Dateline Rice for March 13, 2018

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Ash from dinosaur-era volcanoes led to US natural gas
Nutrient-rich ash from an enormous flare-up of volcanic eruptions toward the end of the dinosaurs’ reign kicked off a chain of events that led to the formation of shale gas and oil fields from Texas to Montana. Cin-Ty Lee, professor and chair of the Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, is quoted.
Futurity (This article was featured in the March 13 edition of the Futurity Today newsletter, and similar articles appeared in more than 10 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/2FLA5cr

Quiet White House science office stirs fears but also raises some hopes
Neal Lane, the Malcolm Gillis University Professor Emeritus, senior fellow in science and technology policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and professor emeritus of physics and astronomy, is quoted.
Chronicle of Higher Education
http://bit.ly/2FPvtlv

Overnight Energy: Pruitt misses deadline for travel records | Court says EPA’s smog rule delay was illegal | Mining groups appeal to Supreme Court over Grand Canyon uranium ban
A roundup of energy news mentions an op-ed on U.S. oil production by Bill Arnold, professor in the practice of management at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business.
The Hill (This article also appeared in Fire News Feed.)
http://bit.ly/2FO9cVb

Graphene-alternative 2-D material extracted from molten metal looks promising
The Rice lab of Pulickel Ajayan and colleagues in India created two-dimensional gallenene, a thin film of conductive material that is to gallium what graphene is to carbon. Ajayan, chair of the Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering, the Benjamin M. and Mary Greenwood Anderson Professor in Engineering and a professor of chemistry, is quoted in New Atlas and Semiconductor Engineering articles.
International Business Times
http://bit.ly/2FRPPKO
Meet gallenene: Gallium joins graphene in the 2nd dimension
New Atlas
http://bit.ly/2FLQjSK
Manufacturing bits: March 13
Semiconductor Engineering
http://bit.ly/2FMgQzw

Pon en marcha tu acondicionamiento físico
An article mentions research by Hajo Adam, assistant professor of management at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business, on how new clothes can affect willpower to maintain exercise habits.
AARP the Magazine (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/2FM4I1n

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Trump to inspect border wall prototypes
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 an article on President Donald Trump’s plan to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Jones also is quoted in articles on Texas primary elections.
Austin American-Statesman (Subscription is required.)
https://atxne.ws/2FOANFz
Map: Contentious runoff set for Joe Straus’ seat
San Antonio Express-News (Subscription is required.)
http://bit.ly/2FQwz0j
With primary ending, Cruz takes opening shot at O’Rourke’s name
Newburgh Gazette
http://bit.ly/2FOs4TR

How high will drug prices climb?
A 2015 study on the average annual price of new cancer drugs by Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy is cited. Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy’s Center for Health and Biosciences, is quoted.
TMC News
http://bit.ly/2FOLEiN

San Antonio ISD juniors tour colleges throughout US
An article mentions applications to Rice from San Antonio high school students rose following a campus visit last year.
Texas Public Radio
http://bit.ly/2FN7fbI

‘Oasis’ at Matchbox Gallery
Iva Kinnaird and Christina Macal’s “Oasis” is on view at Rice’s Matchbox Gallery through March 17.
Glasstire
http://bit.ly/2FRiIH5

Perception of God can influence political views
Postdoctoral research fellow Robert Thomson is quoted.
Baylor Lariat
http://bit.ly/2FQq9hC

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Hydrogel heals without additives
Sometimes when you’re invested in a project you fail to notice things that turn out to be significant. Researchers in the Rice lab of Jeffrey Hartgerink, a professor of chemistry and bioengineering, had just such an experience with the hydrogels they developed as a synthetic scaffold to deliver drugs and encourage the growth of cells and blood vessels for new tissue. Hartgerink is quoted.
Phys.org (A similar article appeared in Tech Explorist.)
http://bit.ly/2FPaM9j

Out of this world: NASA-funded health innovation platform announced at SXSW 2018
Rice and Energizing Health announced a grant awarded by the Translational Research Institute for Space Health to fund the Collaborative Health Innovation Platform, which aims to match startups with groups seeking new technologies. A team from Rice will develop the first version of the software. Yael Hochberg, the Ralph S. O’Connor Professor in Finance and Entrepreneurship, is quoted.
Mobile Marketing Watch
http://bit.ly/2FPgoAr

Method to grow large single-crystal graphene could advance scalable 2-D materials
Is there a way to make big sheets of pristine graphene or other two-dimensional materials? The answer is blowing in the wind. Boris Yakobson, the Karl F. Hasselmann Professor of Materials Science and NanoEngineering and a professor of chemistry, is quoted.
Brinkwire (Similar articles appeared in more than 10 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/2FMH059

Team training can reduce patient mortality by 13 percent
When implemented correctly, health care team training can reduce patient mortality by 13 percent, according to a new review paper by a psychologist at Rice. Eduardo Salas, the Allyn R. and Gladys M. Cline Chair of Psychology in Rice’s School of Social Sciences, is quoted.
Medical Xpress
http://bit.ly/2FOEgE7

Rice team designs lens-free fluorescent microscope
Lenses are no longer necessary for some microscopes, according to Rice engineers developing FlatScope, a thin fluorescent microscope whose abilities promise to surpass those of old-school devices. Quoted are Ashok Veeraraghavan, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering; Jacob Robinson, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and of bioengineering; and Richard Baraniuk, the Victor E. Cameron Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Biophotonics World
http://bit.ly/2FMJQHl

BP’s twisted timeline of oil and gas’ future
An article mentions BP presented its “Energy Outlook 2018” at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
E&P
http://bit.ly/2FR9z1h

Gente de Teatro presents ‘Cancun,’ a comedy about the dreams of what could have been
Gente de Teatro will present Jordi Galcerán’s “Cancún” May 3-6 at Rice’s Hamman Hall.
Broadway World
http://bit.ly/2FNQkFC

MUSIQA presents ‘Playing Havoc’ at The Match
Alumna Kate Soper ’03’s “Voices from the Killing Jar” is featured.
Broadway World
http://bit.ly/2FRNgbW

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Venezuela’s new digital currency: Economic gamble or criminal scam?
Francisco Monaldi, a fellow in Latin American energy policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in an article on the petro, a virtual currency launched by Venezuela.
InSight Crime
http://bit.ly/2FNsVnN

3 Indian-Americans will help develop camera that sees through skin
The National Science Foundation awarded $10 million to a Rice-led team that hopes to create wearable and point-of-care microscopes that use on-chip illumination and sensing to noninvasively aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of nearly 100 health conditions that today require a biopsy or blood test. Ashutosh Sabharwal, professor of electrical and computer engineering, is quoted.
News India
http://bit.ly/2FQTCIg

Arriva la ‘biobirra,’ nuovo alleato anti-tumore
Rice-created “BioBeer,” a genetically engineered brew that contains a chemical in wine that’s been shown to reduce cancer and heart disease in lab animals, is featured.
Staibene (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/2FQwFVN

SPORTS

Baylor, Texas and A&M all hosting games
A women’s basketball roundup mentions Rice will play in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament. The Owls face Texas State in the first round March 15 at Tudor Fieldhouse.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/2FNteiB
KRIV-TV (Houston)
http://bit.ly/2FL610D (Click the video button to watch the broadcast.)

Golf: Hogs win Southern Intercollegiate; UCA men tied for 9th in Texas
A roundup of golf news mentions the Rice men’s team was in first place after the first round of the Oral Roberts University/Stephen F. Austin Spring Break Challenge in Irving, Texas.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
http://bit.ly/2FQY7CP
College report: IWU’s Rose nets 2nd-team all-region
The Pantagraph
http://bit.ly/2FMq3aZ
Bears in 9th-place tie at Spring Break Challenge
UCASports.com
http://bit.ly/2FU4fKm

Baseball resumes play at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Rice
An article on Columbia University’s baseball team mentions the Lions will face Rice March 14 at Reckling Park.
GoColumbiaLions.com
http://bit.ly/2FMjNA5

NEWS RELEASES

Hydrogel helps heal without additives
Sometimes when you’re invested in a project you fail to notice things that turn out to be significant. Researchers in the Rice lab of chemist and bioengineer Jeffrey Hartgerink had just such an experience with the hydrogels they developed as a synthetic scaffold to deliver drugs and encourage the growth of cells and blood vessels for new tissue.
http://bit.ly/2FFwyJc

US Rep. Castro to discuss US-Latin American relations at Rice’s Baker Institute March 26
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, will discuss the role of the United States in Latin America at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy March 26. This event is co-hosted by the Baker Institute’s Mexico Center and Latin America Initiative.
http://bit.ly/2FMLpoH