Dateline Rice for Oct. 22, 2013

Correction: State Attorney General Greg Abbott’s name was misspelled in the Weekend Edition. Dateline Rice regrets the error.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Hacking your heart
Rice researchers have designed a secure way to cut the risk that an implanted medical device such as a pacemaker, insulin pump or defibrillator could be altered remotely without authorization. Their technology would use the patient’s own heartbeat as a kind of password that could only be accessed through touch. Farinaz Koushanfar, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, and graduate student Mahmoud Rostami are mentioned.
Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/sites/xerox/2013/10/22/hacking-your-heart/

HOUSTON/TEXAS

The 17th WHAT?? Obscure amendment enters into Lt. Gov. race
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, is quoted in an article about the efforts of some Texas Republican lawmakers to repeal the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
1201 WOAI (San Antonio)
http://bit.ly/H8clx5

Groups hit Houston’s streets in hopes of saving Astrodome
A recent poll conducted by Rice University is cited in a story about efforts to preserve the Astrodome.
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in the Dallas Morning News, Kansas City Star, Daily Journal, Miami Herald and more than 20 other sites.)
http://bit.ly/1ibrY27

Researchers ready to market a tiny product
Andrew Barron, the Charles W. Duncan Jr.-Welch Professor of Chemistry and professor of materials science, is quoted in an article about spinoff companies that develop university patents for commercial applications. The late Richard Smalley and Robert Curl, University Professor Emeritus and the Kenneth S. Pitzer-Schlumberger Professor Emeritus of Natural Sciences, are mentioned.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram (This article also appeared in Manufacturing.net.)
http://bit.ly/1ibhyj3

BROADCAST/WEBCAST

KPRC-TV
Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine ranks Rice No. 3 on the list of best values among private universities.
http://bit.ly/16q0lT5

C-SPAN
Douglas Brinkley, professor of history and fellow in history at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is a guest on “First Ladies: Influence and Image.”
http://bit.ly/1cSYqFR

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Natural gas infrastructure growth advances spark spiral for off-highway engines
Kenneth Medlock III, the James A. Baker III and Susan Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics at the Baker Institute, Senior director of the Center for Energy Studies at the Baker Institute and lecturer on economics, is quoted in an article about the new interest in developing engines that use natural gas.
SAE Vehicle Engineering
http://www.sae.org/mags/sve/12538

Super antioxidant based on material used in vehicle catalytic converters
Scientists at Rice are enhancing the natural antioxidant properties of an element found in a car’s catalytic converter to make it useful for medical applications. Vicki Colvin, the Kenneth S. Pitzer-Schlumberger Professor of Chemistry, vice provost for research and professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, is quoted.
Kurzweil.net
http://bit.ly/1fSIZ4m
Self-renewing antioxidant developed by researchers at Rice University
Health Imaging Hub
http://bit.ly/19YFVLD
Rice scientists create a super antioxidant
Space Mart
http://bit.ly/HfBPrA

Super-resolution imaging technology locates specific DNA sequences
Christy Landes, assistant professor of chemistry, is quoted in an article on how Rice researchers have found a way to pinpoint the location of specific sequences along single strands of DNA.
Biotechdaily.com
http://www.biotechdaily.com/?option=com_article&Itemid=294748711

Hong Kong’s New Towns inspire ‘Present Future’
Albert Pope, the Gus Sessions Wortham Professor of Architecture, is quoted in an article about Rice’s new graduate program “Present Future.”
Eyes In
http://bit.ly/160cJXn

Outreach programs for parents can reduce school mobility among black students
A team that includes Rice researchers found out that outreach programs for African American families can be successful in reducing the number of students who change schools for reasons other than grade promotion.
Journal of Blacks in Higher Education
http://bit.ly/1ibgr2H

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

50 fittest colleges 2013
Rice University is ranked No. 4 among the 50 fittest colleges of 2013.
The Active Times
http://www.theactivetimes.com/50-fittest-colleges-2013
City Biz List Houston
http://bit.ly/1a58XPN

Dr. Lam appointed to ACS Florida Division Board of Directors
Rice alumna Dr. Loan Lam ’00 has been appointed to serve on the American Cancer Society’s Florida Division of Directors.
Marconews.com
http://bit.ly/177MEq7

Cameron University to formally install Dr. John M. McArthur as president; ceremony open to the public 
Rice alumnus John M McArthur ’87 has been named the president of Cameron University.
Duncan Banner
http://bit.ly/GZQvvl

Shorter classes are key to education future, according to Coursera founder
Rice University is mentioned in an article on research that shows shorter classes/courses result in improved student performance.
Business Administration Information
http://bit.ly/HcYcPq

SPORTS

Kugler looks ahead to Rice
University of Texas El Paso head football coach Sean Kugler discusses the upcoming game against Rice.
Miner Illustrated.com
http://utep.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1564785

Week 9 mid-major top 10 ballot: Fresno State, Northern Illinois remain leaders, Wyoming drops out
Rice is mentioned in an article about the recent Mid-Major top-10 poll.
Statesman.com (This article also appeared in the Middletown Journal.)
http://bit.ly/1a3pccj

Rice manhandles ‘pink’ Aggies
A recap of the Rice vs. New Mexico State University game.
Alamogordo Daily News
http://bit.ly/17e5hLq

NEWS RELEASES

Writers to explore ‘The Veteran Experience’ at Rice Nov. 5
Six acclaimed authors will discuss their writing as a lens to explore veteran and active-duty experiences Nov. 5 for the inaugural The Veteran Experience Speaker Series at Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business.
http://bit.ly/1deT62s

Final outcome for immigration reform less than clear, Baker Institute expert says
As President Barack Obama has announced his renewed push for comprehensive immigration reform post-government shutdown, the final legislative outcome is less than clear, according to Tony Payan, a fellow for Mexico studies at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and director of the Baker Institute’s Mexico Center.
http://bit.ly/16q8I0U