Dateline Rice for Jan. 23, 2014

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

How doctors are harnessing the power of gold to fight cancer
Gold cancer-fighting nanoparticles developed at Rice are referenced.
Smithsonian Magazine
http://bit.ly/19Qo68g

How colleges are preparing students for a country where pot is legal
Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy’s interest in drug policy is referenced in an article about how students and faculty are studying the sociological, economic and legal implications of legalizing marijuana.
The Atlantic
http://bit.ly/1eVtt3J

Mayor Parker’s wedding completes an amazing arc of LGBT history
A blog post discusses the marriage of Houston Mayor and alumna Annise Parker ’78.
Huffington Post
http://huff.to/1egFwHp

Coursera launches diploma-type courses called ‘Specializations’
Rice is among the universities offering Specializations courses through the online platform Coursera.
The Times of India
http://bit.ly/1bkzrc5

China’s elite hiding billions overseas, US report says
Relatives of at least five current and former members of China’s top leadership have been exposed as having offshore accounts, as part of a report by investigative journalists. Steven Lewis, the C.V. Starr Transnational China Fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and professor in the practice and interim director of the Chao Center for Asian Studies, is quoted.
South Morning Post China
http://bit.ly/1jEn68l

The top 10 best-value universities
Rice is No. 5 on the list of best-value universities compiled by the online education resource Best Value Schools.
Next Step Magazine
http://bit.ly/1asTU3L

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Analysis: Stockman’s attacks on Cornyn in Senate race fall short of truth
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 an article about U.S. Sen. John Cornyn’s campaign strategy.
Dallas Morning News
http://dallasne.ws/1mwRnFH

George P. Bush makes campaign stop in Huntsville
Rice alumnus George P. Bush ’98 has begun his statewide campaign for Texas land commissioner.
Huntsville Item
http://bit.ly/1iqmUM6
George P. Bush visits Jourdanton
Pleasanton Express
http://bit.ly/1iqAv6b

Obama, task force urge action on college rape
President Obama created a task force of senior administration officials to coordinate enforcement efforts to prevent sexual assault on college campuses. The article is accompanied by a chart showing crime statistics for sexual assault at a number of universities in Texas, including Rice.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1jqwVZI
http://bit.ly/1dYAbbb

Culture scene: Jan. 23-29
Pianist Brian Connelly, violinist Lucy Chapman and cellist Michael Kannen will performed at Alice Pratt Brown Hall Jan. 26.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1aOESA6

Texas town of Megargel struggles to survive
Steve Murdock, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology and director of Rice’s Hobby Center for the Study of Texas, is quoted in an article about the decline of Megargel, Texas.
Henderson Daily News
http://bit.ly/1edyvqz

Texas view: RRC’s seismologist must be objective
An editorial in the Austin American-Statesman about politics and science mentions the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s deletion of parts of a report that a Rice professor wrote for the agency in 2011.
Odessa American
http://bit.ly/1aM6wkk

Private spaceflight industry set to take flight, federation president says
Astronaut Miguel López-Alegría spoke to Rice students about the growing private space industry.
Daily News – Galveston County
http://bit.ly/1dydENY

The MasterMinds 2014 winners revealed
Rice’s art programs are noted as a Houston attraction for fans and students. Karim Al-Zand, associate professor of composition and theory at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, and the Apollo Chamber Players are featured.
Houston Press
http://bit.ly/1mx3e6t

BROADCAST

A future Houston filled with driverless cars
Timothy Morton, the Rita Shea Guffey Chair in English, discusses the future of cars in Houston.
KUHF-FM’s “Houston Matters”
http://bit.ly/1eVyNnL

Symphony’s new concertmaster says classical music is ‘sort of like sushi’
Rice graduate student Eric Gratz is interviewed.
Texas Public Radio
http://bit.ly/1dykQtl

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

The physicist fighting cancer’s social network
Eshel Ben-Jacob, a senior investigator at Rice’s Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, adjunct professor of biochemistry and cell biology, is interviewed.
New Scientist (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1jAiW1d

Rice University-based research develops fast biosensor for pathogens in food
Rice researchers have developed a fast biosensor for pathogens in food. Sibani Lisa Biswal, assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, is quoted, and graduate student Jinghui Wang is mentioned.
News-Medical (This article also appeared in Scicasts.)
http://bit.ly/1iqhz7x
This tiny sensor spots salmonella in minutes, not days
Epoch Times
http://bit.ly/1hOgoMr
Biosensor targets salmonella detection
Food Quality News
http://bit.ly/1f9kVZk
New test detects salmonella in food faster
Food Product Design
http://bit.ly/1eFompL
‘Diving board’ salmonella test developed
Food Processing
http://bit.ly/LZ8fdn

Rice University scientists create new technique to widen bottleneck for pharmaceutical, other industries
Christy Landes, assistant professor of chemistry, and her team have created a way to fine-tune a process critical to the pharmaceutical industry that could save time and money.
News-Medical
http://bit.ly/1eEM3OV
Study shows 1 in 5 women with ovarian cancer has inherited predisposition
HealthCanal
http://bit.ly/KNFMX3
Better protein capture a boon for drug manufacturers
Science Codex (This article also appeared in Bio-Medicine, Phys, Science Newsline and AAPS Pharmceutica.)
http://bit.ly/1eVz7Tx

Laser scientists create portable sensor for nitrous oxide, methane
Frank Tittel, the J.S. Abercrombie Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering and professor of bioengineering, and his group have created a highly sensitive portable sensor that tests the air for damaging greenhouse gases.
Science Daily (This article also appeared in Science Codex, Green Optimistic and Product Design & Development.)
http://bit.ly/1egniFV
Portable sensor detects trace elements of greenhouse gasses
The Engineer
http://bit.ly/1aOONFO

What the buy side is expecting from Microsoft
A Rice stock market study is referenced.
Seeking Alpha
http://bit.ly/1jpWPgr
Buy-side expects another quarter of growth from Union Pacific
Seeking Alpha
http://bit.ly/1c7emG1

Early bird ends soon for Feb. 21 health care summit: Get your invite
Xconomy and BioHouston are hosting a health care summit at Rice’s BioScience Research Collaborative. This is an invitation-only event.
Xconomy
http://bit.ly/1ffcLg2

$100,000 ACC Clean Energy Challenge open for entries
Rice is listed as a former regional winner of the ACC Clean Energy Challenge.
Finanz Nachrichten (This article also appeared in TickerTech, Sys-CON India, the Herald, MLive, WAVE-TV, KGWN-TV, KLKN-TV, KPLC-TV, KNOE-TV and Virtualization Conference Expo.)
http://bit.ly/1eFr9PO

Deepwater activity will drive US offshore production
Kenneth Medlock III, the James A. Baker III and Susan Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, senior director of the Center for Energy Studies at the Baker Institute and lecturer on economics, authored an article about oil production.
Offshore
http://bit.ly/LLNkcY

Pacific Drilling appoints new CFO
Alumnus Paul Reese ’92 has been named chief financial controller for Pacific Drilling.
Offshore Energy Today (This article also appeared in 4-Traders, Oil Earth, Fort Mill Times, the Herald, Morning Star and IBERONEWS.)
http://bit.ly/1aMyIDJ

Epigenetics researchers enthuse over ChromaTrap ChIP technology
Porvair Sciences has experienced an increased demand for its Chromatrap chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay technology. Graduate student Brian Engel is quoted.
Lab Bulletin
http://bit.ly/1dYhrZj

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

The new school: Saving education from itself
Rice’s hiring of cancer researchers from the University of California, San Diego, is mentioned in Glenn Reynold’s new book, “The New School.”
Patheos
http://bit.ly/1dynMWU

Harvard bible edX course ‘Early Christianity: The Letters of Paul’ draws 22,000 students from 180 countries — and counting
Rice is mentioned as one of the universities offering courses on online education provider edX.
ACNS
http://bit.ly/1mx5D1a

Rice’s K.C. Nicolaou sets sights on cancer-related drug discovery
K.C. Nicolaou, the Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Professor of Chemistry, is embarking on one of the biggest challenges of his professional career — finding new drugs to fight cancer.
Let Life Happen
http://bit.ly/LLxjUr

Dynamic textbook project may stem course material costs
Rice’s OpenStax College is referenced.
The California Aggie
http://bit.ly/1g48DnS

Debate over coal technology burns at forum on EPA carbon regulations
Charles McConnell, executive director of Rice’s Energy and Environment Initiative, is quoted in an article about the technology available for coal-fired power plants.
Grand Forks Herald (This article also appeared in Inforum, Dickinson Press and Prairie Business.)
http://bit.ly/1g4hXbE

Nigerian NGO renews petition over NFL derogatory remarks
An article discussing derogatory remarks against Bennett Omalu, a Nigerian-American neuropathological scientist, cites a Rice study.
This Day Live (This article also appeared in All Africa.)
http://bit.ly/19QpjfU

Like big sis, Isis Smalls uses beauty to fulfill her passion
Alumna Jade Simmons ’03 is featured.
Charleston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1ff6YHu

SPORTS

A number of articles report that the Rice Owls will play Marshall Jan. 23 at Tudor Fieldhouse.
Rice Owls vs. Marshall Thundering Herd pick, odds, prediction Jan. 23, 2014
Sports Chat Place
http://bit.ly/1mLdvyS
Marshall (6-13) at Rice (5-12)
Belleville News Democrat
http://bit.ly/1l1ynU5
Herd hopes to end skid
Huntington Herald-Dispatch
http://bit.ly/1c77Yi1
Rice in same boat as slumping Herd
Charleston Gazette
http://bit.ly/1eFe6Oc
Marshall tries to stay out of C-USA cellar
Beckley Register-Herald
http://bit.ly/1hOxXf6
Marshall basketball: Herd tries to end 4-game losing streak at Rice
Charleston Daily Mail
http://bit.ly/1aMmJWv
Road test at Rice awaits Marshall
Huntington News
http://bit.ly/KNCnY8
Men’s college hoops: Rice returns home to host Marshall
Spring Observer (This article also appeared in the Humble Observer.)
http://bit.ly/1ff9ayG
Herd Men to hit the road at Rice, Louisiana Tech
The Parthenon
http://bit.ly/1dY7tY3

Articles recap Rice’s basketball play.
Owl hoops: Rice men come up short at Tulane
The Potpourri
http://bit.ly/1eVagit
Golden Eagles beat Rice 84-62
The Student Printz
http://bit.ly/LLubIc
Lady Pirates stay perfect at home
East Carolinian
http://bit.ly/1asLhWT
Green Wave invades Minges
East Carolinian
http://bit.ly/1hOG8Ik
49ers women’s basketball drops an OT heartbreaker against Tulane
Niner Times
http://bit.ly/1aORRBM

Lafayette’s Davis matures from ‘scarecrow’ to star in 6-year varsity career
Rice men’s basketball player Jackson Davis is featured.
Lexington Herald Leader
http://bit.ly/1eBD017

Willson’s amazing ride
Alumnus Luke Willson ’12 is featured.
Windsor Star
http://bit.ly/1aOGv0w

NEWS RELEASES

Gold medal experts available for Sochi games
Rice has a number of experts available to discuss various issues concerning the XXII Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.
http://bit.ly/1egPV5C

Australian ambassador to US to speak at Rice’s Baker Institute Jan. 31
Kim Beazley, Australian ambassador to the United States, will give a presentation on the state and future of the two countries’ alliance Jan. 31 at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.