com
http://tinyurl.com/7bd9w7b

How big should a bank be?
Rice research is cited in an article about the size of the banking industry.
AmericanBanker.com
http://tinyurl.com/7tycta2

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

At college radio station, students find their passion as air apparents
Rice’s KTRU radio station is mentioned in an article about Mt. San Antonio College’s radio station.
New Orleans Times-Picayune (This article also appeared in the Sacramento Bee, the Syracuse Post-Standard and CampusCircle.com.)
http://tinyurl.com/ch8y4gx

SPORTS

The following articles recap a baseball game between Rice and Texas A&M University.
Rice defeats No. 2 Texas A&M in College Station
Cypress Times (Texas)
http://tinyurl.com/d57yka2
Rice rallies to beat Texas A&M 5-4
KBTX.com (Bryan/College Station, Texas)
http://tinyurl.com/77nmntb
Rice beats A&M 5-4
AggieSports.com
http://www.aggiesports.com/baseball/Rice-beats-A-amp-amp-M-5-4–7106511
Rice comes back on Aggies; wins 5-4
WTAW.com (Bryan/College Station, Texas)
http://wtaw.com/2012/04/18/rice-comes-back-on-aggies-wins-5-4/
Tuesday thoughts — The more things change edition
IAmThe12thMan.com
http://tinyurl.com/7kyvubm

College baseball rankings: Texas A&M, Rice and Sam Houston State in top 25
The Rice Owls baseball team placed seventh in a BaseballAmerica.com ranking of top college baseball teams in the nation.
SBNation.com
http://houston.sbnation.com/2012/4/17/2954808/college-baseball-rankings-top-25
College baseball rankings 2012: Baylor, Texas make Baseball America top 25
SBNation.com
http://tinyurl.com/d94hdx2

Conference USA, Mountain West merger ‘unlikely’
Rice is mentioned in news items about a proposed merger between Conference USA and the Mountain West Conference.
CBSSports.com
http://tinyurl.com/cj538fs
KGMB-TV (Honolulu)
http://tinyurl.com/c2ebntv

NEWS RELEASES

Two Rice seniors win Watson Fellowships
Rice University undergraduates Rachael Petersen and Becky Wade are among 40 graduating seniors from around the country awarded a 2012 Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. Each will receive $25,000 for 12 months of world travel and experiential learning to study a topic of their choice.
https://news2.rice.edu/?p=26552

Rice sociologist to release results from 31st annual Kinder Houston Area Survey
Rice University sociologist Stephen Klineberg will release findings next week from the 2012 Kinder Houston Area Survey, the 31st annual study that covers such topics as Houston’s current economic outlook, quality-of-life considerations and demographic transformations.
https://news2.rice.edu/?p=26535

NuMat Technologies from Northwestern crowned Rice Business Plan Competition champion
The 2012 Rice Business Plan Competition crowned NuMat Technologies from Northwestern University as the world champion startup company Saturday night for its invention of a nanomaterial that can store gases just like a sponge soaks up water. The Northwestern team took home $874,300 of the more than $1.55 million in cash and prizes presented at the awards banquet.
https://news2.rice.edu/?p=26511