Rice News Archive - 2021

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Dateline Rice for Aug. 31, 2020 Aug. 31, 2021

Image illustrating statistics regarding openstax

OpenStax surpasses $1 billion in textbook savings Aug. 31, 2021

Less than a decade after publishing its first free, openly licensed textbook, OpenStax — Rice’s educational technology initiative — has saved students $1.2 billion.

Simulations by scientists at the Rice University-based Center for Theoretical Biological Physics suggest how the SARS-CoV-2 spike infects cells. The illustration shows how the spike reconfigures itself in microseconds as it goes from pre- to post-fusion with target cells. The researchers suggest their work to reveal the mechanism by which the virus spreads could lead to new strategies to defeat COVID-19.

Sim shows how COVID virus infects cells Aug. 31, 2021

A simulation shows the complicated mechanism by which the SARS-CoV-2 virus may infect cells, leading to COVID-19.

flu shot being administered

Flu shots offered to Rice community on campus Aug. 31, 2021

Flu shots are now available on campus for members of the Rice community.

Third Ward Campus

Historic Houston neighborhoods focus of study on small business Aug. 30, 2021

Graphic showing "Classes are Free" on an iPhone

RUPD’s Citizens Police Academy open for enrollment Aug. 30, 2021

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Dateline Rice for Aug. 30, 2021 (Weekend Edition) Aug. 30, 2021

Dateline Rice for Aug. 30, 2021 (Weekend Edition)

People, Papers, and Presentations

People, papers and presentations for Aug. 30, 2021 Aug. 30, 2021

Founders Court

Rice ranked by Niche as one of nation’s top 10 universities Aug. 30, 2021

Rice University wins an “A+” grade and ranks as one of the nation’s top 10 universities in the latest ratings of American colleges compiled by Niche.

An illustration depicts the atomic structure of double-layer borophene. In this image, all atoms are boron, with the pink atoms specifically involved in bonding between the layers. Courtesy of Northwestern University

Bilayer borophene is a first Aug. 30, 2021

Scientists make bilayer borophene for the first time. The versatile 2D material shows promise for quantum electronics, energy storage and sensors.

Person dialing phone number

Ethics survey shows a campus unafraid to speak up Aug. 30, 2021

A recent survey of Rice employees found that 99% of respondents were comfortable reporting ethical concerns to at least one resource on campus.

Man wearing smart shirt

‘Smart’ shirt keeps tabs on the heart Aug. 30, 2021

Carbon nanotube thread woven into athletic shirts gathered electrocardiogram and heart rate data that matched standard monitors and beat chest-strap monitors. The fibers are flexible and the shirts are machine washable.

Varieties of Atheism in Science

New book explores the different — and surprising — types of atheism in science Aug. 27, 2021

A newly published book argues that a significant part of the public wrongly sees scientists who are atheists as immoral elitists who don’t care about the common good.

Huge coins with miniature people with coins

Paper: Wealth inequality shrinking after Trump-era tax reform, but progress at risk Aug. 27, 2021

Wealth inequality dropped in 2019 in the U.S. for the first time in almost three decades, but proposed tax legislation is threatening to reverse the progress, according to an expert at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.

Huge coins with miniature people with coins

Wealth inequality shrinking after Trump-era tax reform, but progress at risk, says Baker Institute expert Aug. 27, 2021

HOUSTON – (Aug. 27, 2021) – Wealth inequality dropped in 2019 in the U.S. for the first time in almost three decades, but proposed tax legislation is threatening to reverse the progress, according to an expert at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.