Dateline Rice for Feb. 5, 2018 (Weekend Edition)

FEATURED ITEM

The sometimes bizarre world of condensed matter physics is interesting. Really.
An article features Nanoscale Views, a blog about the sometimes bizarre world of condensed matter physics written by Doug Natelson, professor of physics and astronomy, of electrical and computer engineering and of materials science and nanoengineering and department chair of physics and astronomy.
Washington Post
http://wapo.st/2EdOey9

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Iran could be winner, US a loser from UAE-Qatar tensions
A rise in tension between Qatar and the United Arab Emirates over military flights threatens U.S. strategic interests in the Gulf and could benefit regional rival Iran. Gabriel Collins, the Baker Botts Fellow in Energy and Environmental Regulatory Affairs at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
Reuters (This article also appeared in U.S. News & World Report.)
http://reut.rs/2E2QepM

Why ‘It’s the economy, stupid’ doesn’t apply anymore
Lyn Ragsdale, the Radoslav A. Tsanoff Professor of Public Affairs and professor of political science, is quoted in an article on a disconnect between economic success and President Donald Trump’s approval ratings.
Boston Globe
http://bit.ly/2EyVna7

Trend toward online codes is bumping cost of college textbooks, students say
OpenStax, a Rice-based publisher of open educational resources, is mentioned.
Seattle Times (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2nL1rEl
Student senate working to reduce textbook prices
Grand Valley Lanthorn
http://bit.ly/2EIRm34

Maya ‘megalopolis’ featuring thousands of ancient pyramids, palaces and causeways is found hidden under thick jungle foliage in Guatemala
An article mentions a study co-authored by André Droxler, professor of Earth, environmental and planetary sciences, that found drought was a likely cause of the decline of Mayan civilization.
Daily Mail
http://dailym.ai/2EBi4dU

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Rice alum stands up to help Venezuelans impacted by scarcity in medical supplies
Alumnus Pablo Henning ’15, with help from classmate Ujalashah Dhanani, founded Saludos Connection, a nonprofit organization that provides humanitarian aid to Venezuela. Alumna Katherine McElroy ’16, a volunteer with the organization, is quoted. The article was written by David Medina ’83, director of multicultural community relations in the Office of Public Affairs.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared at MSN.com.)
http://bit.ly/2DScwdB
http://bit.ly/2DV6vNl

Area-specific flood alerts give residents time to save lives, property
Phil Bedient, the Herman Brown Professor of Engineering and director of Rice’s Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters Center, and Christof Spieler ’97, senior lecturer of architecture, authored an op-ed on the potential for area-specific flood alerts that would give residents time to save lives and property.
Houston Chronicle (This appeared in the Feb. 4 print edition of the Houston Chronicle with an additional headline, “Danger: Water’s rising – NOW.”)
http://bit.ly/2Eg7w68

Why American colleges should be developing global citizens
Sid Richardson College senior Justin Onwenu authored an op-ed on the importance of colleges encouraging and supporting students to become global citizens. Onewnu, president of the Rice Student Association, discusses his travels to Barcelona as a member of the Rice University Global Urban Laboratory program.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article appeared in the Chronicle’s “Gray Matters” online magazine.)
http://bit.ly/2EjZGZ2

Kantarjian, Prat: There’s a better model for cancer research in US
Hagop Kantarjian, nonresident fellow in health policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, co-authored an op-ed on better models for cancer research.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/2s8RbeC

Thumbs-up, thumbs-down
An editorial gives Rice’s Woodson Research Center in Fondren Library a thumbs-up for preserving historical records from Houston’s Jewish community.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/2FNWGS3

Harris County needs updated address information on 175,000 voters
The Harris County tax assessor-collector is seeking updated address information for roughly 175,000 voters in Harris County, including some displaced by Hurricane Harvey, whose accounts have been classified as “in suspense” ahead of the March primary election. Robert Stein, the Lena Gohlman Fox Professor of Political Science, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/2GOPCWA

Andrew White boosts campaign war chest by $1.1 million
Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Andrew White has raised more than $1.1 million during the past three weeks, including a $1 million loan from himself, the Houston Chronicle confirmed Monday. 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.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/2E3UpFE

After Harvey’s floods, Friendswood will allow residents to rebuild at ground level
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.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article appeared in the Feb. 1 issue of Dateline when it first was published online. The article also appeared in the Feb. 4 print edition of the Houston Chronicle.)
http://bit.ly/2nu50iQ

UH leader celebrates 10 ambitious years at helm as her reputation grows
Rice is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article appeared on the front page of the Feb. 4 issue of the Houston Chronicle.)
http://bit.ly/2s1W21e

For state District 134 representative
Rice is mentioned for its location in District 134.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/2EEwtFT

Eyeing the Texas impact of corporate trio’s health care efforts
Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics at the Baker Institute, is quoted in an article on Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase announcing plans to form an independent health care company.
Longview News-Journal
http://bit.ly/2s1XxM

The MFAH’s Core Program is looking for residents
Applications are now open for the Core residency program at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. During the nine-month residency, the program’s artists have the opportunity to meet visiting curators, lecturers and other artists from across the world. Rice’s Fondren Library is mentioned.
Glasstire
http://bit.ly/2s6a7L5

Houston’s black-tie doubleheader sets passions aflame
An event held at Rice’s Stude Concert Hall is mentioned.
PaperCity
http://bit.ly/2BYMeVi

Calendar for Monday
John Boles, the William Pettus Hobby Professor of History and author of “Jefferson: Architect of American Liberty,” will speak Feb. 5 in Bryan, Texas, as part of a lecture on the religious lives of Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin.
The Eagle
http://bit.ly/2BXJVBN

BROADCAST

‘Houston Matters’
Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics at the Baker Institute, participated in a panel discussion on “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” of the past week in Houston.
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/2DYjVrN

No headquarters but Amazon remains active in Houston
Houston failed to make the final list of 20 potential cities for Amazon’s second headquarters, but the company’s presence is still strong in the area. 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.
Houston Public Media
http://bit.ly/2nFsWAf

National Public Radio
Rice is mentioned in a discussion about “Code Girls,” a book about women code breakers of World War II.
http://bit.ly/2E3F58b
(This also aired on WGBH-FM [Boston], WBEZ-FM [Chicago] and WYPR-FM [Baltimore]. Click on the audio button to listen to the broadcast.)

C-SPAN2
Douglas Brinkley, professor of history, participates in two author discussions.
http://bit.ly/2GOqPC5 (Click on the video button to view the broadcast.)
http://bit.ly/2EGzTbp (Click on the video button to view the broadcast.)

KTRH-AM
Jill Foote, senior lecturer of finance in the Jones Graduate School of Business, comments on the recent volatility in the stock market.
http://bit.ly/2E4gVOM (Click on the audio button to listen to the broadcast.)

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

2-stage gas sensor reports on soil dynamics
A gene “genie” developed by Rice scientists grants researchers valuable data about microbes through puffs of gas from the soil. Mentioned are Jonathan Silberg, associate professor of biochemistry and cell biology; Caroline Masiello, professor of Earth, environmental and planetary sciences; graduate student and lead author Hsiao-Ying (Shelly) Cheng; graduate student Ilenne Del Valle; research scientist Xiaodong Gao; and George Bennett, the E. Dell Butcher Professor of Biochemistry and Cell Biology.
High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal
http://bit.ly/2s51yAh
Microbial sensor provides nondestructive snapshot of environments
Technology Networks
http://bit.ly/2E3MMLw

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

The quarterback who completed a pass to Lady Gaga at Super Bowl LI
Brian Mann, Rice’s associate athletic director for development, threw the football that Lady Gaga caught at the end of her halftime performance in Super Bowl LI in Houston.
WBUR.org
http://wbur.fm/2ECbQtW
KNOW-FM (Minneapolis)
http://bit.ly/2E2IE2h
(This also aired on WHYY-FM [Philadelphia]. Click on the audio button to listen to the broadcast.)

Loneliness: The latest risk factor to our health
Rice research that indicates people who feel lonely are more prone to report their cold symptoms being more severe than those with stronger social networks is mentioned.
Zoomer
http://bit.ly/2EBvnuK

Romantic music for piano
Alumna Junko Garrett ’98 is featured.
Pasadena Now
http://bit.ly/2ECkqc8

Record setting astronaut Peggy Whitson to speak in Davenport
Astronaut and Rice alumna Peggy Whitson ’86 will speak Feb. 12 at the University of Iowa in Davenport.
Quad-City Times (This article also appeared on Marietta Daily Journal, St. Joseph News-Press and KPVI-TV.)
http://bit.ly/2EemDg9

Study finds more than 9,000 brothels masquerading as legit businesses
Kerry Ward, associate professor of history, is quoted in an article on a three-year study titled “Human Trafficking in Illicit Massage Businesses.”
Twin City Telegraph
http://bit.ly/2DZRqdo

The stuff of dreams
Patricia Reiff, professor of physics and astronomy, is quoted in an article on IMAGE, a NASA spacecraft that monitored space weather before going silent in 2005.
Pocono Record (This also appeared on NewsOK.)
http://bit.ly/2EbXpiO
Lost NASA satellite located by amateur
Journal Gazette
http://bit.ly/2s3IJxf

Alumna Ellie Persellin ‘18 authored several entertainment blog posts.
The Rhetoric of ‘Peaky Blinders’
Her Campus
http://bit.ly/2E0EKqP
What to watch when the world feels bleak
Her Campus
http://bit.ly/2EhPcK1
Valentine’s Day gifts that give back
Her Campus
http://bit.ly/2E233V7       

Houston is great, but I don’t want to live there: Dorries
A column about Houston mentions the columnist’s visit to Rice’s campus.
News Leader
https://stnva.nl/2DZ3XO4

Latest archaeology discoveries
Rice research on the first evidence of sub-Saharan Africa glassmaking is mentioned.
Hearst CT News
http://bit.ly/2E2xIly

The case for housing reform
An article calling for campus housing reform at Duke University mentions Rice.
Duke Chronicle
http://bit.ly/2E2qOsk

SPORTS

Rice to land its share of incoming talent from Fort Worth school
Rice football recruiting is featured.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required.)
http://bit.ly/2BVUxkZ

‘Small ball’ lineup elevates men’s basketball past Rice at home
Rice men’s basketball lost to the University of North Texas Feb. 3, 74-70.
North Texas Daily
http://bit.ly/2GNwmsy
CW 39
http://bit.ly/2E3GBan (Click on the video button to view the broadcast.)
KRIV-TV
http://bit.ly/2BWWFZB (Click on the video button to view the broadcast.)
KPRC-TV
http://bit.ly/2nFQEfq (Click on the video button to view the broadcast.)
KHOU-TV
http://bit.ly/2DZmnyj (Click on the video button to view the broadcast.)

Lady Eagles’ rally comes up short in 62-56 loss at Rice
The Rice women’s basketball team defeated the University of Southern Mississippi Feb. 2, 62-56.
WDAM-TV
http://bit.ly/2EFe5gm

Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston, girlfriend expecting baby boy
Alumna Breion Allen ’15, a former Rice basketball player, is mentioned.
WHIO-TV (This also appeared on WPIX.)
http://bit.ly/2nDj8Xb

The Weekend Roundup
Rice’s men’s tennis is mentioned.
The Dartmouth
http://bit.ly/2FJhXMI

KRIV-TV
Former Owls football player Christian Covington, a current player for the Houston Texans, discusses teammate J.J. Watt.
http://bit.ly/2E4amYo (Click on the video button to view the broadcast.) 

NEWS RELEASES

Rice U. study: Safety has many meanings for parents with children in schools
Safety, just behind family and community engagement, is one of the most import drivers of parents’ satisfaction with their child’s school. “In traditional public schools, safety is just as important in driving overall satisfaction as teachers, and even more important than academics and learning,” according to a study by scholars at Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business.
http://bit.ly/2FOBtHD

Rice expert available to discuss report on role of buyouts post-Harvey
To best improve the way the Houston region addresses buyouts, there must be an examination of how authorities at different levels of government have navigated the process, according to a new report released today from Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research. The report examines buyouts and their possible role following Hurricane Harvey. Kyle Shelton, fellow and director of strategic partnerships for the Kinder Institute and Grant Patterson, a Kinder Institute staff researcher for development, transportation and placemaking and author of the report, are available to discuss the document.
http://bit.ly/2nJfBWE