Dateline Rice for Dec. 18, 2020

Stefan De La Garza
– December 18, 2020Posted in: Dateline Rice

COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Early lockdowns slowed COVID-19 spread, Rice report says
Numerous articles and broadcasts mentions that stay-at-home orders are likely the biggest factor in reducing the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S., according to a new Rice study. Co-author 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 or interviewed in several articles; she is quoted in The Texas Tribune about the coronavirus vaccine’s possible effect on Texas unemployment rates; and her op-ed about insurance pricing is cited in The Eagle.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared on the front of the Business section in the Dec. 18 print edition of the Chronicle, and it appeared on the front of the Metro section in the Dec. 18 print edition of the San Antonio Express-News.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-ho
Strict lockdowns led to fewer deaths later in pandemic, Rice University study says
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in more than 25 other media outlets.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-ho
Coronavirus live updates: 91K doses of Pfizer vaccine distributed in Texas
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-baker-study
‘ABC News Radio’
KTSA-AM (San Antonio)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-baker-study (This segment aired on over 1,800 affiliate radio stations across the U.S. and Canada.)
Rice University study finds states that imposed strict lockdowns early had fewer deaths later in COVID-19 pandemic
KHOU Online (This segment also aired on twice on KHOU-TV in Houston, and this article also appeared in MSN, KIII Online and WTHR Online.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-ho
Researchers found states that shutdown early had fewer COVID-19 deaths
KHOU Online (This segment also aired twice on KHOU-TV in Houston and on 24 affiliate stations across the U.S.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-baker-study
Today on Texas Standard
Texas Standard (This segment also aired on more than 20 affiliated stations across Texas.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-baker-study
Texas unemployment rate rises to 8.1% in November
The Texas Tribune (This article also appeared in more than 20 other media outlets.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-ho-unemployment
Early lockdowns were key in reducing ultimate COVID-19 spread
Medical Xpress
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-ho
’10 News Brightside”
WTSP-TV (Tampa Bay)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-baker-study
Blue Cross Blue Shield no longer in-network for CHI St. Joseph after pricing standoff
The Eagle
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-ho-oped

Austin-area jobless rate rises, but still near pandemic low
Peter Rodriguez, dean of Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business, is quoted.
Austin American-Statesman
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-rodriguez

The future of American public transit depends on Congress
Christof Spieler, senior lecturer of architecture, is quoted.
Time (This article also appeared in Yahoo! News and MSN.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-spieler

Some NJ religious leaders urge faithful to take the COVID vaccine, despite some moral qualms
Faith leaders can help to overcome unease between medical community leaders and some people of faith, according to Elaine Howard Ecklund, professor of sociology and director of the Religion and Public Life Program at Rice.
NorthJersey.com
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-ecklund

For college freshmen, pandemic results in a first-year experience unlike any other
Duncan College sophomore Francesca Gastaldo is quoted and pictured.
The Washington Post (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in the Post’s Dec. 18 “Coronavirus Live Updates” webpage, and it appeared in MSN and more than 30 other media outlets.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-gastaldo
University of Houston basketball coach says entire roster has tested positive for COVID-19
An article mentions that Rice’s men’s basketball game against the University of Houston Dec. 12 was canceled due to the pandemic.
The Hill
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-hill
Houston basketball coach says all 15 of his players have tested positive for the coronavirus this year

The Washington Post (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in the Post’s Dec. 18 “Coronavirus Live Updates” webpage, and it appeared in more than 30 other media outlets.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-washpo

UH coach Kelvin Sampson: Entire team had COVID-19 since summer
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared on the front of the Sports section in the Dec. 18 print edition of the Chronicle, and it appeared in the Dec. 18 print edition of the San Antonio Express-News.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-hc
Kelvin Sampson says Houston’s entire roster had COVID
KTRK Online 
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-ktrk
Coach Kelvin Sampson: All 15 UH men’s basketball players had COVID-19
KHOU Online
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-khou
All players of UH basketball team tested positive for COVID-19 at some point, coach says
ABC 13 Online
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-abc13
How to watch Alabama basketball vs. Western Kentucky, TV, online, radio
Sports Illustrated’s Bama Central
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-si

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL
Rand Paul and Newt Gingrich openly fret people voting will ‘affect the outcome’ of Georgia runoffs
Bob Stein, the Lena Gohlman Fox Professor of Political Science, is quoted.
Salon
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-stein

A rare ‘Solstice Star’ shines brightly for Monday night’s Great Conjunction

Patrick Hartigan, professor of physics and astronomy, is quoted.
Yahoo! News Canada (This article originally appeared in The Weather Network. This and similar articles also appeared in more than 30 other media outlets.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-hartigan
Christmas conjunction: Jupiter and Saturn will seem to be inches apart Monday evening
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required.) 
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-hartigan
This Christmas week, planets align for a magical night sky not seen in hundreds of years
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required.) 
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-hartigan

The war on drugs didn’t work. Oregon’s plan might.
Katharine Neill Harris, the Alfred C. Glassell III Fellow in Drug Policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
MSN Lifestyle (This Popular Science article also appeared in yesterday’s Dateline.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-harris

HOUSTON/TEXAS
Microsoft signs on as tenant at Ion innovation hub

BROADCAST
WDSI-TV (Chattanooga)
A broadcast featuring Anna Henderson mentions that she plans to attend Rice on the QuestBridge National Match Scholarship.
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-wdsi

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL
AI-powered microscope could check cancer margins in minutes
An article features collaborative Rice research that created a new microscope that can quickly and inexpensively image large tissue sections, potentially during surgery. Co-authors quoted or mentioned include: Rebecca Richards-Kortum, the Malcolm Gillis University Professor, professor of bioengineering and director of the Rice 360º Institute for Global Health; Ashok Veeraraghavan, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and of computer science; graduate student Mary Jin; and postdoctoral research associate Yubo Tang. A Rice video is included.
Phys.org
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-veeraraghavan-kortum

Chang’e-5 prepares for future manned missions
An article mentions President John F. Kennedy’s “moon speech,” which was delivered at Rice Stadium Sept. 12, 1962.
Executive Intelligence Review
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-kennedy

How to pay for your online MBA

Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business is mentioned.
Poets & Quants (Subscription is required.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-jones-school

Activists question whether wealthy universities should be exempt from property taxes
Rice is mentioned.
The Hechinger Report
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-hr

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST
Recalling Saylor’s impact begins with numerical analysis, continues with human connections
An article featuring the late alumnus Paul Saylor mentions that he died Nov. 7 at 81.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-saylor

SPORTS
Matos scores 16 to carry New Mexico over LeTourneau 90-58

An article mentions that Rice has allowed the University of New Mexico’s basketball team to use its facilities to train and play games due to health guidelines in New Mexico.
The Associated Press (This article also appeared in more than 50 other media outlets.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-ap
Lobos set rebounding record in final Houston tuneup game
Santa Fe New Mexican
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-sfnm
‘Action 7 News’
KOAT-TV (Albuquerque)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-koat (This segment aired six times.)

Week 16: Playoff bids likely on line for Clemson, Ohio State
An article mentions that Rice’s football team was defeated by the University of Alabama at Birmingham 21-16 Dec. 12.
The Associated Press (This article also appeared in more than 50 other media outlets.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-ap

OU hosts HBU
An article mentions that Rice’s men’s basketball team defeated Houston Baptist 86-64 Dec. 5

The Washington Post (Subscription is required. This Associated Press article also appeared in more than 50 other media outlets.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-washpo

Edinburg Vela OL Ronnie Garza inks with UTSA, excited for future under Jeff Traylor
Rice is mentioned.
Dave Campbell’s Texas Football
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-dctf

5 Points
An article mentions the Rice football team’s 20-0 victory over then-No. 15 Marshall University Dec. 5.
The Herald-Dispatch (Subscription is required.)
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-hd

NEWS RELEASES
Rice offers visiting students online summer classes for credit
Applications are open for next summer’s Rice Visiting Owls program, a unique way for visiting high school, undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students to complete essential courses for credit at a lower tuition rate.
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-news-release-levander

AI-powered microscope could check cancer margins in minutes
Researchers from Rice University and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have created a new microscope that can quickly and inexpensively image large tissue sections, potentially allowing surgeons to inspect the margins of tumors within minutes of their removal.
http://dateline.rice/dec-18-news-release-veeraraghavan-kortum

About Stefan De La Garza

Stefan De La Garza is a news analyst in Rice University's Office of Public Affairs.