Dateline Rice for July 29, 2016

FEATURED ITEM

NSF commits $35 million to improve scientific software
Rice has a key role in the Molecular Sciences Software Institute, a new effort funded by the National Science Foundation to transform the field of computational molecular sciences.
National Science Foundation
http://bit.ly/2a4X0Ac

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

He lost after a law changed; can he win now that it’s changing again?
Mark Jones, the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies, professor of political science, fellow in political science at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and fellow at Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is quoted about the presidential elections, Texas Rep. Pete Gallego, Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and anti-LGBT bills.
McClatchy DC (This also appeared in 23 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/2aBw5tI
NBA, NCAA moves could be game-changers for anti-LGBT legislation in Texas
Texas Observer
http://bit.ly/2aAwoYJ
Future murky for Ted Cruz as he settles back into Texas
Jacksonville Progress (This also appeared in 14 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/2aPqnnw
KPRC
http://bit.ly/2a9L385
http://bit.ly/2aiJrss
KLBJ
http://bit.ly/2am9AKt
¿Cómo ayudarán Tim Kaine y Mike Pence a las candidaturas de Clinton y Trump?
Univision (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/2aweyn5

Sonic mysteries of spider silk open pathways to new synthetic materials
New discoveries about spider silk could inspire novel materials to manipulate sound and heat in the same way semiconducting circuits manipulate electrons, according to scientists at Rice, in Europe and in Singapore. Edwin Thomas, the William and Stephanie Sick Dean of the George R. Brown School of Engineering and professor of materials science and nanoengineering and of chemical and biomolecular engineering, is quoted.
The Sydney Morning Herald (This also appeared in Milton Ulladulla Times.)
http://bit.ly/2ajuYj5
Spiders spin unique phononic material
Lab Manager
http://bit.ly/2a9BqX9

State colleges lose this much money on every student
A slideshow mentions that Rice is ranked No. 4 nationally and the best college in Texas by Money magazine.
Money
http://ti.me/2aPtnAd

Meet the teenage Bernie Sanders delegate who helped nominate Hillary Clinton
A student who hopes to attend Rice is featured.
Yahoo! Finance
http://yhoo.it/2afanem

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Houston Shakespeare Festival: Summer of turmoil needs the Bard
Joseph Campana, the Alan Dugald McKillop Chair in English and associate professor of English literature, authored a review of the Houston Shakespeare Festival.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front of the Star section in the June 29 print edition with a different headline, “Summer of turmoil needs the Bard.”)
http://bit.ly/2atQWRC

Thousands of Kelsey-Seybold patients to lose in-network coverage from Blue Cross
Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics at the Baker Institute and professor of economics, is quoted about Kelsey-Seybold.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front of the June 29 print edition with a different headline, “Insurer drops popular clinic.”)
http://bit.ly/2ajvnSo

Big Houston-area freeway projects to take shape with state windfall
Kyle Shelton, postdoctoral research fellow at Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is quoted about freeway expansion and affordable housing in Houston.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2ajusSe
Spending soars in Texas long-term highway plan
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2a4Tg1T
http://bit.ly/2a4TiH3
Expanding affordable housing in Houston is a big objective for city’s new housing director
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/2aiED66

Texas is trailing the nation in organ donation rates
Graduate student Samantha Paulsen authored an op-ed about organ donors in Texas.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2aBEPmN

A third of Hispanic Texans remain uninsured despite ACA eligibility
The percentage of Hispanics in Texas without health insurance has dropped by 30 percent since the Affordable Care Act went into effect, but almost one-third of Hispanic Texans ages 18 to 64 remain uninsured. That’s one of the conclusions of a report released by Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Episcopal Health Foundation.
Houston Style Magazine
http://bit.ly/2aiEYpm

Marfa lawyer announces for county attorney
An article mentions that Charles Stephenson attended Rice.
Big Bend Now
http://bit.ly/2aA40Vp

BROADCAST

Controversial ‘campus carry’ goes into effect Monday
Rice is mentioned for opting out of the Texas “campus carry” law.
KTRK
http://abc13.co/2aCo8Hr
‘Campus carry’ goes into effect Monday at state universities
iHeart Radio (This also appeared in The Bear and WOAI.)
http://bit.ly/2af6ypJ

KHOU
Paul Brace, the Clarence L. Carter Professor of Political Science, is quoted about the presidential election. The broadcast also mentions that a watch party of Hillary Clinton’s acceptance speech was hosted at Rice.
http://bit.ly/2ajCPgA

KTRH
Peter Caldwell, Samuel G. McCann Professor of History, is quoted about an end-of-the-world theory.
http://bit.ly/2au2ggM

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Beating the heat a challenge at the nanoscale
Rice scientists who analyze the properties of materials as small as a single molecule have encountered a challenge that appears at very low temperatures. Douglas Natelson, professor of physics and astronomy and of electrical and computer engineering, and postdoctoral researcher Pavlo Zolotavin are quoted.
Science Daily (This also appeared in Science Codex, Nanowerk, Opli, Scienmag and Science Newsline.)
http://bit.ly/2a4QAB4

Here’s how McNair supports medical research
An article mentions that the McNair Scholars program operates at Rice.
Inside Philanthropy
http://bit.ly/2aBO5aN

Ultra-flat circuits will have unique properties
The old rules don’t necessarily apply when building electronic components out of two-dimensional materials, according to scientists at Rice. Boris Yakobson, the Karl F. Hasselmann Professor of Materials Science and NanoEngineering and professor of chemistry, and graduate student Henry Yu are quoted.
Scientific Computing
http://bit.ly/2aiJeoO

Eric Kuhne dies aged 64
Alumnus Eric Kuhne ’73 is profiled.
The Architect’s Journal
http://bit.ly/2ajtjKc

Send in the change agents: The leadership-development approach to school reform
Rice University’s Education Entrepreneurship Program is mentioned. Andrea Hodge, executive director of the program, is quoted.
Thomas B. Fordham Institute
http://bit.ly/2awhXCw

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Russia expels US clergyman over plans to officiate gay wedding
Tristram Engelhardt Jr., professor of philosophy, is quoted about the Russian government.
Life Site News
http://bit.ly/2aChEbI

History chairs dismiss concerns over not requiring US history course
Rice is cited as one of the elite universities where courses in U.S. history are not required for history majors. Alida Metcalf, the Harris Masterson Jr. Professor of History and chair of the Department of History, is quoted about Rice’s history program.
The College Fix
http://bit.ly/2aCkqOg

Why are there so many mattress stores?
Utpal Dholakia, the George R. Brown Professor of Marketing at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business and a marketing and consumer behavior expert, is quoted about the “mattress-store bubble.”
Arizona Daily Sun
http://bit.ly/2ahxlFJ

Researchers discover what is likely the world’s deepest blue hole
A study that Rice participated in on the Great Blue Hole is mentioned.
Sun Sentinel (This also appeared in Daily Press, Orlando Sentinel and Hartford Courant.)
http://bit.ly/2alZfhA
Is the deepest ‘blue hole’ on Earth in the South China Sea?
The Christian Science Monitor
http://bit.ly/2ahx5H3

MOOCs ahead
An article mentions that representatives of Rice will attend a conference for edX institutions.
Harvard Gazette
http://bit.ly/2alZI3f

Been there, done that: Advice from college sophomores about freshman year
Wiess College junior Gabrielle Young gives advice to incoming freshmen.
Sun Sentinel
http://bit.ly/2ahBaLp

Harwood graduates celebrate by hiking the Long Trail
A student who may attend Rice is mentioned.
The Valley Reporter
http://bit.ly/2a4RopW

Good news — July 29
Titanium is the leading material for artificial knee and hip joints because it’s strong, wear-resistant and nontoxic, but an unexpected discovery by Rice University physicists shows that the gold standard for artificial joints can be improved with the addition of some actual gold.
The World
http://bit.ly/2alZSYB

SPORTS

5 burning questions as Houston Texans training camp begins
Alumnus Larry Izzo ’96 is featured.
Houston Press
http://bit.ly/2am6jLb

Butler, Seton Hall among 26 Division I programs to receive NABC Team Academic Excellence Award
An article mentions that Rice men’s basketball has been recognized as a recipient of the National Association of Basketball Coaches Team Academic Excellence Award.
Big East Conference
http://bit.ly/2ahF8Uh

Klein ISD alumni powering Sugar Land Skeeters lineup
Former Rice baseball player Ricky Hague is mentioned.
The Potpourri Tomball Edition (This also appeared in The Potpourri Magnolia Edition and The Spring Observer.)
http://bit.ly/2a9BCp2

C-USA schools in big markets strive for consistency
Rice football is mentioned.
Daily News Journal
http://on.dnj.com/2aDyfJu
Mailbag: Why college football Saturdays beat NFL Sundays any day of the week
Fox Sports
http://foxs.pt/2atRaZ2
C-USA coaches chime in on Tech’s status in C-USA West
The News Star
http://tnsne.ws/2ahCIVo
Report: Texas TE Blake Whiteley and WR Ty Templin placed on medical scholarships
SB Nation
http://bit.ly/2ahCyxA
Texas TE Whiteley, WR Templin going on medical scholarships
247Sports
http://bit.ly/2a9HX46

Rice announces schedule
Rice swimming announced its 2016-17 schedule. Head coach Seth Huston is quoted.
College Swimming
http://bit.ly/2aClotA

14 team USA athletes to compete against Germany in this year’s Thorpe Cup
Sid Richardson College senior Scott Filip is mentioned.
USATF
http://bit.ly/2aCkEEV

MTSU men’s basketball to play in Nashville tournament
Rice men’s basketball is mentioned.
Daily News Journal
http://on.dnj.com/2aA57Eq

NEWS RELEASE

Baker Institute working paper examines climate risk and the fossil fuel industry
Burning coal, oil and natural gas is responsible for two-thirds of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Yet these same fuels are also the economic mainstay of resource-rich countries and the world’s largest companies. According to a new working paper from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, this means that climate-change relief actions represent danger for the fossil fuel business.
http://bit.ly/2aCrmuM