Dateline Rice for Dec. 6, 2017

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

4 years of Dateline’s ‘Missing in America’: 90 still missing
Former Rice student Reny Jose, who went missing while on spring break in Florida in 2014, is mentioned.
NBC News
http://nbcnews.to/2A8RnOJ

The Qatar crisis in an age of alternative facts
Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, fellow for the Middle East at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, authored an op-ed on the role of the U.S. and the impact of a disinformation campaign in a dispute between Qatar and several fellow Middle East countries. Ulrichsen also is quoted in an article on the death of former Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh and in an article about a new economic and partnership group formed by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Lobe Log
http://bit.ly/2BADdSM
Fragile lull falls on Sana’a after death of Saleh
Financial Times (Subscription is required.)
http://on.ft.com/2inzbp1 
UAE, Saudi Arabia forming new group, separate from GCC
Macau Daily Times
http://bit.ly/2AXo9Sc

Rice University signs virtual exchange agreement with foreign universities 
Rice has signed an agreement with eight other elite universities around the world that will allow students from the participating schools to enroll in select online courses from the other member schools and receive transfer credits for them. Rice is the first university in the U.S. to offer this kind of collaborative international learning environment to students.
Xinhua (A similar article appeared in Military Technologies.)
http://bit.ly/2BB1JCZ

Researchers decode why metals are hard 
How a material breaks may be the most important property to consider when designing layered composites that mimic those found in nature. A method by Rice engineers decodes the interactions between materials and the structures they form and can help maximize their strength, toughness, stiffness and fracture strain. In a study that required more than 400 computer simulations of platelet-matrix composite materials like mother-of-pearl, Rouzbeh Shahsavari, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering and of materials science and nanoengineering, and visiting scholar Shafee Farzanian developed a design map to help with the synthesis of staggered composites for applications at any scale, from microelectronics to cars to spacecraft, where lightweight, multifunctional structural composites are key.
International Business Times (A similar article appeared in Product Design & Development.) 
http://bit.ly/2B7yThx
Nature’s toughest substances decoded
Science360
http://bit.ly/2B7r5wk

HOUSTON/TEXAS

County judge: Where’s the action on Harvey flooding?
Jim Blackburn, a professor in the practice of environmental law and the co-director of Rice’s Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters Center, is quoted in a column on new flooding regulations.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/2Ax9vAA

Former sheriff Adrian Garcia to challenge Jack Morman for Precinct 2 seat
Former Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia announced Tuesday that he will run for Precinct 2 commissioner against incumbent Jack Morman. Robert Stein, the Lena Gohlman Fox Professor of Political Science, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/2knJ3TY

Rice to break ground on long-awaited music building
Rice University will hold a ceremonial groundbreaking Dec. 7 for a new music building that together with the Shepherd School of Music’s Alice Pratt Brown Hall and the adjoining plaza will form the Rice University Music and Performing Arts Center. Robert Yekovich, dean of the Shepherd School and the Elma Schneider Professor of Music, is quoted.
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/2iwFJSi

Ex-DOE official: Environmental sustainability requires strong business case
Charles McConnell, executive director of Rice’s Energy and Environment Initiative, spoke at the Carbon Management Workshop at the Horseshoe in Midland.
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in the Midland Reporter-Telegram.)
http://bit.ly/2AyZhhi

Spotlight on Stephen Klineberg
Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and founding director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is featured in a Q&A.
TMC News
http://bit.ly/2BOSwI6

Rebecca Robertson joins Equality Texas staff
Alumna Rebecca Robertson ’91 joined Equality Texas as chief programs officer.
Dallas Voice
http://bit.ly/2zRQpSP

Rice University students to relax and unwind with therapy pets during finals
During final exam days, Rice students will have an opportunity to socialize and share furry snuggles with dogs and cats of various breeds from Houston pet therapy organization Faithful Paws Dec. 6-8 at Fondren Library.
Houston Style Magazine (This article also appeared in Military Technologies.)
http://bit.ly/2ADs8Bb

BROADCAST

KPCC-FM (Los Angeles)
Motorized molecules that target diseased cells may deliver drugs to or kill the cells by drilling into the cell membranes. Scientists at Rice, Durham (U.K.) and North Carolina State universities have demonstrated them on cancer and other cells. James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, is mentioned.
http://bit.ly/2B6sAur (Click the audio button to listen to the broadcast.)

KTRH-AM
Public schools are less likely to earn an A or A-plus from parents than private or charter schools are, according to a new study by scholars at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business. Study leader Vikas Mittal, the J. Hugh Liedtke Professor of Marketing at the Jones Graduate School of Business, comments. He is also quoted on this topic in Military Technologies. Student and research team member Jihye Jung is mentioned in the article.
http://bit.ly/2zUQYv9 (Click the audio button to listen to the broadcast.)
Rice U. study: Parents grade public schools lower than private and charter schools
Military Technologies
http://bit.ly/2ioNrOc

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Barack Obama re-emerges on global stage with trip to Asia, France
Now a private citizen, former President Barack Obama re-emerged on the global stage Tuesday as he opened a three-country tour that includes meetings with the leaders of China and India, just as President Donald Trump courts those same world powers. Professor of History Douglas Brinkley is quoted.
Financial Express
http://bit.ly/2is8Lme

Turkey: Laundering billions for Iran
A. Kadir Yildirim, research scholar in the Baker Institute for Public Policy’s Center for the Middle East, is quoted on a trial in which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is accused of approving a scheme to evade U.S. sanctions against Iran.
Gatestone Institute
http://bit.ly/2BEUOZB

Clinical study validates effectiveness of NEST 360°’s low-cost jaundice detector
The first clinical study of a low-cost, hand-held jaundice detector invented by Rice students couldn’t have come at a better time for NEST 360°, an international team of scientists, doctors and global health experts preparing for a Dec. 11 competition for $100 million from the MacArthur Foundation. The money would allow the team to carry out its visionary plan to halve the number of newborn deaths in African hospitals within 10 years. Rebecca Richards-Kortum, the Malcolm Gillis University Professor, professor of bioengineering and of electrical and computer engineering, director of the Rice 360° Institute for Global Health and a study co-author, and Pelham Keahey, Rice graduate student and study co-author, are quoted. Keahey is pictured with Rice students Mathieu Simeral and Kristofer Schroder.
Biotechin.Asia (A similar article appeared in Medical Design Technology Online.)
http://bit.ly/2AVKCPB
Handheld device detects jaundice in newborn babies
New Atlas
http://bit.ly/2jkOmjR

Waterfall development — Is it right for you?
Alumnus Flint Brenton ’84 authored an article about innovation in software development.
Sys-Con Media
http://bit.ly/2BL5hDO

IRNAS Vitaprint opens doors to 3-D bioprinted tissue research 
Rice is mentioned in an article on 3-D bioprinting.
3-D Printing Industry
http://bit.ly/2nAMvvA

Catalyst control delivers nanotubes on demand
Researchers think that they have found an approach that could lead to on-demand synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes of specific chiralities. Boris Yakobson, the Karl F. Hasselmann Professor of Materials Science and NanoEngineering and professor of chemistry, is quoted.
Materials Today
http://bit.ly/2ATNjkZ

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Mammal diversity may increase carbon storage in rainforests
Amy Dunham, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, is mentioned.
Mongabay
http://bit.ly/2ArZLaZ

Student researcher sets his sight on the stars
The Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium at Rice is mentioned.
The Paisano
http://bit.ly/2AdQl3K

SPORTS

FB: 2017 All-Conference awards
Rice football players Emmanuel Ellerbee and Brian Womac were named to the All-Conference USA first team. Jack Fox and Austin Trammell made the second team and Calvin Anderson, Trey Martin, Austin Walter and Roe Wilkins earned honorable mention.
ConferenceUSA.com (Similar stories appeared in the Sun Herald.)
http://bit.ly/2iUgw8g

FB: 2017 All-Freshman team
Rice football players Aaron Cephus, Jordan Myers and Austin Trammell were named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team.
ConferenceUSA.com
http://bit.ly/2AwSFQv

Fine leads postseason accolades with first-team all-conference honors
Rice football is mentioned.
North Texas Daily
http://bit.ly/2jZog5k

NEWS RELEASES

Baker Institute Director Djerejian available for interviews in Washington, D.C., Dec. 11-13
Ambassador Edward Djerejian, director of Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, will be in Washington, D.C., Dec. 11-13 for meetings with policymakers and State Department officials and is available for interviews.
http://bit.ly/2nAHLpW

Wheat gets boost from purified nanotubes
The introduction of purified carbon nanotubes appears to have a beneficial effect on the early growth of wheatgrass, according to Rice University scientists. But in the presence of contaminants, those same nanotubes could do great harm.
http://bit.ly/2B5rKOG

Rice to co-host technology and jobs summit in D.C. Dec. 12
Rice University and the Computing Research Association will host the Summit on Technology and Jobs in Washington, D.C., Dec. 12.
http://bit.ly/2B6mYAC