News Releases

Virtual Rice University commencement set for Saturday

HOUSTON -- (May 15, 2020) – Rice’s Class of 2020 will be honored this weekend in a ceremony unlike any other in the university’s history. Instead of unfolding as usual in the Academic Quad, with graduates and their loved ones gathered on the grassy centerpiece of the campus, Rice’s 107th commencement will be a series of virtual events celebrated online. One video presentation will honor undergraduates, another will honor recipients of advanced degrees and another will recognize recipients of doctoral degrees.

2D sandwich sees molecules with clarity

A 2D platform of molybdenum, sulfur and selenium is adept at detecting biomolecules via surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Its nonmetallic nature helps by curtailing background noise.

Can COVID-19 spread through fecal matter?

HOUSTON – (May 14, 2020) – Early studies show evidence of COVID-19 genetic material in fecal matter, but more work is needed to determine if the virus can be spread through stool, according to a new review paper from a Rice University epidemiologist.

Rice engineer wins grant to study temperature and coronavirus

Rice mechanical engineer Daniel Preston wins a National Science Foundation grant to study the effect of varying temperatures on the lifetime of the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Energy independence in Ukraine requires industrial, social reform

HOUSTON – (May 12, 2020) – Energy independence for Ukraine will require a modernization of its natural gas industry as well as targeted social policies, according to experts at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and Adam Mickiewicz University in Poland.

State revenue declines lead to cuts in children's Medicaid benefits, education spending, Rice experts say

HOUSTON -- (May 11, 2020) – States facing sudden drops in tax revenue amid the pandemic are announcing deep cuts to their Medicaid programs just as millions of newly jobless Americans are surging onto the rolls. Children could be disproportionately affected, because the percentage of Medicaid spending that states have to bear for adults is much lower, according to health economics experts at Rice University.

Miah Im named new opera studies director at Rice

HOUSTON – (May 11, 2020) – Canadian-born pianist Miah Im will take the helm as director of opera studies for Rice University's Shepherd School of Music July 1.

2D oxide flakes pick up surprise electrical properties

Rice University researchers find evidence of piezoelectricity in lab-grown, two-dimensional flakes of molybdenum dioxide.

Most Houstonians with symptoms are not being tested, according to Rice COVID-19 Registry

HOUSTON – (May 5, 2020) – The vast majority of Houston-area residents who are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 are not getting tested for it, according to initial results of a survey from the COVID-19 Registry at Rice University.

Houston must address housing and transportation affordability jointly

Only 44% of rental housing units in Houston are affordable for families with average income, and only 1 out of every 3 of those dwellings is near reliable and affordable transportation, according to a new joint report by researchers from Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research and LINK Houston.

Rice history professor wins Pulitzer Prize

Caleb McDaniel’s 'Sweet Taste of Liberty' tells true story of slavery and restitution in America.

Baker Institute experts: Hydrogen and nanomaterials may transform energy industry

Hydrogen as a zero-carbon energy carrier has the potential to fundamentally transform the global energy landscape

Federal grant bolsters Rice eye research

A Rice University researcher has won a prestigious federal grant to study how a recently identified protein in the cornea aids development, homeostasis and wound healing in the eye.

Water-splitting module a source of perpetual energy

Rice University researchers have integrated high-efficiency solar cells and electrode catalysts into an efficient, low-cost device that splits water to produce hydrogen fuel.

Regulatory hurdles make HIV research less effective, Baker Institute experts say

Quianta Moore, a fellow in child health policy at the Baker Institute, and Zeinab Bakhiet, a research associate for the Baker Institute's Center for Health and Biosciences, outline their insights in a new paper, “Navigating the Regulatory Framework for HIV Prevention Research in Adolescents.”