Dateline Rice for July 30, 2014

FEATURED ITEMS

They’ve got a bead on it
In late October, Selven O’Keef Jarmon’s monumental “360 Degrees Vanishing” installation will transform the exterior of the Art League Houston building on Montrose with a veil of plastic beads. The project is being assembled at Rice’s BioScience Research Collaborative.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article was featured on the front of the Star section.)
http://bit.ly/1xznlGT

Stylish. Sharp. 100 years old on Monday.
Elinor Evans, the Albert K. and Harry K. Smith Professor Emerita of Architecture, is featured in the Houston Chronicle’s “Gray Matters” online magazine. A video produced by Rice’s Brandon Martin is embedded in the story.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1lWvHTo

UNL prof touts nanotechnology; Lee Terry says US needs to do more to keep up with Europe, China
James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, testified before the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade July 29.
Omaha.com
http://bit.ly/UKV4A9
Going big on going small
FCW.com
http://bit.ly/1qmB9BF

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Stop blaming black parents for underachieving kids
An op-ed cites research by Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research that recently found that African-Americans are most likely to value a postsecondary education as important to becoming successful, followed by Asians and Latinos.
Washington Post
http://wapo.st/1nTy7Yy

Study: African-American homeownership increasingly less stable, more risky
Sociologists at Rice and Cornell University found that African-Americans are 45 percent more likely than whites to switch from owning their home to renting it. Gregory Sharp, a postdoctoral fellow in Rice’s Department of Sociology, is quoted.
Black Voice News
http://bit.ly/1s4AV4p

Breaking through China’s ‘Great Firewall’
Beijing’s leaders haltingly opened connections to the Internet toward the close of the last century. Since then, though, they have been constantly fortifying the “Great Firewall” that encircles China and censors information flowing into the long-isolated country. Aynne Kokas, a fellow in Chinese media at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and a postdoctoral fellow at Rice’s Chao Center for Asian Studies, is quoted.
The Diplomat
http://bit.ly/1tsDyQr

Mexico’s growing auto industry: Bane or boon for US big 3?
Tony Payan, the Françoise and Edward Djerejian Fellow for Mexico Studies at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and director of the Baker Institute’s Mexico Center, is quoted in an article on Mexico’s automotive sector.
Fox News Latino
http://bit.ly/1n2Yu8c

Why communication is essential for strong business management?
According to Bill Fort, vice president of business development for First Alliance Home Mortgage, communication is key for successful leadership. Rice is cited for its article about communication in the workplace.
Examiner.com
http://exm.nr/1pqn8UC

Escola de Música da UFRN promove IV Mostra de Violoncelos de Natal
Brinton Smith, associate professor of cello, is mentioned.
Jornaldehoje.com (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1n3ttRy

HOUSTON/TEXAS

The Q&A: Jim Blackburn
Jim Blackburn, professor in the practice of environmental law in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is interviewed about issues related on water-related issues.
Texas Tribune
http://bit.ly/1qL1YnX

Tanker carrying Kurdish crude in legal limbo off Galveston
An oil tanker carrying a contested load of Kurdish crude is trapped in legal limbo off the Galveston coast; there are serious doubts about whether the shipment will reach shore in the United States. Jim Krane, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow for Energy Studies at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in the Houston Chronicle article. Richard Stoll, the Albert Thomas Chair in Political Science and scholar at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in the KPRC and Energy Global articles.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front of the Business section.)
http://bit.ly/1obfHN0
Texas judge orders seizure of Kurdish crude oil
KPRC-TV
http://bit.ly/1s4gRyU
US orders seizure of $100 million of Iraqi Kurdish oil
Energy Global
http://bit.ly/1uGLuPE

Major section of energy overhaul advances in Mexico assembly
Mexico’s lower congressional chamber on Tuesday approved a key component of legislation to end the government monopoly on the country’s energy sector after more than 75 years and to open the industry to foreign and private investment. A report from Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy is referenced.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1uGQLGM

Trouble at the border: Turkey’s Syria policy is under fire
Emily Kinkaid, research associate with the Levant Program at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, authored a blog post about Turkey’s growing concerns and challenges.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1u0jmTi

Energy reform advances in Mexico
Mexico’s lower house approved a bill to open its energy industry to foreign and private investment. Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy is cited for its report on energy reform.
Fuel Fix
http://bit.ly/1s2FzAX

President awards James Turrell the National Medal of Arts
Artist James Turrell received a 2013 National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama. Turrell’s “Twilight Epiphany” Skyspace on the Rice campus is mentioned.
Glasstire
http://bit.ly/1kmDgI2

International hostess shares secrets of the best dinner party ever: Royalty, moguls and those sexy gowns
Molly Hubbard, director of Rice Public Art, is mentioned.
CultureMap
http://bit.ly/1klto1p

More Texas schools making alcohol available
St. Mary’s University received a donation from two alumni to build an on-campus pub. Rice’s Willy’s Pub is mentioned.
San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/1kmzFd8

Gunter’s life, legacy celebrated
Alumnus Kenneth Gunter ’55 died at age 83.
San Angelo Standard-Times
http://bit.ly/1ldBmnU

BROADCAST

Petitions go on the Internet for November referendum
Bob Stein, the Lena Gohlman Fox Professor of Political Science, is quoted about Houston’s Equal Rights Ordinance.
KHOU-TV
http://bit.ly/1nIV3ZC

Texas could lose billions in road funds
An article on the Federal Highway Trust Fund becoming insolvent quotes Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and co-director of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research.
KTRH-AM (This also appeared on KPRC-AM.)
http://bit.ly/1nIbMfn

Judge Alberto Gonzales addresses Murfreesboro Rotary
Alumnus Alberto Gonzales ’79 is featured.
WGNS-AM
http://bit.ly/1tsWj6l

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Carbyne’s list of amazing properties grows
Boris Yakobson, the Karl F. Hasselmann Professor of Materials Science and NanoEngineering and professor of chemistry, and his team found that stretching carbyne by 3 percent can change its properties, which may be useful for mechanically activated electronics and optics. Yakobson is quoted. Postdoctoral researcher Vasilii Artyukhov is mentioned.
IEEE Spectrum
http://bit.ly/1k7yVrI

Stocks roundup — Quantum Materials Corp.
Michael Wong, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and of chemistry, will serve as a member of Quantum Materials Corp.’s new scientific advisory board.
Techsonian
http://bit.ly/1k7gx2e

Tackling water, energy, environmental issues on a global scale
Pedro Alvarez, the George R. Brown Professor and chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, will present at the 248th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.
Windpower Engineering
http://bit.ly/1pqtvHF

10 universities that have produced successful tech executives
Whether it’s because of a strong business and engineering curriculum or a helpful alumni network, some top universities tend to produce more tech executives than others. Rice is cited as one of the top 10 ranked by Business Insider.
Silicon India
http://bit.ly/1obf0mV

Houston’s plan to make ‘bicycle interstates’ out of its utility network
Inspired by an article in Rice University’s Cite Magazine, Alyson Fletcher decided to write her master’s thesis for the Cornell University landscape architecture program on repurposing the 500 miles of high-voltage utility rights-of-way criss-crossing the city into “bicycle interstates.”
Street Blogs USA
http://bit.ly/1nTsolu

Rice University lab uses atom-thick materials to make ultralight foam
Rice researchers developed a chemical process to make tough, ultralight foam of atom-thick sheets into any size or shape. Pulickel Ajayan, the Benjamin M. and Mary Greenwood Anderson Professor in Materials Science and NanoEngineering and of chemistry, is mentioned. Graduate student Soumya Vinod is quoted.
Fort Bend Sun (This article also appeared in Memorial Examiner and 10 other publications.)
http://bit.ly/1lWHjWu

Seeing is bead-lieving
Rice researchers are using magnetic “bead-spring” polymers as proof that it can be made as stiff or flexible as required. Sibani Lisa Biswal, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, and graduate student Julie Byrom are quoted.
Controlled Environments Magazine (This article also appeared in Innovations Report and Science Newsline.)
http://bit.ly/1u0a6hY
Models for polymer macromolecules using magnets and DNA ‘springs’
Kenya Star (This article also appeared in Cambodian Times and Science Daily.)
http://bit.ly/1kmD8s2

Mental abilities often change as we age
Older adults are nearly twice as likely as younger people to have their memory and cognitive processes impaired by environmental distractions, according to a study funded by Rice’s Social Sciences Research Institute and the Gertrude Maurin Fund.
Health Central
http://bit.ly/1n3kKyQ

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Bright future: Trinity student’s summer just the TIP of his success
A Mississippi high school student attended the Duke University Talent Identification Program held at Rice.
Natchez Democrat
http://bit.ly/1oKQXjQ

Practice doesn’t necessarily make perfect, study finds
As important as practice is, it doesn’t guarantee perfection, according to a new study conducted by Michigan State University and Rice University.
HNGN.com
http://bit.ly/1zvbblc

Mount St. Helens wired to rumble on command
Scientists used a series of underground explosions across southwest Washington to map the plumbing system beneath Mount St. Helens. Alan Levander, the Carey Croneis Professor of Earth Science, is quoted. He is the lead scientist for the experiment.
The Reflector (This article also appeared in the Daily.)
http://bit.ly/1kmyZEr

Why we can’t have nice things: Straight people now crashing LGBT job fairs
Some heterosexual business school students have reportedly attended career fairs for lesbian, gay and bisexual students. The Jones Graduate School of Business advises students to learn about the organizations hosting the conference before making a decision to attend. Rice MBA students attend such conferences at their own expense.
Autostraddle
http://bit.ly/1AyyUCt

EMMF Canton Concert: ‘Liz Landon and Friends pay tribute to David B. Morris’
Alumna Elizabeth Landon ’05 will perform at the Rialto Theatre in Tucson, Ariz.
Troy Penny Saver
http://bit.ly/1xA1grA

SPORTS

Dorm Report: Can Marshall be beat?
The Rice Owls will play against Middle Tennessee State University Nov. 15.
Fox News
http://fxn.ws/1u0vnrQ

Could Notre Dame’s switch to FieldTurf tank home under streak?
Notre Dame will play its first game on its new FieldTurf against the Rice Owls.
Covers.com
http://bit.ly/1xzfUiW

Mavs’ Mundenmakes pledge to Mean Green
Rice is mentioned as a member of Conference USA.
Marshall News Messenger
http://bit.ly/1rP6wcN

Aggies’ DL Gavin Stansbury leaves the program
A Texas A&M football player who was arrested for allegedly assaulting a Rice student March 16 on the Rice campus has left his football team.
KHOU-TV
http://bit.ly/1obybx7