Dateline Rice for Dec. 18, 2013

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Qatar is suddenly investing heavily in the US, bankrolling D.C.’s City Center, other projects
Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, fellow for Kuwait at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in an article on Qatar’s investments in U.S. real estate.
Washington Post
http://wapo.st/19SthPG

Antibiotics can’t beat wastewater ‘superbugs’
Tests at two wastewater treatment plants in northern China revealed antibiotic-resistant bacteria were not only escaping purification but also breeding and spreading their dangerous cargo. Pedro Alvarez, the George R. Brown Professor and chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is quoted.
Futurity
http://bit.ly/1bQ0gXW
‘Superbugs’ spreading from water treatment plants
Summit County Voice
http://bit.ly/18yHgiq
Multidrug resistance gene released by Chinese wastewater treatment plants
C&EN
http://bit.ly/1kerb4f

An open letter in defense of Rebecca Schuman
Joshua Eyler, director of the Rice University Center for Teaching Excellence, signed an open letter supporting Rebecca Schuman, who received an overwhelming amount of hostile criticism following her publication of a provocative opinion piece advocating that college students no longer be assigned to write essays in required courses.
Chronicle of Higher Education
http://bit.ly/1hkPhrJ

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Her group finds artifacts that reveal Texas history
When the Texas Department of Transportation recently needed help sifting through a mountain of sand hiding hundreds of prehistoric human artifacts, staff archeologists knew exactly where to look. Rice’s archaeology lab in Sewall Hall is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1dmxTQm

Mark Jones, the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies, professor and chair of political science and fellow in political science at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in articles on local elections.
Sólo dos mujeres en el Concejo de la Ciudad de Houston el año que viene
LaVoz (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/18Wr7kX
Dura noche para dos concejales de Houston en elecciones de segunda vuelta
LaVoz (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1fmFpw8

Critics pick the best of this week’s entertainment offerings
The King’s Singers will perform Dec. 23 at Rice’s Alice Pratt Brown Hall.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1dNRk55

BROADCAST

David Alexander, director of the Rice Space Institute and professor of physics and astronomy, comments on a spacewalk to repair the malfunctioning cooling pump on the International Space Station.
WINS-AM (New York City)
(This interview also aired on All News 106.7 [Atlanta], WBAP-AM [Dallas] and KTAR-FM [Phoenix].)
http://tinyurl.com/qxn95f6
WJBF-TV (Augusta, Ga.)
(This interview also aired on WABG-TV [Greenville, Miss.], WEAR-TV [Mobile, Ala.], KIFI-TV [Idaho Falls, Idaho], KTBS-TV [Shreveport, La.], KTVX-TV [Salt Lake City] and WICD-TV [Champaign, Ill.].)
http://tinyurl.com/qx5jjsj

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Nasa’s control centres
Rice is mentioned for donating the land that NASA’s Johnson Space Center is located on.
Engineering and Technology Magazine
http://bit.ly/JBMrma

Rice University Professor Rebecca Richards-Kortum named Optical Society fellow
Rebecca Richards-Kortum, Rice’s Stanley C. Moore Professor and chair of the Department of Bioengineering and director of both Beyond Traditional Borders and Rice 360: Institute for Global Health Technologies, has been named a fellow by the Optical Society.
AZO Optics
http://bit.ly/1gFYRb2

Ethanol blends carry hidden risk
A Rice study finds that spills of fuel with more ethanol could endanger people and buildings. Pedro Alvarez, the George R. Brown Professor and chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is quoted.
Environmental Research Web
http://bit.ly/1bQ1Itg
Spills of fuel with more ethanol could endanger people, buildings
Medical News Today (This article also appeared on The Big News Network, Algorithmica, Terra Daily, Asian Scientist and Homeland Security Newswire.)
http://bit.ly/19cBJyK

James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Chair in Chemistry and professor of mechanical engineering and materials science and of computer science, is quoted in an articles about the practical application of graphene nanoribbons and graphene in oil exploration.
Graphene nanoribbons an ice-melting coat for radar
Environmental Research Web (This article also appeared on Wireless Design & Development.)
http://bit.ly/18WqmZg
Graphene improves oil exploration
NanoWerk
http://bit.ly/1bQ7paE

Business intelligence from censorship
An article on censoring social media in the business world mentions Rice research.
B Eye Network
http://bit.ly/1cA2M2c

SPORTS

Rice University will face Mississippi State University in the Liberty Bowl Dec. 31.
Predictions for every SEC team’s bowl game
Bleacher Report
http://bit.ly/1ji2YMs
WAPT-TV (Jackson, Miss.)
http://tinyurl.com/khofpuh
WDAM-TV (Hattiesburg, Miss.)
http://tinyurl.com/kxf5sgw
WLBT-TV (Jackson, Miss.)
(This story also aired on WDBD-TV [Jackson, Miss.].)
http://tinyurl.com/lwoytfq

49ers look to a familiar face to fill a need
Former Rice wide receiver Vance McDonald is mentioned.
Sacramento Bee
http://bit.ly/1bQ0s9D

Miramont lands Junior PGA championships
Former Rice golf standout Brad Lardon ’88 is mentioned in an article on upcoming PGA championships.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1hkMeQ7

5 minutes with Serena Burla
Alumna Becky Wade ’12 is mentioned in an article on marathons.
Runners World
http://bit.ly/JByAfQ

Kyle Rote’s cousin was gridiron star
The life of Tobin Rote, a former NFL quarterback and 1950s Rice standout, is profiled.
Plainview Herald
http://bit.ly/1hkVYd9