Dateline Rice for Aug. 16, 2013

FEATURED ITEM

KUHF-FM
Jordan Miller ’08, assistant professor of bioengineering, is interviewed on the uses of 3-D printing. He also discussed with ITWorld.com his lab’s latest efforts using 3-D printing to mimic a blood vessel system and ultimately develop functioning organs.
http://bit.ly/1cJMtp5 (click audio)
The world’s 5 most fascinating 3-D printing projects
ITWorld.com
http://bit.ly/1cJ5M1G

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Bee venom: Biophysicists zoom in on pore-forming toxin
A new study by Rice biophysicists offers the most comprehensive picture yet of the molecular-level action of melittin, the major toxin in bee venom. Huey Huang, the Sam and Helen Worden Professor of Physics and Astronomy, is quoted.
Futurity.org
http://bit.ly/1cSmA5v
R&D Magazine
http://bit.ly/143oLyG
RedOrbit
http://bit.ly/14PKgW8

5 Australian universities in top 100 of 2013 academic world universities rankings, University of Melbourne in 54th place
Rice was No. 92 in the 2013 Academic World Universities Rankings produced by Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China.
International Business Times Australia
http://bit.ly/13qiyy4

Study aims to map Mount St. Helens’ magma
Rice scientists will help chart the inner workings of Mount St. Helens and its magma supply in a bid to improve volcanic monitoring and advance warning systems at volcanoes.
Columbian.com
http://bit.ly/128c3Nz
Scientists want a detailed picture of Mount St. Helens’ plumbing
NewsWise.com
http://bit.ly/19xQADz
Study to examine ‘plumbing system’ of Mount St. Helens’ magma
Daily News (Longview, Wash.)
http://bit.ly/16Q9mQH

Seeds of violence in climate change
Harvard fellow and Rice alumnus Nathan Black ’06 is spending two years in Haiti, Mexico and Uruguay investigating the connection between changing agricultural conditions — specifically the supply of agricultural land — and civil war.
Harvard Gazette
http://hvrd.me/14gi1K3

Authorities see no sheen near burning Gulf rig
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, commented on efforts to seal a burning Gulf oil rig that blew out Aug. 13. He also commented to the Houston Chronicle on shifting employment patterns among oil and gas companies following their increased focus on shale oil in south and west Texas.
Global News (Canada)
http://bit.ly/14k1xAK
Industry hiring shifts due to marketplace factors, demand
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1ePfOu3

Pais tera novo modelo de classes sociais a partir de 2014
Wagner Kamakura, the Jesse H. Jones Professor of Marketing, developed a new economic model on consumer behavior in Brazil.
Yahoo!Brazil (Similar articles appeared in Moda Brasil, Brazil Online and InfoMoney Online. An English translation of this article is currently unavailable.)
http://bit.ly/16Qax2A

Water clears path for nanoribbon development
James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Chair in Chemistry and professor of mechanical engineering and materials science and of computer science, and graduate student Vera Abramova are quoted in an article about the development of graphene nanoribbons. Graduate student Alexander Slesarev is mentioned.
SpaceDaily.com
http://bit.ly/16Qb9FA

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Rice startup accelerator graduates 1st class, secures funding for 2nd
Rice’s OwlSpark, a bootcamp for startup companies, graduated its first class of nine companies Aug. 15.
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1db28vi

Are you one of Houston’s 72,000?
Rice is No. 3 on the Houston Business Journal’s list of largest Houston-area private employers, with 3,436 Houstonians employed.
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/15JN9RG
Big News Network
http://bit.ly/144SK9c

Statesmen chorus bringing another great time show
Thomas Jaber, professor of music and director of choral ensembles, will accompany Barbara Johnson Tucker at the Gospel Extravaganza 16 at Conroe’s First United Methodist Church Aug. 18.
YourHoustonNews.com
http://bit.ly/15NVXWI

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Rice and ORNL vibrational spectroscopy captures 3-D organic molecular structures
By measuring the vibrations between atoms using femtosecond-long laser pulses, researchers at Rice and Oak Ridge National Laboratory can determine the three-dimensional positions of atoms within molecules without the restrictions imposed by X-ray diffraction and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. Junrong Zheng, assistant professor of chemistry, is quoted.
Laser Focus World (Similar articles also appeared in ScienceCodex.com, Nanowerk.com, Phys.org, ScienceDaily, OptoIQ, Laser Focus World, e! Science News, EurekAlert!, Medical Design Technology, RedOrbit.com, Nanotechnology Now, Guidry News Service and Product Design & Development.)
http://bit.ly/14CVSox

New form of carbon said to be strongest material ever found
Rice researchers have calculated the properties of a little-studied form of carbon known as carbyne and determined its specific strength surpasses that of any other known material.
TheVerge.com
http://bit.ly/15KKgjr
A new carbon supermaterial is stronger than graphene and diamond
Gizmodo.com
http://bit.ly/1cPMZ47
New form of carbon is super-strong, can kick diamond’s ass
Geekosystem
http://bit.ly/13nDs0R

NSBRI partnering with NASA to fund space radiation research institute
The NASA-funded National Space Biomedical Research Institute, located in Rice’s BioScience Research Collaborative, will provide up to $2 million annually to establish a Center for Space Radiation Research. The new center will aim to advance discoveries that could mitigate or reduce the health risks to astronauts on missions to asteroids, the moon or Mars.
GenomeWeb.com
http://bit.ly/15O3ZyK

Ecosystems change long before species are lost
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 more sensitive to change than previously thought.
Terra Daily
http://bit.ly/17S1xc6

Wang wins IEEE biomedical engineering award
Rice alumnus Lihong Wang ’92 will receive the 2014 IEEE Biomedical Engineering Award, the highest honor conferred by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers in this field.
News.Wustl.Edu
http://bit.ly/19xUPih

Professional profile: Matthew Juros, 2013
Architect and Rice alumnus Matthew Juros ’96 is interviewed.
New England Real Estate Journal
http://nerej.com/65247

Quarterly report: Stax Music Academy summer 2013
Rice is mentioned as one of the schools to accept a student from the Stax Music Academy in Memphis, Tenn.
GlobalGiving.org
http://bit.ly/19mWzaB

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Former Peninsula Youth Orchestra member returns as featured artist
Rice alumna Alexandra Bryant ’10 returns to Gig Harbor, Wash., as the featured guest artist at the Peninsula Youth Orchestra’s annual string camp Aug. 19-23.
KitsapSun.com
http://bit.ly/16h7oK6

New pastor at Brooklyn Free Methodist Church of East Otto
Rice alumnus Raymond Start ’05 is named the church’s new pastor.
The Salamanca Press (N.Y.)
http://bit.ly/13FhuBl

Abraham Gertler joined high school students from across the US to explore chemistry at BASF’s Science Academy
Rice is mentioned as a university that has accepted graduates of the BASF Science Academy for incoming high school seniors.
ReadMedia.com (Similar articles appeared in WebWire and Equities.com.)
http://bit.ly/16U3rfl

SPORTS

New sports anchor finds home with Jewish community
Men’s basketball coach Ben Braun is mentioned in this article as one of the Jewish community’s athletic figures in Houston.
Jewish Herald-Voice
http://bit.ly/1ddeNOs

Law could be trouble for brokers in Manziel case
The Owls’ football season opener against Texas A&M and Aggie quarterback Johnny Manziel is mentioned.
ABCNews
http://abcn.ws/1cGXYxy
Chancellor Sharp backs his quarterback
Houston Chronicle (Other articles mentioning the Owls’ football opener also appeared in 30 new outlets and 2 broadcast outlets.)
http://bit.ly/13o7VMn

KROI-FM
Local football star O.J. Brigance honored by the Touchdown Club of Houston
Former Owl O. J. Brigance was honored at the 48th Touchdowner of the Year dinner Aug. 14 in Houston. Diagnosed with ALS four years ago and no longer able to talk or move about on his own, he appeared live via Skype for the award, reading his remarks electronically with his eyes. Among those honoring him was Rice alumnus Donald Bowers ’91, his Rice roommate and teammate.
http://bit.ly/14kfH4D

New Westport owners share passion for tennis
Rice alumnus Willie Dann ’95 purchased The Club at Westport, a tennis club in Denver, N.C.
DenverNCWeekly.com
http://bit.ly/17vgNN6