The Magic of Rick Barrera Humanities Research Center Reaches
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Issue 16 • Fall 2011 From the Office of Public Affairs and the Office of the Associate Provost at Rice University Mathematics, Science, Tornadoes and Hurricanes Page 3 MCR Wins Award for Social Responsibility Page 4 Lifelong Learning in Full Swing at the Hallmark Page 4 Rice Launches K–12 Outreach Website Page 5 Teach for America Comes to Rice Page 5 Tapia Honored for Encouraging Minorities FREE-FLYING ATOMS: Using tennis balls as atoms, a group of elementary students learn about solids, liquids and gases and how they Page 6 relate to engineering. Students Sharpen Writing Skills and Knowledge of The Magic of Rick Barrera Humanities Research Center College Admission Reaches Out Page 7 Enrique “Rick” Barrera wants to make sure that all stu- Rice Culture Fair Charms dents have an opportunity to attend college, even if he Some high school students in Houston are going beyond Briarwood School has to resort to a bit of magic to entice them into the the basics: they are learning about the history of the Bible Students world of higher learning. and multiculturalism in France, among other topics in Page 7 In 1996, Barrera, a mechanical engineering and the humanities. materials science professor at Rice University, took an This academic year, more local students will also existing program — the Materials Science Magic Show be enriching their knowledge, as the Humanities — to recruit current Rice students into the materials sci- Research Center’s (HRC) Civic Humanists Program at ence major. Barrera also wanted to extend the program Rice University plans to offer more than 30 lectures at to introduce young pre-college students to science and Houston-area schools. has since presented the show to thousands of K–12 stu- This will be the fourth year that the Civic Humanists dents in the Greater Houston area. Program has sent Rice faculty from across the humani- As part of the magic show, Barrera wears goggles ties and social sciences into Houston high schools with and a protective vest while teaching students about sol- underrepresented student populations at Rice. ids, liquids and gases and how they relate to science and The Rice professors showcase the diverse range of engineering. To do this, he uses tennis balls to represent scholarship occurring in the Rice humanities depart- IN FUll SWing: Celebrating five years of lifelong learning atoms and places them on top of a table, to show that, ments and address key questions facing humanists with at the Hallmark Retirement when immobile, atoms create solids. To demonstrate dynamic lectures on their field of research. Community are Mary McIntire, liquids, Barrera pours the tennis balls (atoms) onto The talks not only serve as an introductory lesson dean of Continuing Studies, Susanne M. Glasscock and Janet the table and explains how in water, the atoms are less on selected topics and approaches in the humanities, Hoagland-Sorensen. See story organized and move freely. Excitement then follows, as but also give the high school students an opportunity to on Page 4. Barrera, to explain gases, throws the balls to students, ask questions about college life, the college application Continued on Page 2 » Continued on Page 3 » Magic Continued from Page 1 and teachers with a wealth of knowledge and east Texas, where he grew up. He and his two experience. He challenges each of them to brothers were some of the few Hispanics at who then throw the balls all over the room. stretch beyond their comfort zone, exploring West Orange High School, which had 750 “I ask them, ‘What does gas look like?’ not only what is, but what could be.” students. His mother was a registered nurse They say, ‘It’s everywhere and it’s moving,’” At Rice, Barrera is all too willing to help and his father was a welder at a local refinery. Barrera explained. “That’s when we’ve cap- his students achieve their career goals. For His parents encouraged Barrera and tured their attention and their imagination.” example, when he learned that one of his his brothers to go to college by offering to Barrera believes that by making science graduate students, Danny Olivas, wanted to pay for it, but Barrera knew that his family enjoyable to young minds, he may spark an be an astronaut, Barrera helped him secure a did not have the money. “For them to make interest in them to become scientists or pro- summer internship at NASA. That experience such a statement was very important to me,” fessors, but first and foremost, to pursue a eventually led to Olivas becoming an astro- said Barrera. After hearing his father speak college education. naut after he received his Ph.D. in mechanical respectfully of engineers and their ideas, “We don’t know what mind is going to engineering in 1996. He then flew two shuttle Barrera decided to become an engineer. have the next best idea and win the Nobel missions. When he was in 10th grade, Barrera walked Prize,” Barrera said. “There are a lot of people “Barrera is an awesome individual. He into his living room one day and announced who have the potential but never unlock it.” understands what it means to be a professor to his family that he was going to be an engi- In addition to the magic show, neer, then turned and walked out. Barrera is the technical leader for Nothing else was said. Several years Changing the Face of Math and later, Barrera received all three of his Science, a mathematics and science degrees — bachelor’s, master’s and program introduced in 2006 with doctorate in mechanical engineer- funds from Clarkson Aerospace ing — from the University of Texas Corporation. The program brings at Austin. Before coming to Rice together talented high school stu- in 1990, he worked as a research dents from 17 Houston public and associate in the materials science private schools and introduces division at the Brookhaven National students to the field of nanotech- Laboratory. nology and careers in engineering. In his more than 20 years at A dozen high school teachers assist Rice, Barrera has served as a resident Barrera with instruction and in associate and, from 1997 until 2002, turn learn about the latest tech- as master of Jones College. In 2002, nologies and research that they Barrera received the Presidential then incorporate into their own Award for Excellence in Science, classroom instruction. Mathematics and Engineering As part of the program, stu- Mentoring, a national honor that dents spend two weeks during was bestowed on him at a White the summer at Rice and Acres House ceremony. From 2004 to Home Chamber for Business SCIENCE MADE FUN: Rice Professor Rick Barrera presents the Materials 2010, Barrera served as chair of the Science Magic Show. and Economic Development, mechanical engineering and materi- Inc., a nonprofit organization als science department. Currently, that provides community leadership as well and knows how to be there for the students,” Barrera is chair of a national committee estab- as personal and professional development Olivas, who is now director of engineer- lished by Congress to broaden participation in opportunities. Program participants attend ing space and airborne systems at Raytheon research and education for historically black a series of workshops on entrepreneurship, Company, said. “He has a lot of energy and is colleges and universities and minority-serving time management, career paths and nano- very creative.” institutions. technology, among other topics. During the For a person so eager to help others, Not one to rest on his laurels, Barrera con- school year, the workshops are conducted on Barrera didn’t receive much help or encour- tinues to explore ways to improve outreach Saturdays at the Acres Home office in north agement from his primary school teachers programs. “I look for new ways to unlock Houston. In the past seven years, 235 students and counselors. “When I was young, a school young minds and to broaden participation,” have completed the program. counselor told my mother that I would fail if Barrera explained. “I want to give people “The program broadens their knowledge I was placed in the top group at the school she a start to move forward, to give people an of research and shows them how relevant sci- tried to put me in,” Barrera said. “My mother’s opportunity to make an impact by opening ence is in everyday life,” said Jacquie LaFluer, response to the counselor was, ‘Well, then let doors.” ■ executive director of Acres Home Chamber him fail.’” DAVID D. MEDINA for Business and Economic Development. Barrera was born in Corpus Christi, but Director “Barrera engages our high school students his family moved to Orange County in south- Multicultural Community Relations 2 RICE AT LarGE Mathematics, Science, Tornadoes and Hurricanes Students from Galveston spent to learn that the U.S. averages 1,200 tornadoes four weeks this summer at Rice a year. They also saw the destruction of two major hurricanes that crushed Galveston — University, participating in a the 1900 Galveston Hurricane, which made camp that took them beyond the landfall Sept. 8, 1900, and killed more than classroom in a whirlwind tour 8,000 people; and Hurricane Ike, which hit Galveston Sept. 12, 2008. of real-world mathematics, sci- The students left the Rice campus with a ence, tornadoes, hurricanes and new-found appreciation for mathematics and literature. science outside of the classroom and a glimpse The students were part of 4R : Relations, of the science behind “October Sky,” and they Robots, Rockets and Roller Coasters, a sum- were thrilled at the opportunity to meet and mer camp designed for students in grades talk with a real space scientist.