Dateline Rice for Nov. 6, 2014

FEATURED ITEM

Rice University program ranked among the top in the nation
The Rice School of Architecture is ranked No. 3 in the nation for undergraduate education and No. 7 for graduate programs for 2015 by DesignIntelligence and the Design Futures Council. Architecture Dean Sarah Whiting is cited as one of the 30 most-admired educators. Other Rice rankings are mentioned.
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/13N2tUQ

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

‘Edgy’ films are perfect catalysts for fuel cells
Rice scientists turned molybdenum disulfide into a nanoporous film that can catalyze the production of hydrogen or be used for energy storage. James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, professor of computer science and of materials science and nanoengineering, is quoted. Postdoctoral researcher Yang Yang and graduate student Huilong Fei helped create the film.
Futurity
http://bit.ly/1sjFGW0
Rice University discovers new moly disulfide applications
Resource Investing News (This article also appeared in the Green Optimistic, Oil Price, Solid State Technology and eWallStreeter.)
http://bit.ly/1y8H1Cw
Chemists gain edge in next-gen energy
Printed Electronics World
http://bit.ly/1tDOJ77

US production disrupts global flows of crude oil
The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port is receiving half of its oil barrel shipment than it did six years ago. Kenneth Medlock III, the James A. Baker III and Susan Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics and lecturer of economics, comments on the sustainability of oil production.
TribLive.com
http://bit.ly/1oo5qUQ
Oil import decline to US revealed by Louisiana as truth
Hellenic Shipping News (This article also appeared in La Repubblica, First Enercast Financial News and World Oil.)
http://bit.ly/1s9RpW9

Are Earth’s tectonic plates BENDY? Scientists say they’re more flexible than first thought — and this could explain why some earthquakes occur
Richard Gordon, the W. M. Keck Professor in Geophysics and chair of the Department of Earth Science, and his colleague, Corné Kreemer, an associate professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, have determined that cooling of the lithosphere — the outermost layer of Earth — makes some sections of the Pacific plate contract horizontally at faster rates than others and causes the plate to deform.
UK News (This article also appeared in A Breaking News, LifeSciencesWorld, Innovations-Report, BioPortfolio, e! Science News and Science Newsline.)
http://bit.ly/1uBB3fH

‘AETN Presents: On the Front Row’ 2014 season
Alumnus Giovanni Antipolo’s ’99 performance for the “AETN Presents: On the Front Row” 2014 series will be televised throughout November.
AETN.org
http://bit.ly/1u3ERoG

HOUSTON/TEXAS

Mark Jones comments on Lt. Gov.-elect Dan Patrick’s and fellow Republicans’ legislature plans for the state, Gen. Greg Abbott’s Texas governor win, George P. Bush’s state land commissioner victory and Texas’ low voter turnout. Jones is 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.
After election defeat, Democrats aim for long-term gains in Texas
Reuters (This article also appeared in Daily Mail and 76 other media outlets.)
http://reut.rs/1sjFru2
Abbott’s the ‘new sheriff’ in Austin
Houston Chronicle (This appeared on the front of the City & State section. Subscription required.)
http://bit.ly/10zNxHK
Abbott’s the ‘new sheriff’ in town
San Antonio Express-News
http://bit.ly/1Gtoh6Q
Patrick and Senate allies ready to promote tea party agenda
Dallas Morning News
http://bit.ly/1zy4SzR
Texas Gov.-elect Abbott’s toughness a calling card
Dallas Morning News
http://bit.ly/1xjlN4I
Analysis: Texas Democrats are running on empty
Dallas Morning News
http://bit.ly/1s9IpQG
US Rep.-elect Will Hurd ready to represent District 23
El Paso Times
http://bit.ly/1Gtst6G
6 things to know about the midterm election
The Hub
http://bit.ly/1uB7NXc
Post election tax relief in the works?
My Fox Houston (This article also appeared in My Fox DC.)
http://bit.ly/1zydTIX
Seemingly uncompetitive gov race sees low turnout
San Angelo Standard-Times (This article also appeared in Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Abilene Reporter-News and Times Record News.)
http://bit.ly/10sBk77
Texas votes for George Bush once again
RT.com
http://bit.ly/1uB0P4k
http://bit.ly/1AqYUSK
Low turnout a ‘silver lining’ for Texas Democrats?
Austin American-Statesman (This article also appeared in Texas News.)
http://bit.ly/10symzG
Latest virtual capitol news
Austin American-Statesman
http://bit.ly/1tEcsUJ
Wendy Davis and Texas Democrats roundly defeated
RHRealityCheck.com
http://bit.ly/1oocGA0
Texas deberá esperar para convertirse en un estado ‘azul’
El Pais (An English translation is not available. This article also appeared in Ultimas Noticias.)
http://bit.ly/1xcFE7I
Expertos: Abbott debe probar interés por latinos más allá de su lazo matrimonial
La Voz (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1uBi9Wo
Forbandelsen er brudt: Tredje generation Bush vinder afgørende post
Dr.dk (An English translation is not available.)
http://bit.ly/1ElC8tZ
Midterm trampolino per i rampolli delle grandi dinastie politiche: vittoria per Bush e Kennedy, Carter sconfitto
Tiscali.it (An English translation is not available.)

How Houston Realtors can use feng shui to sell homes
C.C. Lee, part-time lecturer of feng shui, explains how a well-designed room has a positive impact in real estate.
Houston Business Journal
http://bit.ly/1ElnDGv

Night and day
Douglas Brinkley, professor of history and fellow in history at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, will discuss his findings from listening to thousands of hours of historical audio for his new book at the Forth Worth Club Nov. 10. Brinkley also warns about the difficulties the White House and Congress will face in President Barack Obama’s last two years of presidency.
Fort Worth Weekly
http://bit.ly/1y92N97
Obama presidency faces uphill battle
The Australian Business Review (This article also appeared in Herald Sun, PerthNow, Technology Spectator, Daily Telegraph, Geelong Advertiser, Courier Mail and Sky News Australia.)
http://bit.ly/1xd2lbT
Obama seeks new momentum
Yahoo! Hong Kong (An English translation is not available. This article also appeared in Taiwan News and 12 other media outlets.)
http://bit.ly/1y9EKqE

BROADCAST

What happened to Texas Democrats?
An article about the low voter turnout affecting Texas Democrats quotes Bob Stein, the Lena Gohlman Fox Professor of Political Science.
KHOU.com
http://bit.ly/1pnLL8p

TRADE/PROFESSIONAL

Helping tiny hearts beat
Matteo Pasquali, professor of chemical and biological engineering and of chemistry, and Jeffrey Jacot, assistant professor of bioengineering, led a team to create patches infused with conductive single-walled carbon nanotubes that serve as bridges for electrical signals to pass unhindered through pediatric heart-defect patches. Pasquali and Jacot are quoted.
TMCNews.org
http://bit.ly/1xd1lo9

QUT leading the charge for panel-powered car
Matteo Pasquali, professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry and professor of chemical and bimolecular engineering, and graduate student Francesca Mirri co-developed lightweight “supercapacitors” that can be combined with regular batteries to boost the power of an electric car.
Science Codex (This article also appeared in ITWire.)
http://bit.ly/1wzLm3s

Colliding Bose-Einstein condensates vanish from sight
Randy Hulet, the Fayez Sarofim Professor of Physics and Astronomy, postdoctoral researcher Jason Nguyen and graduate student De Luo published a new study in the journal Nature Physics about the result of colliding pairs of Bose Einstein condensates prepared in solitons.
Physics World
http://bit.ly/10zGZJ0

Is an ‘autocomplete for programmers’ on the horizon
Computer scientists at Rice are leading an $11 million-project called PLINY to develop software that makes it easier to write code. Vivek Sarkar, the E.D. Butcher Chair in Engineering, chair of the Department of Computer Science and the principal investigator on the PLINY project, is quoted.
Engineering.com
http://bit.ly/1vPbQd9
Next for DARPA: ‘Autocomplete’ for programmers
ECNMag.com (This article also appeared in e! Science News.)
http://bit.ly/1sa7TgX

Land issues loom in Mexican energy reform
Tony Payan, the Baker Institute’s Françoise and Edward Djerejian Fellow for Mexico Studies and director of the institute’s Mexico Center, is cited for his co-authored brief in an article about Mexico’s oil and gas projects.
Oil & Gas Journal
http://bit.ly/1zya9ar

Gardeners of Madagascar rainforest at risk
Amy Dunham, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, and graduate student Onja Razafindratsima are studying the positive impact lemurs have on tree populations in Madagascar.
Terra Daily
http://bit.ly/1pqMjKL

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

The financial logic and human cost of the war on terror
Graduate student Rainer Ebert is cited for his op-ed on the French burqa ban.
Open Democracy
http://bit.ly/1sjFTIL

Davis premiere will open La Jolla Symphony & Chorus season
Alumnus Nathan Davis ’96 will compose La Jolla Symphony & Chorus’ season-opening concert with a work that invites audience members to use their cellphone as part of the musical experience.
UTSanDiego.com
http://bit.ly/1oo22sX

New (Chinese) kids on the orchestra-tour block
Beijing’s China National Centre for the Performing Arts Orchestra, which includes members who have studied at Rice, performed at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia.
Philly.com
http://bit.ly/1zy9MN5

Study says bicycling boom could bring gentrification
Graduate student Kevin Smiley co-authored a paper on Memphis becoming a great bicycle town.
Memphis Flyer
http://bit.ly/1uANeKh

SPORTS

Texas-San Antonio (2-6) at Rice (5-3) (ET)
Rice football will play against University of Texas at San Antonio Nov. 8 at Rice Stadium.
Modesto Bee (This article also appeared in Charlotte Observer, Bradenton Herald, Merced Sun-Star and Kansas City Star.)
http://bit.ly/1pr2qYz

A&M sends four to indoor nationals
McMurtry College senior tennis player Srikar Alla is mentioned.
The Battalion Online
http://bit.ly/1vOItrd

Former Texas A&M stars Johnny Manziel and Mike Evans swap NFL jerseys
Rice’s 2013 game against Texas A&M University is pictured.
SportsDayDFW
http://bit.ly/1tMheRu

NEWS RELEASE

Rice School of Architecture tops deans’ list
Rice School of Architecture has been named the most-admired undergraduate architecture program in the nation in a survey of 78 architecture deans and department heads released this week by DesignIntelligence and the Design Futures Council.
http://bit.ly/10sRf5u