Dateline Rice for Feb. 27, 2012 (Weekend Edition)

FEATURED ITEMS

For a change, Texans in Houston dress the part
An article about Go Texan Day celebrations mentions that a blue cowboy hat was placed on the statue of William Marsh Rice on campus. A photo of the statue appeared in the Houston Chronicle. (Editor’s note: A correction on the spelling of William Marsh Rice’s name in the Houston Chronicle has been requested.)
New York Times (This article also appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.)
http://tinyurl.com/795hpfk
A bird in the hat
Houston Chronicle
https://news2.rice.edu/files/2012/02/HCBird.pdf

Habitat for Humanity gets a hand from Rice students
A full-page article appearing in a special to the Houston Chronicle about philanthropy in Houston discusses Rice’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity and the Rice Centennial House project. McMurtry College senior Tawfik Jarjour, Hanszen College senior Taylor Hall and alumna Courtney Benzon ’10 are quoted. Alumnus Yoni Pressman ’11 is mentioned. The article includes pictures by Rice University photographer Tommy LaVergne of Jarjour, Hall, Rice student Zainab Shipchandler and Brown College sophomore Alex Cooper. (Editor’s note: Corrections on the spellings of LaVergne and Benzon’s names have been requested.)
Houston Chronicle
https://news2.rice.edu/files/2012/02/HCHabitatFull.pdf

Targeting Houston universities
Reflecting national trends in philanthropy, corporate foundation gifts to Houston universities are increasingly targeted for particular programs and projects, rather than general operating expenses. Kathryn Cervenka, executive director for corporate and foundation relations, is quoted. The article notes gifts to Rice from the Brown Foundation, the Houston Endowment and IBM. (Editor’s note: A correction on the proper name of the Houston Endowment has been requested.)
Houston Chronicle
https://news2.rice.edu/files/2012/02/HCDonationsFull.pdf

Al Jazeera
Edward Djerejian, founding director of the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, was interviewed on Al Jazeera about civil unrest in Syria. The interview is conducted in Arabic and an English translation is not available. Djerejian is also one of the keynote speakers at the Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science and Policy 2012 which begins today. Djerejian is quoted in the Albawaba.com article.
http://www.4shared.com/video/ar0ciH3a/Syria.html
Top international experts in stem cell research convene for the Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science and Policy
Albawaba.com
http://tinyurl.com/7sjgcks
Seminar to focus on stem cell research development
Gulf Times (Qatar)
http://tinyurl.com/72t2rr4
Four-day stem cell meet opens today
Qatar Peninsula
http://tinyurl.com/7ox68rq

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Ulric Neisser dead at 83; eshaped study of the mind
James Pomerantz, professor of psychology, is quoted in an article remembering psychological researcher Ulric Neisser.
New York Times (This article also appeared in the Hamilton Spectator.)
http://tinyurl.com/7gnpfpj

More MBAs pursue education-related jobs
MBA students are increasingly looking for work in the education sector. Rice’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business is mentioned.
Chicago Tribune
http://tinyurl.com/7mr4tzn

E-books take baby steps in area schools
An article about e-textbooks mentions that the OpenStax College textbook initiative will use Rice’s Connexions open-education platform to debut the first of five free peer-reviewed textbooks next month.
MSNBC.com (This article also appeared in the Chattanooga Times Free-Press and Individual.com.)
http://tinyurl.com/7pmd2l8

Following the leader
Former Rice Assistant Professor D. Michael Lindsay is profiled for his work as president of Gordon College.
Inside Higher Ed
http://tinyurl.com/76plla8

LOCAL/STATE

UH gets initial OK for funds in Tier 1 race
An article about the University of Houston’s efforts to achieve Tier One status mentions that Texas currently has only three Tier One institutions: Rice University, Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin.
Houston Chronicle
http://tinyurl.com/7zszru2

Gasoline prices heat up politics
Record gasoline prices for February continue to fuel a high-octane election-year fight for political position and an inside track in the ongoing debate over energy policy. Amy Myers Jaffe, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow in Energy Studies at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, is quoted. Jaffe is also quoted in an article about a similar topic.
Houston Chronicle (This article also appeared on FuelFix.com.)
http://tinyurl.com/6wv25f7
Rising gas prices spark election-year battle
Houma Courier (This article also appeared in the Thibodaux Daily Comet.)
http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20120224/WIRE/120229774?p=1&tc=pg

Texans respond to black atheist billboards
Billboards featuring famous black American skeptics are part of a national Black History Month campaign by African-Americans for Humanism. Like all billboards addressing religion, the response has been mixed. Anthony Pinn, the Agnes Cullen Arnold Professor of Humanities and professor of religious studies, is quoted. Pinn is also quoted in an article examining reasons why atheist civil rights activists are remembered by so few people.
Houston Chronicle
http://tinyurl.com/6oe7jee
Black atheists seek recognition for role in civil right fight
Kansas City Star (Mo.) (This article also appeared in the Albany Times-Union.)
http://tinyurl.com/8x7gdac

Secretary goes to trial
A former administrative assistant at Dell and her husband are scheduled to stand trial next month on charges of insider trading. Scott Sonenshein, assistant professor of management at the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business, is quoted.
Austin Business Journal (subscription required)
http://tinyurl.com/89uwh7r

Texas not winning any popularity contests
Mark Jones, the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies, professor and chair of political science and fellow in political science at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in an article about a recent Public Policy Polling survey where Texas ranked as the 37th most popular state in the U.S. Jones also appeared on KPFT-FM to discuss the 2012 presidential election and Texas politics. The interview begins approximately one minute into the broadcast.
Midland Reporter-Telegram
http://tinyurl.com/836abfd
KPFT-FM
http://archive.kpft.org/mp3/kpft_120224_160042news.mp3

‘Every Riven Thing’
Joseph Campana, assistant professor of English, authored this review of "Every Riven Thing: Poems" by Christian Wiman.
Houston Chronicle
http://tinyurl.com/768f65j

Community investment or welfare gift?
John Anderson, the W. Maurice Ewing Chair in Oceanography and professor of Earth science, is mentioned in an op-ed about revitalizing Galveston’s economy.
Galveston Daily News
http://galvestondailynews.com/story/295818

KTRU Spring Outdoor Show books Titus Andronicus, Thermals, Slim Thug
An article discusses groups performing at KTRU’s Spring Outdoor Show.
Houston Press
http://tinyurl.com/6lvey8h
KTRU Outdoor Show unveils lineup
29-25.com
http://www.29-95.com/music/story/ktru-outdoor-show-unveils-lineup

One of NASA’s top planet hunters talks about the past, present and future of Kepler
David Alexander, professor of physics and astronomy, is mentioned in the introduction of an interview with NASA scientist Natalie Batalha.
Houston Chronicle
http://tinyurl.com/6wmvxv8

Top issues facing Congress are jobs, economy
Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the U.S. House subcommittee that has oversight of the Department of Homeland Security, spoke about security risks along the U.S.-Mexico border Feb. 21 at Rice’s James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy.
Brenham Banner-Press
http://tinyurl.com/7b3ff69

Rappers hope to change town’s image with ‘Vidor Anthem’
A photo slideshow accompanying an article about rappers in East Texas includes a picture of Houston rapper Bun B and notes that he co-taught a class on religion and hip-hop culture at Rice.
Beaumont Enterprise
http://tinyurl.com/77kr7ty

BROADCAST/WEBCAST

KTRK-TV’s ‘Visions’
Steve Murdock, the Allyn and Gladys Cline Professor of Sociology and a former director of the U.S. Census Bureau, appeared on KTRK-TV’s "Visions" to discuss interracial marriage in Houston.
http://tinyurl.com/7d2kcok

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

A faster fast Fourier transform
Richard Baraniuk, the Victor E. Cameron Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering and founder of Rice’s Connexions open-education project, is quoted in an article about research on the fast Fourier transform.
IEEE Spectrum
http://spectrum.ieee.org/computing/software/a-faster-fast-fourier-transform

Study on education shows Texas lagging behind nation
Thirty percent of American adults had at least a four-year degree last year — the highest level ever — with Hispanics making especially sharp gains, according to census figures. Stephen Klineberg, professor of sociology and co-director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research, is quoted. Klineberg is also quoted in an article about future development in Galveston, Texas.
HispanicBusiness.com
http://tinyurl.com/7ckutze
Have you seen the survey yet?
Galveston Daily News
http://galvestondailynews.com/story/295802

Speculators and commodity prices — redux
Research by Amy Myers Jaffe, the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow in Energy Studies at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, and Ken Medlock, the James A. Baker III and Susan Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics at the Baker Institute and adjunct assistant professor in economics, is noted in an article about speculation in energy markets.
Commodities-Now.com (This article also appeared on Individual.com.)
http://tinyurl.com/7n6gxom

Laser-heated carbon nanotubes kill breast cancer stem cells
Researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in the U.S. have shown that injecting multi-walled carbon nanotubes into tumors and heating them with a 30-second laser treatment can kill them. Rice is mentioned.
MTBEurope.com
http://www.mtbeurope.info/news/2012/1202026.htm

Difference engine: Wireless’s colliding worlds
Rice Wi-Fi research is cited in an article about the government’s plans to auction UHF airwaves.
TechCentral.co.za
http://www.techcentral.co.za/beyond-wi-fi-wirelesss-colliding-worlds/29774/

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Master singer to mentor at UOP
Susanne Mentzer, professor of voice, will teach a master class at the University of the Pacific.
Stockton Record (Calif.)
http://tinyurl.com/6wjhexa

A challenge we’re unwilling to postpone
President John F. Kennedy’s 1962 speech at Rice is mentioned in an op-ed about facing problems in Birmingham, Ala.
Birmingham News (Ala.)
http://tinyurl.com/89vakpr

Professor targets prejudice at Unitarian Universalism program
An article discusses a recent lecture by alumnus Charles Law ’78.
Pottsville Republican & Herald (Penn.)
http://tinyurl.com/737rfrc

Mayor Rawlings-Blake searching for new BDC president
An article reports that alumnus M.J. Brodie ’60, president of the Baltimore Development Corp., has announced plans to retire.
CityBizList.com
http://tinyurl.com/7v5wrfd

SPORTS

Rice stays perfect on the season
Articles recap a baseball series between Rice and Dallas Baptist University.
Houston Chronicle
http://tinyurl.com/6rpajbw
Owls stay perfect, top Dallas Baptist behind Simms, Fuda
Houston Chronicle
http://tinyurl.com/7cm44e3
Rice blanks Dallas Baptist for seventh consecutive win
Houston Chronicle
http://tinyurl.com/6sa8dfz
Owls hold off Dallas Baptist 6-5; improve to 6-0
Cypress Times (Texas) (Coverage of this series also appeared twice in Baseball America and three times on CollegeBaseballInsider.com.)
http://tinyurl.com/72g9tgj
Rice blanks Dallas Baptist at Reckling Park; Owls move to 7-0
Cypress Times (Texas)
http://tinyurl.com/7d26jkv
Rice completes sweep of Dallas Baptist with 7-3 win; Owls now 8-0
Cypress Times (Texas)
http://tinyurl.com/789uweu

Rice loses close one to Southern Miss
Articles recap a men’s basketball game between Rice and the University of Southern Mississippi.
Houston Chronicle
http://tinyurl.com/6ll7kym
Southern Miss vs. Rice
Kansas City Star (Mo.) (Coverage of this game also appeared in the Lexington Herald-Leader, the Biloxi Sun-Herald, the Anchorage Daily News, the Tri-City Herald, the Charlotte Observer, the Macon Telegraph, the Centre Daily Times, the Bradenton Herald, the Bellingham Herald, the Tacoma News Tribune, the Raleigh News & Observer, the Sacramento Bee, the Idaho Statesman, the Belleville News Democrat, the Rock Hill Herald, the San Luis Obispo-Tribune, the Olympian, the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, TodaysTHV.com [Little Rock, Ark.], WTSP.com [Tampa Bay, Fla.], WZZM13.com [Grand Rapids, Mich.], DigTriad.com [Greensboro, N.C.], WWSB.com [Sarasota, Fla.], WKYC.com [Cleveland], WBIR.com [Knoxville, Tenn.], FirstCoastNews.com [Jacksonville, Fla.], 13WMAZ.com [Macon, Ga.], KARE11.com [Minneapolis], 11Alive.com [Atlanta], KSDK.com [St. Louis], 9News.com [Denver], WUSA9.com [Washington, D.C.], the Jackson Clarion-Ledger and three times in the Hattiesburg American.)
http://tinyurl.com/7qjbz2f
Southern Miss. 58, Rice 56
USA Today
http://tinyurl.com/79gtn3b

Lady Owls cruise past Houston, 68-40
Articles recap women’s basketball games between Rice and the University of Houston and the University of Texas at El Paso.
Cypress Times (Texas)
http://tinyurl.com/7c7j7mo
Lady Owls upset CUSA leader UTEP 52-48
Click2Houston.com
http://tinyurl.com/84co3tz
Kuster cans 22 as Rice upsets UTEP 52-48 in El Paso
Cypress Times (Texas)
http://tinyurl.com/7nkhe3e

Aggies outlast Owls, 5-2
An article recaps a tennis match between Rice and Texas A&M University.
Cypress Times (Texas)
http://tinyurl.com/7kwlm5n

Milestone at San Jacinto
Head baseball coach Wayne Graham is mentioned in a news brief reporting on San Jacinto College baseball coach Tom Arrington’s 500th win.
Houston Chronicle
http://tinyurl.com/6wf2tug

Texans’ contract talks with Williams, Foster create buzz at NFL combine
Sid Richardson College senior Scott Solomon appears in a photo slideshow accompanying an article about the NFL Scouting Combine.
Houston Chronicle
http://tinyurl.com/6qyaelk

2012 C-USA standings: Houston and Rice look to the future in new conferences
McMurtry College junior Arsalan Kazemi is mentioned in an article on Conference USA men’s basketball standings.
SBNation.com
http://tinyurl.com/8a85hd5

Houston hopeful — Lance Pendleton
Alumnus Lance Pendleton ’07 is in Houston Astros camp for the second straight spring.
ClimbingTalsHill.com
http://climbingtalshill.com/2012/02/26/houston-hopeful-lance-pendleton/

Zimmerman’s six-year extension bodes well for Nationals’ future
Former Rice standout Anthony Rendon is mentioned in articles about the Washington Nationals.
Sports Illustrated
http://tinyurl.com/7hh6fco
Ryan Zimmerman signs extension: Should Nationals move Rendon yet?
SBNation.com
http://tinyurl.com/72jmc5v
Ryan Zimmerman extension brings stability, value to Nationals
CallToThePen.com
http://tinyurl.com/7mjeqmk

Phillies pitcher Savery’s rise makes for unlikely story
Former Rice standout Joe Savery is profiled for his performance with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Philadelphia Inquirer (This article also appeared in the Bellingham Herald, the Sacramento Bee, the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, the Syracuse Post-Standard and the Columbus Republic.)
http://tinyurl.com/7q2jsjt

Frazier growing into Lions’ leadership role
Alumna Krystal Frazier ’07 is quoted in an article about the performance of her brother on the Pennsylvania State University men’s basketball team.
Centre Daily Times (Penn.)
http://tinyurl.com/899euo4

Cougars await Ponies in their den
Rice is mentioned in an article about the University of Houston men’s basketball team.
CBSLocal.com (Houston)
http://tinyurl.com/6pguoja

NEWS RELEASES

Rice University designated as a ‘Tree Campus USA’ by Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation has designated Rice University as a "Tree Campus USA" for taking exemplary care of its 4,300 trees.
https://news2.rice.edu/?p=21153

Scholar to discuss ‘brain science of attention’ at Rice’s Baker Institute Feb. 28
Author, "technopragmatist" and Duke University Professor Cathy Davidson will speak Feb. 28 at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy on her book about how attention affects the way modern society learns and thinks.
https://news2.rice.edu/?p=21156