Dateline Rice for Sept. 12, 2017

FEATURED ITEM

These are the top colleges in America for 2018, according to US News & World Report
Rice University is ranked No. 14 among the best national universities in the 2018 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guidebook, which was published today.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article also appeared in the San Antonio Express-News, the Midland Daily News, the Huron Daily Tribune and the Times Union.)
http://bit.ly/2wXGiLp
http://bit.ly/2y3VEOO
The brief: The latest US News college rankings are here
The Texas Tribune
http://bit.ly/2h29ol5
A&M and TCU climb, Baylor and SMU slip in 2018 US News college rankings
The Texas Tribune
http://bit.ly/2wnh4US
US Rep. Mike McCaul calls out Texas Republicans who voted against Harvey aid: Your Texas roundup
Texas Monthly (Scroll down to “Top dogs.”)
http://bit.ly/2jkyjFe
KCEN-TV (Waco)
http://bit.ly/2f1OXYQ

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Houston’s floodwaters are tainted with toxins, testing shows
Tests of Houston floodwater from Tropical Storm Harvey indicate elevated levels of contamination. Lauren Stadler, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, is quoted.
New York Times (Similar articles also appeared in Hot Air, Gizmodo and Newser.)
http://nyti.ms/2fg7pd6
Houston’s public housing residents are the worst hit by toxic flooding
Salon
http://bit.ly/2y2NyG6

In Harvey’s wake, Houston rethinks real estate development
Houston is weighing its options as it hopes to avoid future flooding on the scale delivered by Hurricane Harvey. Jim Blackburn, a professor in the practice of environmental law and the co-founder of Rice’s Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters Center, is quoted.
The Wall Street Journal (Subscription required.)
http://on.wsj.com/2wVGb2S
The Finance 202: Big companies argue for permanent corporate tax cut
The Washington Post
http://wapo.st/2xicfAt

Millennials test cute, efficient cars of the future
At Shell Eco-marathon Americas, more than a thousand students vie to see who can build a car that runs on the least amount of fuel. Andrew Markham ’15, who participated in the competition as an undergraduate, is quoted.
National Geographic
http://bit.ly/2vS4Yn4

Meet the designers of the future
Alumnus George Venson ’08 is profiled.
Architectural Digest
http://bit.ly/2w5hOTm

Red tape, mystery leaves Donald Trump’s picture missing from US federal offices
Nine months after Donald Trump’s inauguration, pictures of the president and Vice President Mike Pence are missing from thousands of federal courthouses, laboratories, military installations, ports of entry, office suites and hallways and from U.S. embassies abroad. Douglas Brinkley, professor of history, is quoted.
Sydney Morning Herald
http://bit.ly/2gYARrA
Federal offices are still waiting to hang Trump’s picture
Washington Post
http://wapo.st/2wWWr3L
After 9 months, federal offices are still waiting to hang Trump’s picture
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in the Boston Globe, Stamford Advocate, the Connecticut Post, Newstimes and LMTonline.)
http://bit.ly/2xXtvrN

Car-centric Houston struggles after loss of countless autos
In the wake of Harvey, Houstonians may need to change their attitudes toward suburban sprawl and the area’s dependence on cars. Kyle Shelton, director of strategic partnerships for the Kinder Institute, is quoted.
CNBC.com (This Associated Press article also appeared on FoxNews.com, Fresno Bee, Rapid City Journal, WJBF.com and the Concord Monitor.)
http://cnb.cx/2f3memr
Car-dependent Houston struggles amid Harvey losses
Claims Journal
http://bit.ly/2wXNMOv

How the Gulf states could help the US with North Korea
The United Nations might vote soon on a measure to ban the hiring and payment of North Korean laborers, up to 6,000 of whom work in nations that are part of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a fellow for the Middle East at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted. He is also quoted in an article about a diplomatic crisis involving Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Arab News
http://bit.ly/2jjg5UB
Qatar crisis may last into 2018 and beyond, say experts
Pakistan Today
http://bit.ly/2xi3xSs
Hopes fade as Gulf crisis hits 100-day landmark
MuscatDaily.com (This article also appeared in Pulse.ng, Malay Mail Online, Daily Mail and Rappler.com.)
http://bit.ly/2wWSEU5

Florida’s sewage infrastructure woes come gushing to the surface with Irma
Sewage treatment plants in Florida, many of which are long overdue for maintenance and/or replacement, might pose a health hazard in the wake of Hurricane Irma. An op-ed in the Houston Chronicle by Phil Bedient, the Herman Brown Professor of Engineering and director of the Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters Center, and Andrew Juan, a graduate student in civil and environmental engineering, is referenced. Bedient is quoted in a report about the storm surge from Hurricane Irma.
Think Progress
http://bit.ly/2fevykc
Worst Florida damage from Irma could be from storm surge
NBCSanDiego.com
http://bit.ly/2h2wIQ0

Spotlight: With diplomacy taking a back seat, counter terrorism remains a quagmire for US
Over the last 16 years, the global terrorism landscape has evolved with the structure of terrorist groups now being more decentralized. What is unchanged, unfortunately, is a U.S. strategy with diplomacy remaining on the sidelines. Richard Stoll, the Albert Thomas Chair in Political Science and scholar at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted.
Xinhua
http://bit.ly/2jjrGCM

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Houston flood maps were struggling to predict damage before Harvey, study says
Houston flood plain maps failed to predict roughly 75 percent of flood damage from five floods between 1999 and 2009, according to a recent study by Rice and Texas A&M University at Galveston.
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/2y31wrq
Why scientists think FEMA flood plain maps may be flawed
KTRK.com
http://abc13.co/2gYSXtB
Decade of data shows FEMA flood maps missed 3 in 4 claims
Science Codex
http://bit.ly/2w4Cj2x
FEMA flood maps missed past damage near Houston
Futurity
http://bit.ly/2ffyc9t

Emmett calls for sweeping changes to region’s flood control strategy
Calling Tropical Storm Harvey’s devastation a “game changer,” Harris County Judge Ed Emmett on Monday called for a sweeping re-examination of the region’s flood control strategy. Jim Blackburn, a professor in the practice of environmental law and the co-founder of Rice’s Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters Center, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front page of the Sept. 12 print edition with a different headline, “County: Emmett eyes upgrades for dams, reservoirs, regulations.”)
http://bit.ly/2h15UQ4

Texas GOP leaders pushing for high-dollar, long-delayed flood infrastructure projects
In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is calling for the construction of flood control infrastructure in the Houston area. Phil Bedient, the Herman Brown Professor of Engineering and director of the Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters Center, is quoted.
The Texas Tribune (This article also appeared in the Fort Worth Business Online, the Eagle and Insurance Journal.)
http://bit.ly/2jmxzz4

Mexico drops Harvey aid to Texas, citing its own natural disasters
Mexico said Monday it is withholding its promised Hurricane Harvey assistance to Texas, citing its own series of natural disasters, from a hurricane to the most powerful earthquake to hit the nation in a century. Tony Payan, the Baker Institute for Public Policy’s Françoise and Edward Djerejian Fellow for Mexico Studies and director of the institute’s Mexico Center, is quoted.
Dallas Morning News
http://bit.ly/2f2yZ0n

A post-Harvey Houston Symphony plays to the heartstrings
Members of the Houston Symphony, which was flooded out of its home at Jones Hall, have been playing music at shelters across the city. The symphony will resume its season this week at Stude Concert Hall at Rice’s Shepherd School of Music.
Houston Press
http://bit.ly/2wSyWeM
21 best things to do in Houston this week: Bingo with cats and new flight museum
Houston Press
http://bit.ly/2xiMOi7

Antone’s Original Po’ Boy, a taste of my Houston history
Antone’s is celebrating its 55th anniversary by offering its Original Po’ Boy for 55 cents. The story’s author is alumnus Alison Cook ’69.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/2gZve9c

BROADCAST

Beyonce, Streisand to headline Harvey, Irma relief telethon
Bernard “Bun B” Freeman, former distinguished lecturer at Rice, is helping organize a one-hour telethon to benefit Hurricane Harvey victims.
KTRK.COM
http://abc13.co/2xigxI4

Tank failures in Harvey reveal vulnerabilities in storm
According to an Associated Press analysis, more than two dozen storage tanks holding crude oil, gasoline and other contaminants ruptured when Harvey reached the Texas coast. Jamie Padgett, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, is quoted.
KHOU.com (This article also appeared on KVUE.com.)
http://bit.ly/2w5D23x

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

In the wake of Harvey, Houston needs to alter planning regulations
In the wake of Tropical Storm Harvey, it is crucial to understand Houston’s land-development regulations and their limitations. To effectively respond to the storm and plan for a more resilient future, Houston may need to alter its existing land-development system, according to experts from Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research. Kyle Shelton, director of strategic partnerships for the Kinder Institute, is quoted.
Phys.org
http://bit.ly/2xhYn95

As ‘Space City’ rebounds, Houston’s STEM education should take flight
The anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s “Moon Speech” Sept. 12, 1962, at Rice Stadium is noted.
Space.com
http://bit.ly/2wUDHnQ
Morning must-reads for Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017
UtahPolicy.com
http://bit.ly/2f38yrm
Today in history: Tuesday, Sept. 12
Manning Live
http://bit.ly/2wXPQpJ
WABC-AM (New York)
http://bit.ly/2h0NCSN

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Daily Mail editorial: Thankful for modern hurricane warnings
An op-ed about how lessons learned from previous disasters saves lives quotes an unnamed Rice storm researcher.
Charleston Gazette-Mail
http://bit.ly/2w5hdkr

Hurricane Harvey exposes Houston
David Medina ’83, director of multicultural community relations in the Office of Public Affairs, wrote an op-ed about Hurricane Harvey.
Literal Magazine
http://bit.ly/2xu8nNx

Governor names John Thomas Shepherd new prosecuting attorney to succeed David Butler
Alumnus John Thomas Shepherd ’09 has been appointed by Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson to serve as the prosecuting attorney for the 13th Judicial District.
MagnoliaReporter.com
http://bit.ly/2wna0rf

Westminster Symphonic Choir performs with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra
Anne Marie Stanley, a graduate student in voice performance at the Shepherd School of Music, will be a soloist during performances Sept. 16 and 17 at Princeton University.
News at Rider University
http://bit.ly/2y0E0vi

Three Indian-born scientists to be honored by Marconi Society in US
Alumnus Arun Netravali ’69 won the $100,000 Marconi Prize.
Hindustan Times (Similar articles also ran in IANS live, NewsFolo, Telangana Today, Business Standard, Mangalorean.com and Web India 123.)
http://bit.ly/2h0Ocfk

Petrochemical giants dumped deadly carcinogens during Hurricane Harvey
As Hurricane/Tropical Storm Harvey bore down the Gulf Coast last month, some 60 plants belonging to the world’s petrochemical giants on the Texas coast began shutdown procedures. During this time they vented and dumped almost a million pounds of some of the most deadly chemical compounds on Earth. Daniel Cohan, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, is quoted.
World Socialist Web Site
http://bit.ly/2h0UoE6

SPORTS

Bayou Bucket is all about bragging rights for UH, Rice
Rice football will play the Houston Cougars Sept. 16 at TDECU Stadium.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article appeared on the front page of the Sports section in the Sept. 12 print edition with a different headline, “Bragging rights come with return of rivalry game.”)
http://bit.ly/2gZfnLi
KPRC-TV (Houston)
http://bit.ly/2f2B8Ju
http://bit.ly/2h0lGhI
KTRK-TV (Houston)
http://bit.ly/2w5gBv7

After Harvey, Stevenson grad Connor Cashaw steps up with Rice hoops
Rice junior guard Connor Cashaw is featured along with other members of the Rice men’s basketball team for their efforts volunteering and raising funds after Tropical Storm Harvey struck Houston.
Chicago Tribune
http://trib.in/2wVYh6p

UH receiver Ellis Jefferson questionable for Rice game
University of Houston wide receiver Ellis Jefferson’s status for Saturday’s football game against the Owls is unclear after he was injured in the Cougars’ victory over Arizona last week.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required. This article also appeared in the San Antonio Express-News.)
http://bit.ly/2w2kP6R
http://bit.ly/2wVtzcd

Kugler addresses perceived lack of team unity, concerns over player injury reports
A story recaps Saturday’s Rice football game against the University of Texas at El Paso.
KVIA.com
http://bit.ly/2xgSeKf

NEWS RELEASES

Rice rises to No. 14 in 2018 US News rankings
Rice University is ranked No. 14 among the best national universities in the 2018 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guidebook, which was published today.
http://bit.ly/2ffsK6b

Hurricane Harvey and water treatment techniques in focus at Rice’s Baker Institute Sept. 14
Elected officials and government leaders, policymakers and experts from higher education and industry will gather at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy Sept. 14 for a workshop to examine the effects of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Harvey and raise awareness of water treatment techniques that can be used in response to extreme storm events.
http://bit.ly/2wXjefO

Baker Institute expert: Crude-oil production increase a risky strategy for Saudi Arabia
A number of factors are pushing Saudi Arabia to raise its crude-oil production capacity, but the wide range of potential outcomes suggests that such an increase is a risky strategy for the kingdom — and the global environment, according to a new article by an expert from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
http://bit.ly/2xi1gHh

Rice University-based OpenStax partners with UK Open Textbooks
Rice University-based nonprofit OpenStax, which already provides free, high-quality, openly licensed textbooks to nearly 1.5 million college students per year, is partnering with Open University’s UK Open Textbooks initiative to bring OpenStax’s textbooks to the United Kingdom.
http://bit.ly/2y2F01N