Dateline Rice for Aug. 14, 2013

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

BBC Radio 5 Live
Edward Djerejian, founding director of Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, discussed Israeli-Palestinian settlement and peace negotiations.
http://bit.ly/19gS7dt (This story aired in the U.K. on 19 BBC Radio stations and in Europe via the BBC Radio network.)

‘Obamacare’ and you: Resistance in Texas, where many are uninsured
The article mentions a recent study by Rice’s Hobby Center for the Study of Texas which indicated that half of the 6 million Texans without health insurance could gain it via the Affordable Care Act.
USA Today (This article also appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer and 26 other papers.)
http://usat.ly/168L8SF

Brasil adotara novo modelo de classes sociais a partir de janeiro de 2014
Wagner Kamakura, the Jesse H. Jones Professor of Marketing, was interviewed on Brazilian TV about his new book, “Socioeconomic Stratification and Consumption in Brazil.” The book offers insight and a new economic model on consumer behavior in Brazil.
Globo.com
http://glo.bo/1a4Tsa4

Plants ‘hear’ herbivores coming — and prepare
Janet Braam, professor and chair of biochemistry and cell biology, is quoted in a National Geographic story.
National Geographic
http://bit.ly/1d6yS9d

Drones don’t just fly. Here’s one that crawls inside sewer pipes.
U.S. Air Force Academy graduate Lt. Kyle Fitle, who is headed to Rice this fall, co-designed a new drone device that can navigate a building’s plumbing system to help first responders reach trapped disaster victims.
The Washington Post
http://wapo.st/122ijXf

Age, size throw ecosystems out of whack
Volker Rudolf, associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, is quoted in this article about a Rice study that found that natural ecosystems are likely to be a lot more sensitive to change, and especially to human activities, than previously thought.
Futurity.org
http://bit.ly/16KJm9w
Study: Human impacts on ecosystems go beyond species loss
UPI.com (This article also appeared in Big News Network online news service.)
http://bit.ly/15B7rg6
Ecosystems change long before species are lost
Esciencenews.com (This article also appeared in EurekAlert!, R&D Magazine, Phys.org and ScienceNewsline.)
http://bit.ly/1cNJnzB

‘Lego’ viruses stick together to fight disease
Junghae Suh, assistant professor of bioengineering, and Jonathan Silberg, assistant professor of biochemistry and cell biology, are quoted in this article about their study on a set of rules to custom-design Lego-like viral capsid proteins for gene therapy.
Futurity.org
http://bit.ly/13i1MkF

Interview: World to see more extreme weather due to climate change: US expert
Ronald L. Sass, a fellow in global climate change at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in this article about the impact of climate change on the widespread heat waves across the globe this year.
bj.xinhuanet.com (China) (Distributed by Xinhua News Agency [China], this story also appeared on China.org.cn, People’s Daily [Spanish-Online] and World News Connection.)
http://bit.ly/1a4U0Ng

There’s lots of life in exclusive ex-presidents club
Douglas Brinkley, professor of history and fellow in history at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in an article about the lives U.S. presidents lead after leaving office.
Twincities.com
http://bit.ly/14LNoSQ

A rational examination asking why so many chose to escape
In Charles Glass’s new book, “The Deserters,” an earlier investigation by Gen. Elliot Cooke, is mentioned. Cooke reportedly learned that some draft boards exempted from service 14 members of a Rice football team.
Thecuttingedgenews.com
http://bit.ly/1d7bU1G

HOUSTON/TEXAS

It’s time for an independent review of Apollo 20
Ruth Lopez Turley, associate professor of sociology and director of the Houston Education Research Consortium, is quoted in this feature column about a possible review of HISD’s Apollo program.
Houston Chronicle (subscription required)
http://bit.ly/1eJ5u6O

Former NASA astronaut Danny Olivas joins UTEP to launch space research
Former NASA astronaut and University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and Rice alumnus John Danny Olivas ‘96 will direct UTEP’s new Center for the Advancement of Space Safety and Mission Assurance Research.
El Paso Times (This article also appeared in Las Cruces Sun News [N.M.] and in Markets.financialcontent.com.)
http://bit.ly/16bxXjU

Events calendar: Fall bazaars and festivals abound this year
The article provides a link to the personal development courses offered this fall at Rice’s Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/17Nui9U

BROADCAST/WEBCAST

MPR
Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and professor of economics, comments on the proliferation of freestanding emergency medical centers.
http://bit.ly/17pyAWc (click audio) (This story also aired in 16 other broadcast outlets.)

KTRK-TV
Mark Jones, the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies, professor and chair of political science and fellow in political science at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, commented on the Houston mayoral race.
http://bit.ly/16JN82R

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Physics: Places to be, places to avoid
Rice earned the top worldwide ranking in both materials science and chemistry in a new study from the Max Planck Society in Germany, based on citations of research papers. Rice also ranked second in engineering, fourth in physics and eighth in computer science.
Science 2.0
http://bit.ly/1eCec6E

Santa Fe Gold announces results of 2013 annual stockholder meeting held Aug. 6.
Rice alumnus Michael Heeley was elected Aug. 6 to the board of directors of the Santa Fe Gold Corp.
Yahoo!Finance (This article also appeared in The Herald [N.M.] and seven other papers, and on WGFL-TV [Fla.] and 23 other broadcast outlets.)
http://yhoo.it/14LNFVO

Cumulative LNG exports approach magic line
The margin for U.S. liquefied natural gas exports is razor thin, according to Ken Medlock, the James A. Baker III and Susan Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics and senior director of the Center for Energy Studies at the Baker Institute and lecturer of economics.
Interfaxenergy.com
http://bit.ly/13kq3qz

Lord Howell plots with fracking firms in Windsor dungeon Aug. 13
This article on the Windsor Energy Group (WEG) mentions the participation at a 2011 WEG event by Wiilliam Arnold, professor in the practice of management.
Corporatewatch.org.uk
http://bit.ly/14amwG3

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

New pastor for First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights
Rice alumnus Rev. Alexander Lang ‘02 is the new pastor at the First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights, Ill.
Chicago Tribune (This story also appeared in the Daily Herald [Ill.].)
http://trib.in/16kD57W

Motor City: Art deco gem can rise again
Rice alumnus Gwynne Dyer ‘66 wrote about his recent tour of Detroit, its remaining art and its ability to rise out of bankruptcy.
Thompson Citizen (Manatoba, Canada)
http://bit.ly/14LpnbP

SPORTS

A&M selling seats on WWII bomber to fly over game against Rice
Seven seats on a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber are being auctioned off for a flyover during the Aug. 31 Texas A&M game against Rice.
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in the San Antonio Express-News.)
http://bit.ly/14LprIF

Aggies get $1.4 million baseball donation
Michael and Judy Johnson, longtime supporters of Owls baseball, have given a donation to support the baseball program at New Mexico State University.
KDBC-TV (This story also appeared in Las Cruces Sun-News [N.M.], Markets.financialcontent.com and Federal News Service.)
http://bit.ly/1eJPJN5

Reports of more autograph signings for Johnny Manziel
Rice’s opener Aug. 31 against Texas A&M is mentioned.
Los Angeles Times (Similar stories mentioning the football opener appeared in 30 papers and on First Take – ESPN2 and 10 broadcast outlets.)
http://lat.ms/17pyZaW
A&M should sit Manziel … and hope
Msn.foxsports.com
http://bit.ly/13YsGN4

NEWS RELEASES

A new study by Rice University biophysicists offers the most comprehensive picture yet of the molecular-level action of melittin, the major toxin in bee venom. The research could aid in the development of new drugs that use a similar mechanism as melittin’s to attack cancer and bacteria. The study appears this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
http://bit.ly/18v0VeO