Dateline Rice for Feb. 7, 2018

FEATURED ITEM

Rice pledges to improve undergraduate education, research reputation in new strategic plan
Following the endorsement of Rice’s Board of Trustees, President David Leebron introduced a strategic plan to set priorities and guide decisions for Rice for the next 10 years. Building on the success of the Vision for the Second Century launched 12 years ago, the Vision for the Second Century, Second Decade (V2C2) is intended to elevate the university’s mission of teaching, research and service to even higher levels. A photo of Rice students studying at Fondren Library is featured.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required.)
http://bit.ly/2E8p54O
http://bit.ly/2E8vjSi

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Trump’s ‘marching orders’ to the Pentagon: Plan a grand military parade
Professor of History Douglas Brinkley is quoted in an article on President Donald Trump’s request that the Pentagon plan a military parade for later this year in Washington and discusses the plan on “CNN Tonight with Don Lemon.” Brinkley also is quoted in an article on immigration policy.
Washington Post (This article appeared in more than 100 other media outlets.)
http://wapo.st/2EN7YGQ
‘CNN Tonight with Don Lemon’
CNN
http://bit.ly/2EMF3ml (Click the video button to watch the broadcast, which also aired on CNN International.)
Early chaos of Trump’s travel ban set stage for a year of immigration policy debates
Washington Post (This article appeared in more than 20 other media outlets.)
http://wapo.st/2E8OpYt

Delivery of Russian LNG heats up discussion about US energy dominance and sanctions
Anna Mikulska, senior research analyst for energy studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, authored an op-ed.
Forbes (This article also appeared in Natural Gas World.)
http://bit.ly/2E9oZd6

A Houston company dumped cancer-causing chemicals into a neighborhood storm drain
Daniel Cohan, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, is quoted in an article on Wright Containers, which faces felony charges for alleged improper disposal of toxic chemicals, and an article on Rep. John Culberson, R-Texas.
Quartz
http://bit.ly/2E6Z1Hi
Will climate change help oust this 9-term GOP lawmaker?
Climatewire
http://bit.ly/2EbpweM

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Houston billionaire couple gives Memorial Hermann $25 million
Rice benefactor Fayez Sarofim and his wife, Susan, made the largest donation to Memorial Hermann Health System in the system’s history. Kristen Schlatre, director of the Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership at Rice’s Glasscock School Continuing Studies, is quoted about recent major gifts to Houston health care institutions.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article was the top story on the front page of the Feb. 7 print edition with a different headline, “$25M gift helps hospital expansion.”)
http://bit.ly/2EaiaIa

Why have Texas Republicans cooled on bathroom bill?
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 in a column on Texas Republicans backing away from a proposal to regulate transgender bathroom use. Jones also is quoted in an article on Donald Trump Jr. endorsing George P. Bush ’98 for re-election as Texas land commissioner.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article appeared in the Feb. 7 print edition with a different headline, “Let’s hope legislators have had enough of those bathroom breaks.”)
http://bit.ly/2E6mBUt
Trump Jr. tweets support for George P. Bush
Texas Public Radio
http://bit.ly/2Eb23KI
KRLD-AM (Dallas)
http://bit.ly/2Bf2Fjz (Click the audio button to listen to the broadcast.)

In Mexican presidential campaign, little room for candidate error
Tony Payan, the Françoise and Edward Djerejian Fellow for Mexico Studies at the Baker Institute for Public Policy and director of the institute’s Mexico Center, is quoted.
Dallas Morning News (Subscription is required.)
http://bit.ly/2E9eOFi

With primaries coming, congressional candidates talk money
Alumna Jana Lynne Sanchez ’86, who is running for a U.S. House seat, is featured.
Cleburne Times-Review (This article also appeared in the Weatherford Democrat.)
http://bit.ly/2Eak7oh

Solutions: Small device promises big fix
A wireless, battery-less pacemaker that can be implanted directly into a patient’s heart was introduced by researchers from Rice and their colleagues. Aydin Babakhani, former assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering; graduate student Yuxiang Sun; Behnaam Aazhang, the J.S. Abercrombie Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering; and Joseph Cavallaro, professor of electrical and computer engineering and computer science, are mentioned.
TMC News
http://bit.ly/2E8Qm7d

Art gallery and museum listings: Feb. 8-14
“Josiah McElheny: Island Universe,” “Leo Villareal: Particle Chamber” and “Pile the Wood High!” at Rice’s Moody Center for the Arts are mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required.)
http://bit.ly/2E4Jh7t
http://bit.ly/2E9s9NS

The past lives of AvantGarden
An article mentions Howard Hughes attended Rice.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required.)
http://bit.ly/2E7IiDy
http://bit.ly/2E8vc9k

Rice hosts innovative symposium on braille reading and writing
The Scientia Small Conference on Interdisciplinary Research Perspectives on Braille Reading and Writing will be held March 8-10 in Rice Memorial Center’s Farnsworth Pavilion. Robert Englebretson, department chair and associate professor of linguistics, is quoted, and Simon Fischer-Baum, assistant professor of psychology and co-host of the event, is mentioned.
Houston Style
http://bit.ly/2E6PC2s

Motion sickness: The best music of the week in Houston
Days N Daze will perform Feb. 7 at Rice Memorial Center’s Ray Courtyard.
Houston Press
http://bit.ly/2E4xTbJ

BROADCAST

3-day workout plan for beginners, designed by coach
Rice assistant women’s basketball coach Tasha Brown provides fitness tips.
ABC13.com
http://abc13.co/2E8gK14

KCSB-FM (Santa Barbara, Calif.)
Anthony Brandt, professor of composition and theory at Rice’s Shepherd School of Music, and alumnus David Eagleman ’93, a neuroscientist at Stanford University, discuss human creativity.
http://bit.ly/2Ernpa0 (Click the audio button to listen to the broadcast.)

Inside story: The guide to farmers markets in the Bayou City
The Rice Farmers Market is mentioned.
CW39.com
http://bit.ly/2E4u9qH

KXLN-TV (Houston)
A Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Consortium panel discussion on home buyouts held at the BioScience Research Collaborative is featured.
http://bit.ly/2shvyZE (Click the video button to watch the broadcast, which is in Spanish.)

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

2018 America’s Best Urban Colleges and Universities
Rice is No. 5 in The Edvocate’s ranking of urban colleges and universities.
The Edvocate
http://bit.ly/2E8mMPc

Other materials stories that may be of interest
The right mix of hydrogen bonds in polymer and cement composites is critical to making strong, tough and ductile infrastructure material, according to Rice scientists who want to mimic the mechanics of mother-of-pearl and similar natural composites with synthetic materials.
American Ceramic Society
http://bit.ly/2Ea2QeV

The IMAGE satellite’s stunning return
Patricia Reiff, professor of physics and astronomy, is quoted in articles on IMAGE, a NASA spacecraft that monitored space weather before going silent in 2005. The satellite recently was detected by an amateur astronomer.
Phys.org
http://bit.ly/2E9lzqO

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.
Technology.org
http://bit.ly/2EbwoJ6

Everlane’s new Soho flagship goes back to basics — radically
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 in an article on online retailer Everlane opening a brick-and-mortar store in New York.
Metropolis
http://bit.ly/2E7hFyD

New approach reduces immune response to tissue-engineered vascular grafts
Antonios Mikos, the Louis Calder Professor of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and co-editor-in-chief at Tissue Engineering, is quoted.
AlphaGalileo
http://bit.ly/2E7YODy

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Comedian Matthew Broussard on Valentine’s Day and the mathematics of jokes
Alumnus Matthew Broussard ’10 is featured.
Seven Days
http://bit.ly/2E7MIub

Long Yu to conduct Lunar New Year Concert and Gala with New York Philharmonic
Alumna Sarah Mesko ’10 is mentioned.
Asian American Press
http://bit.ly/2E8eiYq

SPORTS

New Rice staff branches out in its recruiting to extend brand beyond state lines
The Rice football team’s recruiting efforts are featured. Offensive coordinator Jerry Mack is quoted. Head coach Mike Bloomgren and players Cole Garcia, Kebreyun Page, Antonio Montero, Ja’Quez Battley, Miles Adams, Andrew Bird and Jason White are mentioned. Former head coach David Bailiff and former players Calvin Anderson, Preston Gordon and V.J. Banks also are mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article appeared in the Feb. 7 print edition.)
http://bit.ly/2Eayzwe

Katy’s Moro Ojomo picks Texas on eve of 2nd signing day
The Rice football team and head coach Mike Bloomgren are mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article appeared on the front of the Sports section in the Feb. 7 print edition with a different headline, “Big name comes off board on eve of 2nd wave.”)
http://bit.ly/2E9xGEd

Meet the 2018 Winter Olympians with Texas ties
Former Rice football and track and field athlete Sam McGuffie ’14, who was named to the U.S. men’s bobsled team that will compete in the Winter Olympics in South Korea, is featured in a slideshow. He also is featured in an article.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required.)
http://bit.ly/2E7KQl9
http://bit.ly/2EblD9G
Houston Olympian tells youth to outwork everyone
Palestine Herald-Press
http://bit.ly/2Ebva04

Auburn basketball busting one negative streak after another
The Rice men’s basketball team is mentioned.
AL.com
http://bit.ly/2Bh5Nf1

The fives: From ordinary to extraordinary
The Rice baseball team is featured.
D1Baseball.com
http://bit.ly/2ELG8dU

Detroit Lions announce coaching staff under Matt Patricia
Former Rice defensive coordinator and interim head coach Brian Stewart was hired by the Detroit Lions to serve as defensive backs coach.
WXYZ.com (Similar articles appeared at CBSDetroit.com and ClickOnDetroit.com.)
http://bit.ly/2E7ahDy

BYU turns to Rice assistant to round out coaching staff
Former Rice running backs coach AJ Steward was hired for the same role at Brigham Young University.
NBC Sports
http://bit.ly/2E9Z5Gl
BYU adds former Rice assistant AJ Steward as new running backs coach
Salt Lake Tribune
http://bit.ly/2E8Ma7v
BYU football names AJ Steward as running backs coach to finalize coaching staff
Deseret News
http://bit.ly/2Eb2vZq
BYU football announces final position coach hire as AJ Steward will coach running backs
Daily Herald
http://bit.ly/2E9ulVV
BYU football names Rice University assistant AJ Steward as running backs coach
Vanquish the Foe
http://bit.ly/2E8Uiov
BYU football announces AJ Steward as final coach
Daily Universe
http://bit.ly/2E8RLuu
KSL-TV (Salt Lake City)
http://bit.ly/2EObbpD (Click the video button to watch the broadcast.)
KSL-AM (Salt Lake City)
http://bit.ly/2ELY9c4 (Click the audio button to listen to the broadcast.)

NEWS RELEASES

Rice University unveils strategic plan for second decade of its second century
Following the endorsement of Rice’s Board of Trustees, President David Leebron introduced a strategic plan to set priorities and guide decisions for Rice for the next 10 years. Building on the success of the Vision for the Second Century launched 12 years ago, the Vision for the Second Century, Second Decade (V2C2) is intended to elevate the university’s mission of teaching, research and service to even higher levels. The final plan was the result of more than a year of discussions with and comments from trustees, faculty, students, staff, alumni and other friends of the university.
http://bit.ly/2C139Xb

Baker Institute experts: Islamic State is down but not out
As president, Donald Trump has continued — and intensified — the military effort against the Islamic State begun under President Barack Obama. The physical caliphate may be on the verge of extinction, but ISIS and jihadist movements as a terrorist threat remain very much alive and pose a major challenge, according to a new issue brief by experts at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. “Trump Policy in the Middle East: ISIS” was co-authored by Joe Barnes, a foreign-policy expert and the Bonner Means Baker Fellow at the institute, and Robert Barron, policy assistant to the Baker Institute director.
http://bit.ly/2E7OH1r

A satellite’s stunning return
The Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE) spacecraft – NASA ID 166 – was lost for more than a decade until an amateur astronomer found it last month, to the delight of Rice’s Patricia Reiff, one of the original scientists in charge of the mission that began in 1989 and launched into orbit in 2000.
http://bit.ly/2Eao3oT