Dateline Rice for Feb. 4, 2014

FEATURED ITEMS

Inexpensive aquarium bubbler saves preemies’ lives
The first clinical study of a low-cost neonatal breathing system created by Rice bioengineering students demonstrated that the device increased the survival rate of newborns with severe respiratory illness from 44 percent to 71 percent. Rebecca Richards-Kortum, the 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, is mentioned.
NPR (This article also appeared in New England Public Radio and 27 other affiliates.)
http://n.pr/1bmPHcW

Changing Texas, pet care and Super Bowl recap: ‘Houston Matters’ for Monday, Feb. 3, 2014
Steve Murdock, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology and director of Rice’s Hobby Center for the Study of Texas, answers questions about Texas demographics on the National Public Radio program “Houston Matters.”
KUHF-FM
http://bit.ly/1bmRheP

Better protein capture a boon for drug manufacturers
A video produced by Public Affairs’ Brandon Martin about a new way to isolate proteins is featured on the home page of Science 360. Christy Landes, assistant professor of chemistry; postdoctoral associate Jixin Chen; graduate student Lydia Kisley and undergraduate researcher Andrea Mansur appear in the video.
Science 360
http://news.science360.gov/files/

HOUSTON/TEXAS

As commercial space heats up, wither Space City?
Texas A&M held a commercial space workshop with Rice to discuss a commercial space strategy for Houston and Texas. David Alexander, director of the Rice Space Institute and a Rice professor of astronomy, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (This appeared on the front page.)
http://bit.ly/1etzqqZ

Whither gay marriage?
Joe Barnes, the Bonner Means Baker Fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, authored a blog post about the prospects for gay marriage in 2014.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1kMnMsR

Rice shows Rubik’s cube mosaic of Nelson Mandela (video)
The Jones Graduate School of Business’ Rice Cube Club created a 600-cube mosaic of Nelson Mandela in honor of Black History Month.
News 92-FM (This article also appeared in the Fort Bend Herald and 17 other affiliates.)
http://bit.ly/1ipcBVY
Rubik’s Cube mosaic of Nelson Mandela on display at Rice University
KPRC-TV (This article also appeared in The Republic and Tribtown.com.)
http://bit.ly/1k8JQQB
Rice students put together a Rubik’s Cube mosaic of Nelson Mandela
Houston Press
http://bit.ly/1fKZkpG
KRIV-TV
http://bit.ly/1bntHP4

The face of Houston is changing
According to Rice’s Kinder Institute 2013 Houston Area Survey, Houston has exemplified the most demographic change that is reshaping urban America. Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and co-director of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is quoted.
KPRC-TV
http://bit.ly/1bqOzYN

Apollo Chamber Players CD release party: ‘European Folkscapes’
Apollo Chamber Players, a Houston-based group formed at Rice’s Shepherd School of Music, was selected as a HoustonPress 2014 MasterMinds award winner.
CultureMap
http://bit.ly/1fErtiK

‘Intelligence’ insults Rice University’s intelligence
The CBS action-adventure series “Intelligence” mentions Rice as a possible university to offer aerospace engineering.
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in Tubular and Seattle Post – Intelligencer.)
http://bit.ly/1cQGRrR

Textbooks continue to burn holes in college student’s pockets
Several institutions are making a new push to provide students with free or very low-cost textbooks. Rice’s OpenStax College is mentioned.
Houston Press
http://bit.ly/1encVW7
Legislation aims at reducing cost of textbooks
Daily Illini
http://bit.ly/1igQDUz

BROADCAST

The source: The GOP and the Latino vote
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, discusses the GOP’s difficulty in securing the Latino vote. He is also quoted in an article about the history of Latin America’s two most monitored maritime clashes.
Texas Public Radio
http://tpr.org/post/source-gop-and-latino-vote
Is Texas more tuned into Republican Party ideology or tuned out on politics?
Austin American-Statesman
http://bit.ly/1fEb6CN
Disputed territory
Offshore Engineer
http://bit.ly/1nNCGkT

WWJ-AM (Detroit)
Douglas Brinkley, professor of history and fellow in history at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, comments on the passing of Joan Mondale, wife of the former Vice President of the United States Walter Mondale.
http://bit.ly/1frDm9A
WTIC-AM (Hartford-New Haven)
http://bit.ly/1bqVTn9

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

US should revisit media policy on China in light of growing Chinese digital media industry
Chinese protectionism in the digital media sphere has created a major underdiscussed trade gap between China and the United States, and the U.S. government must place more pressure on the Chinese government to open up the nation’s media to foreign competition, according to a new paper from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Equities.com (This article also appeared in e! Science News, BioPortfolio, Phys, Science Codex and ScienceDaily.)
http://bit.ly/1jbPz7V

Diamond film possible without the pressure: Rice University, Russian researchers lay out rules for ultrathin ‘diamane’
Perfect sheets of diamond a few atoms thick appear to be possible even without the big squeeze that makes natural gems.
Nanotechnology Now (This article also appeared in Science Daily, Science Codex and Science Newsline.)
http://bit.ly/1frlrQv
Perfect sheets of diamond may be possible without any pressure
AZoNano
http://bit.ly/1bn1iZi
‘Diamane’: Diamond film possible without the pressure
Phys
http://bit.ly/1n8HRso

Houston researchers use tiny antibiotic microspheres to prevent the problem of osteomyelitis
Rice researchers collaborated with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and Shriners Hospital for Children to evaluate an application that may prevent implant-associated bone infections.
Bio News Texas
http://bit.ly/Lvd3pE

Dormant prostate cancer cells may be reawakened by factors produced in inflammatory cells
Prostate cancer cells found in bone tissue can be reawakened, causing mestasis to other parts of the body. Mary Farach-Carson, the Ralph and Dorothy Looney Professor of Biochemistry and Cell Biology and vice provost for translational bioscience, contributed to the study.
Innovations Report (This article also appeared in Medical News Today.)
http://bit.ly/1ipwoog

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.
NASA Tech Briefs (This article also appeared in Defense Tech Briefs.)
http://bit.ly/1k82EiV

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Eugenics symposium to take place at FAU
Fabiola López-Durán, assistant professor of art history, will present “Eugenics in the Tropics: Architecture and Race in Modern Brazil” Feb. 10 at Florida Atlantic University.
Sun Sentinel
http://bit.ly/MXevmc

University continues provost search
Alumna Deborah Kochevar ’78 is one of three candidates for university provost at Michigan State University.
The Daily O’Collegian
http://bit.ly/1gJn1lX

SPORTS

Late run dooms Rice men’s basketball at UTEP
An article recaps Rice’s basketball play.
Fort Bend Sun (This article also appeared in Memorial Examiner and Bellaire Examiner.)
http://bit.ly/1aoh9M3

Marshall football: Herd gets C-USA title game rematch with Rice next season
Rice released its 2014 football schedule.
Charleston Daily Mail
http://bit.ly/LvdBMg
USM football schedule completed for 2014
WTVA-TV (Columbus)
http://bit.ly/1gJs0Ty
Southern Miss’ 2014 football schedule released
Hattiesburg American
http://hatne.ws/1e0GJBJ
Fighting Irish and Aggies ahead for Rice
CSN Houston
http://bit.ly/1nO1XLV
2014 football schedule released
Memphis Insider (This article also appeared in Tulane Insider, the Mad Friars and Scout.com.)
http://memphis.scout.com/2/1372173.html

NEWS RELEASE

US should revisit media policy on China in light of growing Chinese digital media industry
Chinese protectionism in the digital media sphere has created a major underdiscussed trade gap between China and the United States, and the U.S. government must place more pressure on the Chinese government to open up the nation’s media to foreign competition, according to a new paper from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
https://news2.rice.edu/2014/02/03/us-should-revisit-media-policy-on-china-in-light-of-growing-chinese-digital-media-industry/