Dateline Rice for March 24, 2020

Stefan De La Garza
– March 24, 2020Posted in: Dateline Rice

COVID-19 PANDEMIC
‘KHOU 11 News at Noon’
A television broadcast features President David Leebron discussing the impromptu March 13 procession of graduating Rice seniors through the Sallyport. While Rice’s May commencement ceremony is still expected to take place at some point, many students may not be able to return to campus.
KHOU-TV (Houston)
http://dateline.rice/march-24-leebron-sallyport

Rice’s nonprofit OpenStax provides free digital textbooks
An article features OpenStax, a Rice-based publisher of open educational resources. As numerous colleges around the country move to resume classes online, OpenStax will offer students and faculty free access to materials and services through the end of the semester. Daniel Williamson, managing director of OpenStax, is quoted.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in the San Antonio Express-News.)
http://dateline.rice/march-24-openstax-williamson
Nonprofit provides university students with digital texts
Center for Digital Education
http://dateline.rice/march-24-openstax-williamson

Coronavirus ravages US energy capital
An article quotes Stephen Klineberg, founding director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research and an emeritus professor of sociology, and Mark Finley, fellow in energy and global oil at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy’s Center for Energy Studies.
E&E News
http://dateline.rice/march-23-klineberg-finley

Religion in quarantine: How faith groups are adapting to the coronavirus
William Martin, the Harry and Hazel Chavanne Senior Fellow in Religion and Public Policy at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and director of its Drug Policy Program, is quoted.
Houston Public Media (This segment also aired on KUHF-FM in Houston.)
http://dateline.rice/march-24-martin

No abortions in Texas unless the mother’s life is in danger, Texas attorney general says as coronavirus spreads
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 and interviewed about the coronavirus’ impacts on local politics.
Texas Tribune (This article also appeared in 10 other media outlets.)
http://dateline.rice/march-24-jones
Cononavirus pushes runoff primary to July, throwing campaigns into limbo
Houston Public Media (This segment also aired on KUHF-FM in Houston.)
http://dateline.rice/march-24-jones

13 Eyewitness News at 10 p.m.’
A broadcast features John Diamond, the Edward A. and Hermena Hancock Kelly Fellow in Public Finance at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and director of its Center for Public Finance, discussing possible efforts to help restaurants and small businesses in Houston recover from the shutdown.
KTRK-TV (Houston)
http://dateline.rice/march-24-diamond (This segment aired three times.)

It’s hard to close black churches amid COVID-19
Elaine Howard Ecklund, professor of sociology and director of the Religion and Public Life Program at Rice, authored an op-ed.
Christianity Today
http://dateline.rice/march-24-ecklund

Oil prices below LatAm production costs spurs cuts and assurances
An article quotes Francisco J. Monaldi, fellow in Latin American energy policy at the Baker Institute for Public Policy’s Center for Energy Studies, Center for the United States and Mexico and Latin America Initiative and a lecturer in energy economics.
Latin Finance 
http://dateline.rice/march-24-monaldi

These slow golden days: Houston father on bittersweet time with children during quarantine [Essay]
Jacob Hermann, the assistant director of the Center for Academic and Professional Communications at Rice, is pictured.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required.)
http://dateline.rice/march-24-hermann

Feeding those who feed Houston
Matthew Wettergreen, associate teaching professor at the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen, is pictured in a slideshow.
Houston Chronicle’s “Preview” (This slideshow also appeared in more than 25 other media outlets.)
http://dateline.rice/march-24-wettergreen

Dave Campbell’s Texas Football presents: The Texas football fan survival kit
Rice’s football team is featured. Head coach Mike Bloomgren is mentioned.
Dave Campbell’s Texas Football
http://dateline.rice/march-24-bloomgren
College football offseason preview: Conference USA West
ESPN (This article also appeared in ESPN Australia and ESPN Africa.)
http://dateline.rice/march-24-bloomgren

Olympic athlete with Houston roots reflects on possibility of not having games this year
An article and broadcast featuring former Rice track and field athlete Scott Filip mentions that was training for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, which have been postponed until 2021.
KHOU Online (This segment also aired on KHOU-TV in Houston.)
http://dateline.rice/march-24-filip

Faced with coronavirus restrictions, these 18 iconic Houston restaurants need your support
Rice football fans are mentioned in a slideshow.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in more than 25 other media outlets.)
http://dateline.rice/march-24-hc
http://dateline.rice/march-24-hc

How can graphene assist in the war on coronavirus?
An article about the efficacy of the Guardian G-Volt face mask to repel viruses and bacteria mentions that some of the studies were conducted at Rice.
Graphene-Info
http://dateline.rice/march-24-gi

MIT emergency ventilator E-Vent project is ready
An article mentions that a do-it-yourself version of a device known by its brand name, Ambu bag, was based in part on Rice research.
3D Printing Media Network
http://dateline.rice/march-24-3d

Texas Southern staff member tests positive for COVID-19
An article mentions that Rice has transitioned to online classes for the remainder of the spring semester.
Houston Chronicle (Subscription is required. This article also appeared in the San Antonio Express-News.)
http://dateline.rice/march-24-hc

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL
Self-employment may be a refuge from racism
An article features Rice research that suggests African Americans who believe racism has had a major impact on their lives are more likely to seek self-employment. Tony Brown, professor of sociology, and graduate student Asia Bento are quoted.
Futurity
http://dateline.rice/march-24-brown

Early look after stroke links brain regions and speech
An article features Rice research that suggests analyzing the brains of people just days after a stroke may help researchers link various speech functions to different parts of the brain. Randi Martin, the Elma Schneider Professor of Psychology, is quoted.
Futurity (This article also appeared in 10 other media outlets.)
http://dateline.rice/march-24-martin

Marie Kondo is releasing a book on organizing one’s workspace
An article features an upcoming book by Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein, the Henry Gardiner Symonds Professor of Management at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business, titled “Joy at Work: The Career-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.”
India Times
http://dateline.rice/march-24-sonenshein

It is time for a Cannabis Opportunity Agenda
An article cites a study by Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy on banks’ expenses following the enactment of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
Brookings Institute
http://dateline.rice/march-24-baker-study

Texas should adopt stricter standards on persistent chemical pollutants
Chemistry graduate student Jordin Metz authored an op-ed as part of the Developing Civic Scientist Leaders project at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy’s Science and Technology Policy Program.
Medium
http://dateline.rice/march-24-metz

HOUSTON/TEXAS
Young Texas Artists Music Competition turns bad news into a musical winner
An article about Young Texas Artists Music Competition winners features the following Rice Shepherd School of Music community members: Graduate student SeungHoon Lee won the Strings Division gold medal; undergraduate student Zhengyi Huang won the Piano Division gold medal; graduate student Julia Vicic won the Strings Division silver medal; and graduate student Chelsea de Souza won the Piano Division silver medal. Robert Roux, professor of piano and chair of keyboard, is mentioned.
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared in more than 25 other media outlets.)
http://dateline.rice/march-24-shepherd-school

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL
Power/Performance Bits: March 24
A roundup features Rice research that developed a technique to make the security of the “internet of things” more than 14,000 times more secure than current state-of-the-art defenses while using far less energy. Kaiyuan Yang, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, is quoted.
SemiEngineering
http://dateline.rice/march-24-yang

Finally, an origin-of-life scientist debates skeptic James Tour
James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Chair in Chemistry and a professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, is featured.
Evolution News
http://dateline.rice/march-24-tour

DARPA awards grant to develop smart device for healing complex wounds
An article mentions that Rice is a part of a multi-institution initiative that won a $22 million grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop a device that combines artificial intelligence, bioelectronics and regenerative medicine to regrow muscle tissue.
Morgridge Institute for Research
http://dateline.rice/march-24-darpa

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST
Professor’s interest in the demonic leads to published book, student research opportunity
An article features alumnus Michael Heyes.
Lycoming College News
http://dateline.rice/march-24-lcn

Beginning Python courses
An article mentions that Rice offers a Python Programming Essentials course on Coursera.
Benzinga
http://dateline.rice/march-24-bz

The truth about fat and health
An article mentions Rice research into doctor-patient relationships.
The Jewish Press
http://dateline.rice/march-24-jp

University of Michigan board to vote on firing tenured opera professor accused of sexual misconduct
An article mentions alumnus Samuel Schultz ’09, who has accused David Daniels and Scott Walters of sexual assault.
MLive.com
http://dateline.rice/march-24-mi

Schlissel wants prof fired over sex misconduct allegations
The Detroit News
http://dateline.rice/march-24-dn

SPORTS
A closer look at every in-state commit in 2021
Rice football’s recruiting efforts are featured.
Dave Campbell’s Texas Football
http://dateline.rice/march-24-dctf

Houston Texans re-signing Phillip Gaines is questionable at best
Former Rice football player Phillip Gaines is featured.
FanSided
http://dateline.rice/march-24-fs

NEWS RELEASES
Analyzing patients shortly after stroke can help link brain regions to speech functions
New collaborative Rice research by Randi Martin, the Elma W. Schneider Professor of Psychology, shows analyzing the brains of stroke victims just days after the stroke allows researchers to link various speech functions to different parts of the brain.
http://dateline.rice/march-24-news-release-martin

Online church services reduce ‘sense of loneliness,’ says Baker Institute expert
With local and state government officials restricting large public gatherings and President Trump urging Americans to limit their gatherings to fewer than 10 people during the novel coronavirus outbreak, houses of worship all over the country are streaming services online.
http://dateline.rice/march-24-news-release-martin

Obama’s 2008 election improved mental health of black men, research shows
Barack Obama’s election to the nation’s highest office in 2008 improved the mental health of black men, according to new research from Tony Brown, a professor of sociology at Rice.
http://dateline.rice/march-24-news-release-brown

About Stefan De La Garza

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