Dateline Rice for Nov. 26, 2013

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Companies prepare to pass more health costs to workers
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, is quoted in an article about the Affordable Care Act.
Yahoo!Finance (This article also appeared in Free Republic.)
http://yhoo.it/1geOAzG

Bun B on Janis Joplin, UGK’s label struggles and his voice
Bernard “Bun B” Freeman, the Center for Engaged Research and Collaborative Learning’s Distinguished Lecturer, is featured in a segment of “Microphone Check.” The transcript includes samples of Bun B’s music videos.
NPR.org (This segment appeared on many NPR affiliates, including WNYC, WUVM-FM, Oregon Public Broadcasting and WUNC-FM.)
http://n.pr/1jFK251

Viewpoint: Vote centers will provide best election experience
A Rice study that found an increased voter turnout in states that implemented vote centers is cited in an op-ed by Indiana State Sen. Doug Eckerty.
The Herald Bulletin (Anderson, Ind.)
http://bit.ly/1gf4Ctb

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Based on an analysis of U.S. Census data by Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and co-director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research, has determined that Fort Bend is the most ethnically diverse county in the nation.
Hindu community plans new temple in Katy
The Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1ex7wch
The diversity of Fort Bend County
The Texas Tribune
http://bit.ly/Ig2Agp
Philly vs Houston energy hubs, why Yankees are coming to Texas, tops for diversity and STEM, and more
Houston Strategies
http://bit.ly/1exc0jb
What ethnic diversity looks like: Fort Bend County
MyHighPlains.com
http://bit.ly/1jGlaKE

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, has authored the Texas Weekly article on statistical analysis of conservative-liberal scaled rankings for Texas lawmakers and is quoted in articles about the Texas lieutenant governor and agriculture commissioner races.
The 2013 senate, from left to right
Texas Weekly
http://bit.ly/1dyBiQO
The Brief: Texas political news for Nov. 26, 2013
The Texas Tribune
http://bit.ly/1jGaBqY
Texas Tribune: Van de Putte ‘better known as a centrist’
The San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/18lSXJx
Texas lieutenant governor candidate Dan Patrick rated most conservative state senator by Rice University’s Mark P. Jones
Texas Conservative Republican News
http://bit.ly/1bSxq6o
In case you missed it
Country Life Magazine
http://bit.ly/17VVGsG
Kinky could see competition in primary
San Antonio Express News (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1b2xnUI

82-year old Garland man still missing after 6 weeks
Ann Ticknor, wife of Rice alumnus Hal Ticknor ’52, is asking for the public’s help in locating her missing husband.
NBCDFW.com
http://bit.ly/1bS62W9

BROADCAST/WEBCAST

KRIV-TV
Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and co-director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is interviewed in a segment of “Hola Houston” about attitudes towards education by Harris County minority residents.
http://bit.ly/1aVXKPk

Experts say test scores raise red flag in HISD cheating investigation
Linda McSpadden McNeil, director of Rice’s Center for Education and professor of education, is interviewed in a segment about the recent cheating scandal at two HISD elementary schools.
KUHF
http://bit.ly/1aR14fD

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Dunn Foundation awards bioscience grants
Five teams of scientists earned research seed grants awarded this year by the John S. Dunn Foundation. The awards support new collaborations by researchers at Rice University’s BioScience Research Collaborative and their partners at other institutional members of the Gulf Coast Consortia.
Phys.org (This article also appeared in HispanicBusness.com and Bio-Medicine.)
http://bit.ly/17VKMDn

Flashes of brilliance: Rice U. researchers discover roots of superfluorescent bursts from quantum wells
Junichiro Kono, professor of electrical and computer engineering and of physics and astronomy, is quoted in an article about a new process, Fermi-edge superfluorescence, which could be used to create compact semiconductor devices that produce picosecond pulses of light. Postdoctoral researchers Timothy Noe and Ji-Hee Kim are mentioned.
Nanotechnology Now (This article also appeared in Science Daily and Sciencecodex.com.)
http://bit.ly/1cMBrey
Spontaneous bursts of light from a solid block
Product Design & Development
http://bit.ly/1enGtzA
Researchers discover roots of superfluorescent bursts from quantum wells
NanoWerk.com (This article also appeared in Phys.org.)
http://bit.ly/IqIYpO

Bad proteins branch out
A method to model the way proteins fold and sometimes misfold has revealed branching behavior that may have implications for Alzheimer’s and other aggregation diseases. Peter Wolynes, the D.R. Bullard-Welch Foundation Professor of Science and a professor of chemistry, is quoted. Postdoctoral researcher Weihua Zheng and graduate student Nicholas Schafer are mentioned.
Bio-Medicine (This article also appeared in Science News Online and Innovations Report.)
http://bit.ly/Iqzcnm

Gold-palladium nanocatalysts set new mark for breakdown of nitrites
Michael Wong, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and of chemistry, is quoted in an article about a new catalyst that can rapidly break down nitrites, a common and harmful contaminant in drinking water that often results from overuse of agricultural fertilizers.
NanoWerk.com
http://bit.ly/IfTHn5
Nanocatalysts discovered for cleanup of nitrites in drinking water
WaterWorld.com
http://bit.ly/1b2mthA
Rice scientists ID new catalyst for cleanup of nitrites: Gold-palladium nanocatalysts set new mark for breakdown of nitrites
NanoTechnology Now (This article also appeared in Bio-Medicine.)
http://bit.ly/1c6Nh4R

Houston’s economic environment is tops – real estate, demographic, economic factors combine to make Houston a desirable place to do business
Rice is cited as one of the reasons for Houston’s strong business environment.
Smart Business
http://bit.ly/Ifit7l

Biophotonics funding beyond R&D
Rice 360° Institute for Global Health Technologies is mentioned in an article about innovative biophotonic research programs.
BioOptics World
http://bit.ly/IfcqzF

Engineering education may foster ‘disengagement’
Collegiate engineering education may foster a “culture of disengagement” regarding issues of public welfare, according to a new Rice study. Erin Cech, assistant professor of sociology, is quoted.
The Institute of Engineering and Technology
http://bit.ly/IfQeFd
3 studies that prove you shouldn’t believe everything you read
The Palm Beach Post
http://bit.ly/1aQNoBr

Nanotherapeutics breakthrough for brain cancer treatment
Rice alumna Emily Day ’11 is quoted in an article about research that has developed a nanotherapeutic capable of penetrating the blood-brain barrier.
Controlled Environments
http://bit.ly/1c6KNDI

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Cellist arrives at the ACT
Rice alumna Rebecca Wenham ’02 will perform at the ACT Arts Centre and Theatre.
The Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Times (Maple Ridge, B.C.)
http://bit.ly/1hfLhLx

National Instruments Corp: Will multicore hardware leave your real-time software behind?
Rice alumna Wendy Logan ’04 has authored an article about opportunities and challenges presented by multicore processors.
4-Traders
http://bit.ly/IkQm6Y

7th annual Blawg 100
Chandler Davidson, the Radoslav A. Tsanoff Professor Emeritus of Public Affairs and Sociology, recommends the Election Law Blog as one of the top legal blogs of the year.
ABA Journal
http://bit.ly/1cpSHGv

SPORTS

Several articles preview next Saturday’s football game between Rice and Tulane University.
Conference USA tiebreaker scenarios
The Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/17VU7uS
This week: Rice vs. Tulane
The Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1cMH8cq
Conference USA news and notes
The Chicago Tribune
http://trib.in/1hfZPuF
Rice one win from C-USA title game after OT victory
Sugar Land Sun
http://bit.ly/1c6MPDQ
Conference USA football scenarios
The Herald-Dispatch (Huntington, W.V.)
http://bit.ly/1c6Qx0f
Rice football press conference quotes
Rice head football coach David Bailiff is quoted.
SportsNOLA.com
http://bit.ly/1hfZs3e

Rice forward Sean Obi named C-USA freshman of the week
Rice forward Sean Obi has picked up his first Conference USA weekly award.
The Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/194nar3

21 Conestoga athletes commit to colleges
Conestoga High School senior Kaitlin Benjamin has signed a letter of intent with Rice.
Mainline Media News
http://bit.ly/1cpQIlr

NEWS RELEASE

Jones School expert available to comment on Black Friday’s economic impact
Shoppers across this country are preparing to take advantage of Black Friday deals. What will be the hot-ticket items and will the economy and stock market receive a boost? Jill Foote, a senior lecturer in finance at Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business, is available to comment on the dynamics and economic impact of Black Friday and holiday shopping.
http://bit.ly/1cqK6mP