Dateline Rice for April 28, 2015

FEATURED ITEM

Haptic gloves use air pressure to simulate the feel of virtual objects
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.
Popular Science (Similar articles appeared in Geeky Gadgets and 10 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1KoYM7l
Glove uses tiny air bladders to bring touch to VR
Wired.co.uk (This article also appeared in Local News UK.)
http://bit.ly/1z9wHzP

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Cheaper system to ease pain of parking
A team of senior electrical and computer engineers designed a capstone project that could take the hassle out of finding a place to park with a new technology called “ParkiT.” Baker College senior Jennifer Ding and Will Rice College senior Omar Turk are quoted. Sid Richardson College seniors Thomas Peters and Aneesh Sampath are mentioned.
Futurity
http://bit.ly/1HNVFWI
Taking the hassle out of parking
Phys.org
http://bit.ly/1AaQWbl
New parking technology could make finding an open spot easier
Tech Times
http://bit.ly/1EA9c3h

Rice University students develop pain-free shots
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.
USA Today
http://usat.ly/1bzWTIR
A new, innovative 3-D-printed device that makes injections painless
Taxi
http://bit.ly/1zkdsUt

Oil price, exchange rates and the convoluted impact of sanctions on Russia
Mark Agerton, graduate fellow in the Center for Energy Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, authored an op-ed about the complicated impact of falling oil prices, which varies by country and exchange rate.
Forbes
http://onforb.es/1OzvTLD

Political risk, price freezes and dumb economics to hammer UK Energy Inc.
U.K. Opposition Labor Party leader Ed Miliband announced his plan to carry out his 2013 pledge to freeze alleged rising energy bills for 20 months days before the U.K. general election for prime minister. Vincent Kaminski, professor in the practice of management at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business, is quoted.
Forbes (This article also appeared in Hargreaves Lansdown.)
http://onforb.es/1HU3cFg

Russian gas delivery should bypass unreliable Ukraine – former US official
Charles McConnell, executive director of Rice’s Energy and Environment Initiative, expressed his support for Russia to find alternate ways to transport gas to European suppliers rather than through Ukraine.
Sputnik News
http://bit.ly/1DxheVm

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Elections in Argentina’s Vaca Muerta: Neuquén 2015
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, authored a blog post about Omar Gutiérrez’s political history and the expectations he will face as the Neuquén Popular Movement’s governor.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1ENluHq

Learn how Texas funds public schools in 7 easy steps
An educational animation about how Texas funds public schools features information based on lessons by Scott Hochberg, a lecturer at Rice’s Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies.
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/1zfG8hl

BROADCAST

CNN
Douglas Brinkley, professor of history and fellow in history at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, discussed presidential politics and the Middle East and commented on Mary Pat Christie’s resignation from Angelo, Gordon & Co. and how it can benefit Gov. Chris Christie’s GOP nomination in 2016. He is also mentioned on “Imus in the Morning” in reference to novelist Tim O’Brien.
http://bit.ly/1EA2J8A
Mary Pat Christie’s Wall Street exit follows new trend among 2016 spouses
NJ.com
http://bit.ly/1PRUh8j
Fox Business Network
http://bit.ly/1QF6Zsp

Houston community leader: Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia must resign
Bob Stein, the Lena Gohlman Fox Professor of Political Science, comments on Sheriff Adrian Garcia’s response to an investigative report of his alleged mistreatment of a jail inmate, which has spurred political attacks.
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/1EjpXyu

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Video: NASA, engineering students collaborate on space-bound furniture
With help from NASA, Rice students designed furniture for habitats on the moon and planets. Lovett College senior Laura Blumenschein, Brown College senior Rey Amendola and Will Rice College seniors Archit Chaba, Alex Schmidt and Dan Peera are quoted. The article includes a video produced by Rice’s Brandon Martin.
Engineering.com (This article also appeared in EIN News.)
http://bit.ly/1JvEprx
Studenten ontwerpen meubilair voor op Mars
Scientias.nl (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1bPGuki

Richards-Kortum elected to Academy of Arts and Sciences
Rice University bioengineer and global health leader Rebecca Richards-Kortum, the Stanley C. Moore Professor of Bioengineering, professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of the Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering and of Rice 360°: Institute for Global Health Technologies, has been elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation’s foremost scholarly honors.
Photonics.com
http://bit.ly/1HNHOjl

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.
Health Canal (This article also appeared in BrightSurf.com, Nanotechnology Now and ScienceNewsline.)
http://bit.ly/1HNMwxr
New self-assembling biomaterial offers promising approach to deliver cell and tissue therapies
AZoNano
http://bit.ly/1JxOTqv

Strong evidence for coronal heating by nanoflares
Stephen Bradshaw, the William V. Vietti Junior Chair of Space Physics and assistant professor of physics and astronomy, spoke at the Triennial Earth-Sun Summit in Indianapolis.
Space Ref
http://bit.ly/1bzZORZ

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

ULM professor helps create certification program
Kelley Callaway, director of student publications, comments on the unique national initiative that certifies college media advisers in New York City.
The News Star
http://tnsne.ws/1zjznek

Join professor Nadia Celis’s book launch and celebration
Beatriz González-Stephan, the Lee Hage Jamail Chair of Latin American Literature and professor of Spanish and Portuguese, comments on Nadia Celis’ new book, “La Rebelión de las Niñas: El Caribe y la ‘Conciencia Corporal.’”
Bowdoin
http://bit.ly/1zk21w2

SPORTS

No. 16 Rice sweeps Hilltoppers in crucial conference series
Rice baseball beat Western Kentucky University in a three-game weekend series in Bowling Green, Ky.
WKU Herald
http://bit.ly/1b9MfIs

U of R Rams’ Addison Richards, Tevaughn Campbell make CFL watch list
Rice football player Christian Covington is in the top spot in the Canadian College Draft’s final ranking list.
Leader-Post
http://bit.ly/1GEaHja

NEWS RELEASES

Taking the hassle out of parking
A team of senior electrical and computer engineers designed a capstone project that could take the hassle out of finding a place to park with a new technology called “ParkiT.”
http://bit.ly/1FuD2qM

Chromosome-folding theory shows promise
Rice University biophysicists are working toward an energy-landscape theory for chromosomes. The theory could help scientists understand the genomic roots of gene regulation, DNA replication and cell differentiation.
http://bit.ly/1PSBR7A