Dateline Rice for Jan. 30, 2014

FEATURED ITEMS

New partnership for open educational resources
Taking aim at the high cost of commercial textbooks, Rice-based publisher OpenStax College has announced a partnership with open-education pioneer Lumen Learning that is projected to save students $10 million over the next two years by facilitating the adoption of free, online textbooks by colleges and universities.
Inside Higher Ed
http://bit.ly/1feOpCT
OpenStax College and Lumen Learning partner to expand adoption of open educational resources
Campus Technology
http://bit.ly/1iMCFNy
SOU students combat the high price of textbooks
Medford Mail Tribune
http://bit.ly/1fnP6vU
Open-education partners hope to save students $10 million by 2015
University Business
http://bit.ly/1gtO7xc

4 Spring Branch ISD principals selected to attend Rice
Raise Your Hand Texas is sponsoring 26 principals from seven Houston-area school districts to attend the yearlong Rice Education Entrepreneurship Program Business Fellowship for School Leaders.
Memorial Examiner
http://bit.ly/Lslum7

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

New technique could speed up detection of bacteria-tainted 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.
United Press International (This article also appeared in UPI and Equities.)
http://bit.ly/1grwSwG
Faster way to catch food poisoning microbes
Zee News (This article also appeared in Authint Mail, TopNews.in, Net India 123, Mangalorean, Newstrack India, Sify and Daijiworld.com.)
http://bit.ly/1iPbXUq
Found – A faster method to catch microbes before they can cause food poisoning
Health Site
http://bit.ly/1jNQV8Z
Faster biosensor to detect food pathogens
Canadian Manufacturing
http://bit.ly/1fpZljv

Obama says every four minutes, another home or business goes solar
Christopher Bronk, fellow in information technology policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted on the growing demand of solar power.
Politifact
http://bit.ly/1fpOLsN

HOUSTON/TEXAS

In Stickland re-election bid, a fiercely divided GOP
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 cited for his study about Texas state representatives’ rankings in an article about Jonathan Stickland. He is also quoted in articles about Greb Abbott’s Spanish-language website and Brazil’s preparation for the World Cup and Olympics.
The Texas Tribune
http://bit.ly/1fjJpOQ
Abbott bolsters outreach with Spanish-language website
88.9 KETR (Texas A&M)
http://bit.ly/1a3Jjf3
Brazil faltering under pressure of World Cup, Olympics
The Evening Sun
http://bit.ly/1dahcpv

Rice drops from Princeton Review’s top 10 ‘Best Value Colleges’ list
Rice is featured as a best-value private university in the Princeton Review’s “2014 Best Value Colleges.”
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1fzFgFF
University of Houston again named best-value school
News 92 FM
http://bit.ly/1b9ZKBQ

Klineberg: Fort Bend may be ‘single most ethnically diverse county in the world’
Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and co-director of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is featured for his insight on Fort Bend’s racial demographics.
Sugar Land Sun
http://bit.ly/1idAorM

One couple’s trash makes for unabashedly fun work at Rice gallery
El Ultimo Grito’s “Garden Object” installation is on view at Rice University Art Gallery through March 16.
Houston Press
http://bit.ly/1cyIP04

Culture scene: Jan. 30-Feb. 5
The Kremerata Baltica chamber orchestra will perform at Alice Pratt Brown Hall Feb. 4.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1n1giBu

Free weekend fun in Houston Jan. 31 – Feb. 2
Rice’s annual Shepherd Society’s Family Concert will be Feb. 1 at Stude Concert Hall.
Houston on the Cheap
http://bit.ly/1bBNRES

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.
The Eagle (Bryan/College Station)
http://bit.ly/1ba9KLs

Don’t forget the customers after mergers
Merging companies that focus on a dual-goal emphasis of simultaneously enhancing efficiency and customer satisfaction show the highest increase in long-term financial performance, according to a new study from Rice University, Kent State University and the University of Pittsburgh. Vikas Mittal, the J. Hugh Liedtke Professor of Marketing at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business, is quoted.
Fort Bend Sun (This article also appeared in Science Codex, the Rancher, Bellaire Examiner, Memorial Examiner, Science Newsline and Phys.)
http://bit.ly/1eA8amK
New study: Successful companies don’t forget the customers after mergers
The Tomball Potpourri
http://bit.ly/1hRrwHx
Businesses: Don’t forget customers after mergers
Science Daily
http://bit.ly/1iMCUbs

BROADCAST

Reactions to the Syrian Peace Conference
Edward Djerejian, founding director of Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, leads a conversation on the international peace negotiations in Geneva.
Council on Foreign Relations
http://on.cfr.org/1a3UKDu

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Finding more space in spectrum
Rice graduate Hang Yu helped design a protocol that prioritizes gaming traffic to improve performance in a home environment.
Phys
http://bit.ly/1eiIlLA

Designers, stop calling your work ‘iconic’
Suzanne Kemmer, associate professor of linguistics and cognitive sciences, comments on the use of the word “iconic.”
Fast Company
http://bit.ly/1eiSgAQ

Space travel weakens fly’s immune system
Rice contributed to a study about the immune system of fruit flies sent on a 12-day space shuttle mission.
Earth & Sky
http://bit.ly/Mlq9Xk

Clinical study finds ‘bubble CPAP’ boosts neonatal survival rates
The first clinical study of a low-cost neonatal breathing system created by Rice University bioengineering students demonstrated that the device increased the survival rate of newborns with severe respiratory illness from 44 percent to 71 percent.
HealthCanal
http://bit.ly/1b8Omt6

Researchers tune in to protein pairs
Rice scientists have developed a method for interpreting protein interaction.
TMCnet.com
http://bit.ly/1kdvg7N

New inexpensive skin test in development to diagnose malaria in an instant
Rice researchers have developed a noninvasive technology that accurately detects low levels of malaria infection through the skin in seconds with a laser scanner.
Singularity Hub
http://bit.ly/1eiMT4N
Nanotech roundup: a robotic gecko and clues to the origins of life on Earth
Small World Nanotech
http://bit.ly/1bBOEWm

Sun Coast Resources names new president
Alumna Sheila Kahanek ’04 has been named president of Sun Coast Resources.
Oil Online
http://bit.ly/1dQF7dO

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Attorney opens office downtown
Alumnus Brett Schneider ’92 opened an office in Springfield, Mo.
Springfield News-Leader
http://sgfnow.co/1bBJrxD

A silky discovery
Graduate student Phil Torres is mentioned for his research about the Ray spider.
Scholastic News
http://bit.ly/1b9dT5x

SPORTS

Owls baseball: Rice University picked to win Conference USA
Rice’s men’s baseball team was picked to finish first in the league in the annual Conference USA head coaches’ poll.
Magnolia Potpourri (This also appeared in the Tomball Potpourri.)
http://bit.ly/1eagIWH

Spring Klein graduate Casey Clark named C-USA Swimmer of the Week
Rice junior Casey Clark has been the Conference USA Swimmer of the Week for Jan. 21-27.
The Magnolia Potpourri
http://bit.ly/1ezPVxL

Ranking the Super Bowls
Rice Stadium is pictured in photo 43 and is mentioned for hosting Super Bowl VIII.
NFL.com
http://on.nfl.com/1fq5NqK

Former Astros great Lance Berkman announces retirement
Alumnus Lance Berkman ’98 is retiring from baseball.
KTRK-TV
http://bit.ly/LsnHOr
Six-time all-star Lance Berkman announces retirement
UPI
http://bit.ly/Mlpe98
Astros statement regarding Lance Berkman’s retirement
Major League Baseball
http://atmlb.com/1bacDMp
Berkman left his mark on teammates in 15 seasons
Major League Baseball
http://atmlb.com/1a3SfkM
Lance Berkman retires; why he was everything that is great about baseball
Austin American-Statesman
http://bit.ly/1fk4pFf
Newsradio 740 KTRH
http://bit.ly/1locrmi

Rice University’s Chris Boswell finishes 2nd at All-Star challenge
The Rice Owls place kicker Chris Boswell came up just short on his final kick and finished second in the TD Ameritrade Quick Kick Competition at the 2014 Quicken Loans All Star Challenge, which aired on ESPN2 Jan. 28.
The Tomball Potpourri (This article also appeared in Cypress Creek Mirror.)
http://bit.ly/LpE2n1

Super Bowl: Richard Sherman only cares about 1 opinion — God’s
Alumnus Luke Willson ’12 is mentioned.
Toronto Star
http://bit.ly/1dagtF3
The hottest hunks of the Super Bowl
New York Post
http://bit.ly/1loc5fC

NEWS RELEASES

Clinical study finds ‘bubble CPAP’ boosts neonatal survival rates
The first clinical study of a low-cost neonatal breathing system created by Rice University bioengineering students demonstrated that the device increased the survival rate of newborns with severe respiratory illness from 44 percent to 71 percent.
https://news2.rice.edu/2014/01/29/clinical-study-finds-bubble-cpap-boosts-neonatal-survival-rates/

Rice lab clocks ‘hot’ electrons
Plasmonic nanoparticles developed at Rice University are becoming known for their ability to turn light into heat, but how to use them to generate electricity is not nearly as well understood.
https://news2.rice.edu/2014/01/30/rice-lab-clocks-hot-electrons/