Dateline Rice for Dec. 11, 2013

FEATURED ITEM

If you think Rice isn’t excited about being in the Liberty Bowl, watch this video
In the minutes after Rice won its first outright conference championship since 1957, the Owls’ locker room was a jovial place. As the team celebrated, coach David Bailiff and the Owls received a locker room visit from a representative of the Liberty Bowl.
Yahoo!Sports (Similar articles appeared on the CBS Sports Network, the Austin American-Statesman, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Middleton Journal, SP Nation, 620-WDAE, Complex.com, WOKV-FM and more than 15 other broadcast outlets.)
http://yhoo.it/1f7iWTQ

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Scientist solves mystery of green lightning, says it’s surprisingly common
Arthur Few, professor emeritus of physics and astronomy, is quoted in an article about green lightning.
National Geographic
http://bit.ly/1bDSJwh
Why eerie green lightning zapped an erupting volcano
Yahoo!
http://yhoo.it/1d8abao
Forscher lost ratsel um grunen blitz
iX Magazine (An English translation of this article is not available.)
http://bit.ly/18BLbFX

Skate park physics
Adrian Lenardic, professor of Earth science, examines the physics of skateboarding and uses it to promote science education.
Huffington Post
http://huff.to/19hwVWL

Claire M. Gilbert dies; social worker
Alumna Claire Gilbert ’60 died Nov. 6.
Washington Post
http://wapo.st/1cB1jfg

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Mark Jones, the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies, professor and chair of political science and fellow in political science at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, is quoted in an article on the runoff election for the At Large 3 seat of Houston City Council, the race for U.S. Sen. John Cornyn’s seat and the shifting political influence in Texas.
At Large 3 runoff candidates have challenged mayor before
Houston Chronicle (Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/1iWAJmd
Stockman challenges Cornyn in Texas US Senate race
KPRC-TV
http://bit.ly/IPr0xj
Stockman’s strategy against Cornyn: Fling ‘liberal’ label liberally
Austin American-Statesman
http://dallasne.ws/1dq23CL
Will 2014 bring Democratic strides in Texas?
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
http://bit.ly/J6hOoH
KTSA-AM (San Antonio)
http://bit.ly/JeIBzR

Our critics pick the best arts and entertainment offerings
ChinaCat Dance will perform at the Barbara and David Gibbs Recreation and Wellness Center Dec. 12-13.
Houston Chronicle
http://bit.ly/1jNS12T

Hal Ticknor, avid outdoorsman, dies at 82
Alumnus Hal Ticknor ’52 who suffered from dementia disappeared Oct. 11, prompting a long and widespread search, has died. Hunters discovered his body Nov. 29 about three hours away from his home and two days before his 83rd birthday.
Dallas Morning News
http://dallasne.ws/1gZLEHx

Evidence heard on two other CPRIT awards, but grand jury chose not to issue indictments
An article about the indictment of the former chief commercialization officer of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas mentions a grant for the incubator project in Houston.
Dallas Morning News
http://dallasne.ws/1cB3lfD
Indictment of cancer-fund official leads Democrats to blast Abbott
Dallas Morning News
http://dallasne.ws/19hsDP9

Reports: Climate change threatens Texas oil and gas industry
In 2008, Hurricane Ike hit the oil-rich Gulf Coast, closing 15 refineries and destroying more than 20 drilling platforms. Refineries suffered little permanent damage, but closures cost companies millions and raised gas prices to more than $4 per gallon in parts of the country. Rice is mentioned.
Reporting Texas
http://bit.ly/1bDSiSB

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Inspired chemistry
An article features 2013 R&D Magazine Scientist of the Year James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Chair in Chemistry and professor of mechanical engineering and materials science and of computer science.
R&D Magazine
http://www.rdmag.com/articles/2013/12/inspired-chemistry

Creating bone with 3-D printing and hydrogel scaffolds
Rice University bioengineering graduate student Tiffany Vo is mentioned in an article on the development and testing of an injectable-hydrogel scaffold for craniofacial bone tissue regeneration.
Qmed
http://bit.ly/18BMxQY

Colleges offering tuition discounts to entice students
Kathy Collins, vice president for finance, is quoted in an article about the use of tuition discounts to attract students.
Education News
http://bit.ly/1cn7fFo

Study shows how water dissolves stone, molecule by molecule
Scientists from Rice University and the University of Bremen’s Center for Marine Environmental Sciences in Germany have combined cutting-edge experimental techniques and computer simulations to find a new way of predicting how water dissolves crystalline structures. Andreas Luttge, research professor of Earth science and chemistry, is quoted.
Science Daily
http://bit.ly/1aUUUal

Reducing coal to several graphene quantum dots
Rice researchers have discovered how to reduce three kinds of coal into graphene quantum dots that could be used for medical imaging as well as sensing, electronic and photovoltaic applications. James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Chair in Chemistry and professor of mechanical engineering and materials science and of computer science, and Angel Marti, assistant professor of chemistry, bioengineering, materials science and nanoengineering, are quoted. Some articles also include a video that features Tour and describes the new process.
EE Times India (Subscription required. A similar article appeared in Controlled Environments Magazine.)
http://bit.ly/1d81zAD

At-home seizure tests promising
Rice is mentioned in a story about attempts to create a device that detects epileptic seizures.
Med Page Today
http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/AES/43349
Bio-nano-chips hold promise for noninvasive serial serum anti-epileptic drug measurements
AzoNano.com
http://www.azonano.com/news.aspx?newsID=28956

Does gender play role in negative word-of-mouth advertising?
According to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research, men and women engage in negative word-of-mouth advertising in very different ways. Vikas Mittal, the J. Hugh Liedtke Professor of Marketing at the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business, is mentioned.
Science Daily
http://bit.ly/1kzxdKe
Mars and Venus go shopping: Does gender play a role in negative word-of-mouth advertising?
Phys.org
http://phys.org/news/2013-12-mars-venus-gender-role-negative.html

Morphing material has mighty potential
Rafael Verduzco, assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, is quoted in an article about the development of a new plastic morphing material that changes shape in a predetermined pattern when heated. Graduate student Aditya Agrawal is mentioned.
TG Daily (Similar articles appeared on Space Mart and Red Orbit.)
http://bit.ly/19C4IpS
Novel morphing material, when heated, changes shape in a predetermined pattern
World Industrial Reporter
http://bit.ly/IFrNkV

Plasmonic root of terahertz signals in some carbon nanotubes
New research by Junichiro Kono, professor of electrical and computer engineering and of physics and astronomy, has disproved previous theories that dominant terahertz response comes from narrow-gap semiconducting nanotubes.
Materials Today
http://bit.ly/18BRhWW

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

The 13 best science and technology books of 2013
A photo of President John F. Kennedy speaking at Rice Stadium in 1962 is featured in an article on the best science and technology books of 2013.
Brain Pickings
http://bit.ly/1dmAquf

Theatro garners top award at Rice Alliance 11th annual I.T. and Web Venture Forum
Theatro was named one of the 10 Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship information technology and Web companies at the 11th annual I.T. and Web Venture Forum in Houston last week. Brad Burke, managing director of the Rice Alliance, is mentioned.
The Herald (This article also appeared in more than 15 other publications.)
http://bit.ly/1fk7JQp

SPORTS

Articles preview the upcoming Rice-Mississippi State Liberty Bowl game.
Bowl season here
Desoto Times
http://bit.ly/18UoiDx
Florida State-Auburn BCS title matchup tops 2013-14 bowl rankings
Sports Illustrated
http://bit.ly/1hMF9um
Get to know William Marsh Rice and his university as it preps for Mississippi State
Clarion Ledger (Jackson, Miss.)
http://on.thec-l.com/1gZL50l
WAPT (Jackson, Miss.)
http://bit.ly/J6nSNS
WLOX (Biloxi, Miss.)
http://bit.ly/18ma5yC
WABG (Similar broadcasts also appeared on WLOX and WDAM.)
http://bit.ly/19CbY59
WHBQ (Memphis, Tenn.)
http://bit.ly/18BWaz7
WMC-MEM (Memphis, Tenn.)
http://bit.ly/1hMNmyM
WAPT (Jackson, Miss.)
http://bit.ly/1iWZr65
WREG (Memphis, Tenn.)
http://bit.ly/1hMNZIz

Brown time at CRHS
A Cedar Ridge High School girls basketball team player who will be attending Rice is featured.
Austin American-Statesman
http://bit.ly/1iWGctk