Dateline Rice for April 27, 2015 (Weekend Edition)

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Cobalt ‘thin film’ splits water in 2
A Rice lab produces a thin-film catalyst for both hydrogen and oxygen generation. The material could replace expensive metals like platinum in water-electrolysis devices that produce hydrogen and oxygen for fuel cells. James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, is quoted. Postdoctoral researcher Yang Yang is mentioned.
Epoch Times
http://bit.ly/1Frlj3m

Innovation of the week: Shots that don’t hurt
If the Rice University freshmen on the engineering design team Comfortably Numb have it their way, children will be less fearful and feel less pain when they go to the doctor’s office for a shot. The research team includes Greg Allison, Andy Zhang and Mike Hua. They were guided by Ann Saterbak, professor in the practice of bioengineering education, and Jane Grande-Allen, the Isabel C. Cameron Professor of Bioengineering.
The Week
http://bit.ly/1GzPaIn

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Facilities commission ex-head blasts audit
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, comments on executive director of the Texas Facilities Commission Terry Keel’s fight against an internal audit. Jones also commented on State Rep. Sylvester Turner’s diverse support in his run for Houston mayor, the re-emergence of abortion legislation, the appointment of two Republican lawmakers from Williamson County to a joint House-Senate panel that will negotiate a state budget, social media’s growing presence in politics, Texas’ struggling horse racing industry and Lt. Gov. Patrick’s bill conflict. Jones is cited for his article about the 83rd legislature.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1bL1kS2
Mayoral candidate Turner draws endorsements from Hispanic and Asian lawmakers
My Fox Houston
http://bit.ly/1HKrIaj
A new abortion battle breaks out at Texas Capitol
Austin American-Statesman (This article also appeared in Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Subscription required.)
http://atxne.ws/1GperzR
2 Williamson County Republicans will help negotiate state budget
Austin American-Statesman
http://atxne.ws/1IfhDCJ
Texans: Don’t forget the hashtag
Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1zfeCAH
A last hope for Texas tracks?
Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1JKC0WB
Near 100 days, Lt. Gov. Patrick leads with rightward push
San Angelo Standard-Times (This article also appeared in Times Record News and Caller.)
http://bit.ly/1EdsOZN
Beware of platform shrinkers
Agenda Wise
http://bit.ly/1bLhomH

State’s senior population growing faster than Texas overall, moving to suburbs
Steve Murdock, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology and director of Rice’s Hobby Center for the Study of Texas, is featured for his study “Growth in Elderly Populations: Implications for Texas Real Estate Markets,” which predicts a significant increase in senior Texas residents by 2050 that may make housing options a critical issue.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1JKM7L5

BYU student’s startup wins grand prize in Rice Business Plan Competition
KiLife Tech from Brigham Young University emerged as the top startup company in the Rice Business Plan Competition.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1QxAnRx

Upcoming tour spotlights couple’s art deco gem in Old Braeswood
Courtney and Fred Steves mention consulting Stephen Fox, lecturer of architecture, when trying to decide to purchase an old Houston home in need of renovation.
Houston Chronicle (This appeared on the front of the Escapes section in Sunday’s print edition and in the April 23 issue of Dateline. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1I08eig

Business calendar
Rice’s Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies is hosting “Essentials of HR Management” in June.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1b6WRHV

Apollo players will perform Roma folk music
The Apollo Chamber Players performed at Rice’s Duncan Recital Hall.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1J47Nlp

Rex Smith: The frontier moves again in Texas
Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and founding director of Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is quoted about Texas’ growing diversity.
Times Union
http://bit.ly/1bLkvuU

Study: Photosynthesis has unique isotopic signature
Photosynthesis leaves behind a unique calling card, a chemical signature that is spelled out with stable oxygen isotopes, according to a new study in Science. The findings suggest isotopic signatures could exist for many biological and geological processes, including some that are difficult to observe with current tools. Laurence Yeung, assistant professor of Earth science, is quoted.
Sugar Land Sun (This article also appeared in Bellaire Examiner, Fort Bend Sun and Memorial Examiner.)
http://bit.ly/1FrNrU2

United States overtakes OPEC countries as swing producer that determines prices
Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy is cited for its recent study on the shale industry in an article about the continuously plummeting oil prices.
Midland Reporter-Telegram
http://bit.ly/1b6PEYi

BROADCAST

KHOU-TV
Kirsten Ostherr, professor of English, and Bryan Vartabedian, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, appeared on KHOU TV’s “Great Day Houston” to discuss Rice’s new online course that aims to help anyone interested in health care understand how social media and other digital technology are changing the field of medicine.
http://bit.ly/1GpsZiL

KPRC-TV
Avon’s Walk to End Breast Cancer participants ended their first day of the walk at Rice.
http://bit.ly/1HKK8Yj
KHOU-TV
http://bit.ly/1bLu7Wz

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Wireless glove adds touch to VR video games
Rice University engineering students created a tactile feedback glove for virtual-reality environments. Lovett College senior Thor Walker; Duncan College senior Marissa Garcia; and Brown College senior Kevin Koch are quoted. The article includes a video produced by Rice’s Brandon Martin.
Engadget
http://engt.co/1GygPqj
Hands Omni haptic glove lets gamers feel virtual objects
Gizmag (This article also appeared in Übergizmo.)
http://bit.ly/1DQ6CkR
Hands Omni haptic glove uses air to let you feel virtual objects
Slash Gear
http://bit.ly/1DPFKl3

Self-assembling biomaterial forms nanostructure templates for human tissue formation
Antonios Mikos, the Louis Calder Professor of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and co-editor-in-chief of the article “New Self-Assembling Multifunctional Templates for the Biofabrication and Controlled Self-Release of Cultured Tissue,” is quoted about the study’s investigations.
Medical Xpress
http://bit.ly/1A6emi3

Enter the graphene era
Former research scientist Jae-Hwang Lee and his colleagues are cited for using microbullets in experiments to show graphene is 10 times better than steel at absorbing the energy of a penetrating projectile.
Cosmos
http://bit.ly/1zftdvX

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Researchers find 2 huge magma chambers beneath Yellowstone National Park
Geoscientists have found two magma chambers under Yellowstone National Park, one deeper and larger than the other. Alan Levander, the Carey Croneis Professor of Earth Science, is quoted.
Uncover Michigan
http://bit.ly/1HNY19T

God’s messenger boy
William Martin, the Harry and Hazel Chavanne Senior Fellow in Religion and Public Policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is mentioned for his book “A Prophet With Honor: The Billy Graham Story” in an article about Rev. Billy Graham.
Sequoyah County Times
http://bit.ly/1b6Cvyr

Rice University hosts salsa social
Rice’s student organization Rice Salseros hosted its inaugural Salsa Explosion, which included guest alumnus Gabriel Yamal ’06.
The Venture
http://bit.ly/1DQ7k1J

SPORTS

WKU strands several runners and falls to No. 16 Rice
Rice baseball beat Western Kentucky University in a three-game weekend series in Bowling Green, Ky.
Best College Sports News Network
http://bit.ly/1HOLfrs

Owls open C-USA Championship in 11th place
Rice men’s golf competed at the Conference USA Championship at Texarkana Country Club. Golfers Alex Levy, James Lee, Tommy Economou, Mitchell Meissner and Kevin Reilly are mentioned.
Sugar Land Sun (This article also appeared in Memorial Examiner, Sugar Land Sun and Fort Bend Sun.)
http://bit.ly/1Ko9Kdl

Covington in top spot on CFL prospects list
Rice football player Christian Covington is in the top spot in the Canadian College Draft’s final ranking list.
Metro News (This article also appeared in Toronto Sun and over 70 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1IfByBr

Tigers minor league report: Kubitza on roll with slider
Alumnus Austin Kubitza ’14 is profiled.
The Detroit News
http://bit.ly/1Frby5s

Memories mean more for 1990 Reds as years roll on
Alumnus Norman Charlton ’86 is featured.
Chillicothe Gazette (This article also appeared in Zanesville Times Recorder, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette, Marion Star, Mansfield News-Journal and Newark Advocate.)
http://ohne.ws/1zeMGwD