Dateline Rice for June 16, 2015

Editor’s note: In the June 8 Dateline Rice, the description of an article in Chemical & Engineering News did not mention that Rice professors James Tour and Boris Yakobson were quoted (in addition to Pulickel Ajayan) and that the late Rick Smalley was cited. We apologize for the omissions.
Twists and shouts: A nanotube story
Chemical & Engineering News
http://bit.ly/1Jz11aY  

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

How to change our split-second views on black men and police
David Schneider, emeritus professor of psychology, is quoted about the news’ effect on people’s attitudes in an op-ed about media representation of black people.
Time
http://ti.me/1KT4qkn

Rising oil prices pose a threat to energy subsidy reforms
The significant drop in crude oil prices made it possible for governments to remove energy subsidies without affecting consumers. Jim Krane, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow in Energy Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted about the benefit of subsidy reform.
Institutional Investor
http://bit.ly/1dHZFgn

Banff faculty artists shine in Mozart E-flat major piano quartet
Rolston String Quartet, the graduate Quartet-in-Residence at Rice’s Shepherd School of Music, performed at the Banff Centre in Canada.
Calgary Herald (This article also appeared in the Vancouver Sun, Star Phoenix, Ottawa Citizen, Edmonton Journal, Leader Post, the Gazette, Windsor Star and Urban Scrawl.)
http://bit.ly/1dI68aZ

Mistrated Muni Market hoists $1.8 billion annual tab on taxpayers
According to a study co-authored by Marc Joffe, principal consultant with Public Sector Credit Solutions, taxpayers are not benefiting from fixed-income markets. The article cites a ratings study from Rice, American University and Georgetown University.
Yahoo! Finance (This article also appeared in La Repubblica.)
http://yhoo.it/1J24Nd1

5 student teams make their way to DC for the National Clean Energy Business Plan Competition
The Carnegie Mellon University team Hyliion, a winner at Rice’s Business Plan Competition for their development of an add-on hybrid module for tractor-trailers that catches wasted energy to reduce fuel consumption, is competing at the National Clean Energy Business Plan Competition.
Scientific American
http://bit.ly/1GKNmeC
Can genetic engineering create killers?
Michael Deem, the John W. Cox Professor of Biochemical and Genetic Engineering and co-author of the study, is quoted about the intricacies of genetic engineering and modified creatures.
Popular Science
http://bit.ly/1QB9ezp

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Retirements could offer tea party increased sway in Texas Senate
Two Republican Texas Senate members announced they would not run for re-election, which may be an opportunity for fiscal conservatives to take their seats. 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 quoted.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1HOEbut

Texas Tech newest member of National Science Foundation’s I-Corps node
Texas Tech University was named the fourth member of the southwest node of the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps, joining Rice and other Texas universities.
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
http://bit.ly/1JRIjeF

Southcross makes 2nd high-profile hire in a week with new CCO
Alumnus Joel Moxley ’80 has been named senior vice president and chief commercial officer of Southcross Energy Partners.
Dallas Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1BfPZoh
Southcross names Joel Moxley for new chief commercial officer role
Oil and Gas Investor
http://bit.ly/1cYlasB

BROADCAST

Will gas prices be affected by flooding?
Kenneth Medlock III, the James A. Baker III and Susan Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics and lecturer of economics, comments on the likelihood of gas prices rising as a result of flooding from Houston’s recent storms.
KTRH.com
http://bit.ly/1JVhDbq

The Weather Channel
The channel mentions that Rice University will be open today on a limited basis.
http://bit.ly/1JVowcT

China helps ‘Jurassic World’ devour the box office
Aynne Kokas, a fellow in Chinese media at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and a postdoctoral fellow at Rice’s Chao Center for Asian Studies, is quoted about the China-influenced international success of the movie “Jurassic World.”
Marketplace.org
http://bit.ly/1GJWwKg

Violinist Boson Mo advances to round 1 of the International Tchaikovsky Competition
Shepherd School violinist Boson Mo has advanced to the first round of the 15th Tchaikovsky International Competition in Moscow. Paul Kantor, the Sallie Shepherd Perkins Professor of Violin at Rice’s Shepherd School of Music, is mentioned.
CBC Music
http://bit.ly/1MZmHM5

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Researchers produce ‘nano-ribbons’ with mortar and pestle
Researchers on three continents discover that functionalized carbon nanotubes, when ground together, react and unzip into nanoribbons. The all solid-state process suggests that nanostructures may serve as templates for controlled chemical reactions. Pulickel Ajayan, the Benjamin M. and Mary Greenwood Anderson Professor in Materials Science and NanoEngineering and of chemistry, and graduate student Mohamad Kabbani are quoted.
The Engineer
http://bit.ly/1BfUhft
Researchers grind nanotubes to get nanoribbons
Product Design & Development (This article also appeared in Science Daily, K-Online, Solid State Technology, Press-News, Science Blog, Phys.org, Wireless Design and Development, Product Design and Development and EIN News.)
http://bit.ly/1BfG822
Grind up nanotubes and you get nanoribbons
Controlled Environments
http://bit.ly/1cYfIFZ

Living in a disadvantaged city may increase suicide risk
The city where an individual lives can influence the risk of dying by suicide, according to a new study from sociologists at Rice University and the University of Colorado at Boulder. Justin Denney, assistant professor of sociology, is quoted.
University Herald (This article also appeared in e! Science News, Science Newsline, Phys.org and Health Canal.)
http://bit.ly/1FkxmdN
Suicide risk higher in disadvantaged cities with fewer family households
Psych Central
http://bit.ly/1Skzmw3

Rice University emergency floor project flagged for funding by the USAID program
The Emergency Floor project initiated by Rice School of Architecture students through the Rice Building Workshop has been flagged for funding by the federal government’s USAID program. Alumnus Scott Austin Key ’13 is quoted and alumnus Sam Brisendine ’14 is mentioned.
AZO Build
http://bit.ly/1G06JfM

Software development: Not written here is new norm
Programmers are transitioning from writing their own code to using embedded software code. Rice is mentioning for its development of a data-mining engine that generates code after a few typed lines.
EE Times
http://ubm.io/1dI1hGN

Evolution study finds massive genome shift in one generation
A team of biologists from Rice, the University of Notre Dame and three other schools has discovered that populations of an agricultural pest that began plaguing U.S. apple growers in the 1850s likely did so after undergoing extensive genome-wide changes in a single generation. Scott Egan, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, is quoted.
Life Sciences World (This article also appeared in Press-News, Phys.org, Science Newsline and e! Science News.)
http://bit.ly/1HP8MrC

Tackling the barriers to honest feedback
Psychologists at Rice reinforce the importance of continuous feedback on employee performance. Doctoral candidate and lead author of the study Jisoo Ock is quoted. Study co-author Fred Oswald, professor of psychology, is mentioned.
Canadian HR Reporter
http://bit.ly/1GbCFwN

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Immigration reform news and impact on US Homeland Security June 16, 2015
Illegal immigration across the southwestern border is on pace for the lowest year since 1972, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said during an appearance Monday at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Right Side News
http://bit.ly/1dI3iCT

Commencement reveals the many stories of San Jac grads
San Jacinto College graduate Brianna Siller is completing a research internship at Rice this summer.
Pasadena Citizen
http://bit.ly/1HOKGgU

SPORTS

49ers add OL Gottschalk, K Acosta, WR Hull; release WR Davis, OT Martin
Graduate Mario Hull was signed to the San Francisco 49ers. Alumnus Vance McDonald ’13 is mentioned.
Santa Cruz Sentinel (This article also appeared in Chico Enterprise Record, Vallejo Times-Herald, Daily News Online, Monterey County Herald, the Reporter, Oroville Mercury-Register, San Jose Mercury News, Sacramento Bee and San Francisco 49ers.)
http://bit.ly/1CbkIhf

Smith qualifies for the Olympics
Bermuda long jumper Tyrone Smith, who competed at Rice’s track and field meet last month, has qualified for the Rio Olympics.
The Royal Gazette
http://bit.ly/1SktH9i

NEWS RELEASES

Rice U’s Medlock to testify before Congress June 17
Rice’s Ken Medlock will testify before Congress June 17.
http://bit.ly/1GKJMRH

Voting Rights Act increases Latino representation on school boards
The language assistance provisions of the Voting Rights Act have increased Latino representation on school boards across the country, according to new political science research from Rice University.
http://bit.ly/1ff0RsI

Rice sociologist available to discuss research on adding more gender options to the US Census
Rice sociologist Jenifer Bratter is available to discuss a possible expansion of gender options beyond the current binary choice of “male” and “female.”
http://bit.ly/1Cbj3Z2