News Releases

Houston can be leader in global plastic sustainability, says Baker Institute expert

Houston, as the intellectual capital for the energy industry, can become a global leader in advanced plastic recycling, according to an expert from Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.

Flatfish got weird fast due to evolutionary cascade

Flatfishes rapidly evolved into the most asymmetric vertebrates by changing multiple traits at once, according to a Rice University study.

Neural nets used to rethink material design

The microscopic structures and properties of materials are intimately linked, and customizing them is a challenge. Rice University engineers are determined to simplify the process through machine learning.

Student startups awarded $65,000 at 2021 Napier Rice Launch Challenge

A mobile app to help prevent veteran suicide is one of the products created by three student startups that claimed the top prizes at this year's edition of Rice University’s H. Albert Napier Rice Launch Challenge (NRLC).

Help may be at hand for hair-pulling

People who compulsively pull their hair – suffering from an affliction known as trichotillomania – could find relief with a device created by Rice University students.

Wearable glucose monitors shed light on progression of Type 2 diabetes in Hispanic/Latino adults

In one of the first studies of its kind, medical and engineering researchers have shown wearable devices that continuously monitor blood sugar provide new insights into the progression of Type 2 diabetes among at-risk Hispanic/Latino adults.

Students wonder what to do with old windmill blades

Wind power has a bright future, but what happens when wind turbines power down? A worn blade the length of a football field isn’t easy to recycle.

Brain drain could give patients peace of mind

Pressure from excess cerebrospinal fluid on the brain is often relieved by surgically installing a shunt that carries the fluid to a reservoir. But when pressure in the reservoir itself is too high, the shunt needs a little help.

Rice to release 40th annual Kinder Houston Area Survey

Houstonians’ views on the pandemic, the economy, racial justice and the city’s demographic transformation will be revealed in the 2021 Kinder Houston Area Survey, which will be released at an online event on May 11 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Artificial intelligence, its future and its impact on US competitiveness and national security will be examined in Baker Institute webinar

HOUSTON – (April 26, 2021) – Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, ex-Lockheed Martin CEO and chairman Norman Augustine and Alphabet Inc. board chairman John Hennessy will discuss the role of artificial intelligence and other technologies play in the United States’ prosperity during a free webinar Thursday.

Rice webinar showcases big data’s rise in sports and gambling

HOUSTON – (April 23, 2021) – The 9th Eubank Conference on Real World Markets at Rice University is taking a close look at how computational tools and big data are impacting sports and changing fan experiences through gambling.

Classical music delivered to Houston's underserved communities

HOUSTON – (April 22, 2021) – Rice University's Shepherd School of Music has joined forces with the Houston Symphony to bring classical music to children and adults from Houston's underserved communities.

Silver ions hurry up, then wait as they disperse

There’s gold in them thar nanoparticles, and there used to be a lot of silver, too. But much of the silver has leached away, and researchers want to know how.

Survey of Houston families reveals pandemic's unequal impact on wages and employment

HOUSTON – (April 22, 2021) – During the pandemic, Blacks and Hispanics were more likely to experience lost wages or unemployment than whites, according to a new research brief from Rice University's Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC).

Touchless temperature made simple

Getting around during the pandemic often requires getting your temperature taken to check for COVID-19. A team of seniors at Rice’s Brown School of Engineering wants to make that practice more practical for facilities around the world.