Winter 2006

7atIon

Migration Patterns: There are borders beyond geopolitical boundaries

ton ill On% omtal, Call to Conversation clear aneou Attorney General Alberto Gonzales

erved Check your Rice Ri urrica enero Rice's Center for Education ollec' inc Iii Rice Gallery celebrates its 10th anniversary thes, INSIDE RICE SALLYPORT • THE MAGAZINE OF • WINTER 2006

2 President's Message • 3 Through the Sallyport Departments 14 Students • 36 Arts • 44 On the Bookshelf 46 Who's Who • 52 Scoreboard

2Rice's largest-ever gift al Americans want to by an individual donor have their energy will go to strengthen exploration and wildlife the humanities. preservation, too.

What implications for " the future can expect in the aftetmath ofHurricane Katrina? Are costly breeding programs developed by zoos in the best Who can help public interests of endangered species? 10 schools? Strong mayors.

n Should retailers dare you The Texas Digital Library to compare? Maybe not. initiative will improve Nr• Encouraging comparison access to high-quality shopping can backfire. information.

In Important shifts in space Some run fast, some run far, policy may pose long-term 6 but never the twain shall meet threats in body mass index. to U.S. interests in space.

37Two Shepherd School Forget oil paint. Art at the pianists strike gold at the 38Rice Gallery celebrates Catania International unexpected media. Music Festival.

,n Coach Todd Graham Healthy, wealthy, and brings a fresh outlook 7male usually—but not to Owls football. always go together.

Cover Photograph by Meg Reilley Features 16 Open to Interpretation Some see him as a loyal, sincere force behind the president. 12 A Vision Others see a zealous subordinate who puts loyalty ahead of responsibility. Whatever your interpretation, Alberto Gonzales The Call to Conversation has drawn inspiration from all has made history as the first Hispanic attorney general. segments ofthe Rice community to help shape the future of the university. By Mitch Kaplan By David W. Leebron 28 Where Can I Go to Be a Real Teacher? for Education strives to engage the community 22 Migration Patterns Rice's Center to identify problems,formulate solutions, and become a catalyst Migration to the from Mexico and Central for change in K-12 education. and South America is an issue of national interest. How B y Michele Arnold do communities where migrants settle facilitate or hinder assimilation, and does education and the ability to speak 30 Rice Fact and Fiction English affect the process? Think you know all about Rice history? Maybe you do,or By David D. Medina perhaps you've believed a few tall tales.

B y Catherine Adcock A the founding ceremonies in 1912,President Edgar Odell Lovett laid out a broad and ambitious vision for the Rice Institute. That vision encompassed the full range of human endeavor across Rice Sallyport t"letters, science, and art." Resources, however, were limited, and Lovett indicated that, at the Winter 2006, Vol. 62, No. 2 beginning, effort would be focused initially on science, as that is what Houston most needed at the time. Published by the Division We have come far since then, and Rice University today is much closer to the vision that Lovett laid of Public Affairs out in his opening address. We continue to excel in science and technology (as evidenced in the recog- Terry Shepard, vice president Suzanne Stehr, director of Web and nition of our nanotechnology efforts in a recent ranking covered in this issue), but we also increasingly Print Communications excel in other fields. Other issues of Sallyport have covered some of the extraordinary achievements of our Shepherd School of Music, mentioned here as well. Editor and more of these are Of course, no success Christopher Dow can be built without the necessary resources, as President Lovett so well recognized. That is why we were so grateful to receive the anonymous $20 million gift to the humanities, which will help assure our Editorial Director continued ascendancy in those fields. Tracey Rhoades This issue contains articles on a number ofendeavors in the social sciences,Rice's youngest school. There Creative Director is no official definition of what constitutes a social science. In broad terms, the social sciences incorporate Jeff Cox those disciplines that focus on the study of human behavior, interaction, and institutions. Although we Art Director may look to science and engineering for the solution to some of the problems faced by human societies, Chuck Thurmon understand those problems or formulate workable we cannot solutions without Editorial Staff understanding how human beings, individually and collectively, will react. David D. Medina '83, senior editor Our cover story on migration patterns, focusing on the work of soci- Dana Benson, associate editor Sarah Williams, assistant editor ologist Katharine Donato, is a good example of this. The growth of our Christie Wise, production coordinator country's Hispanic population is one of the most important demographic changes now occurring. While this growth has brought challenges, we Design Staff Tommy LaVergne, photographer understand relatively little about the immigrant experience. This research Jeff Fidow, assistant photographer helps us examine the process by which immigrants are assimilated and what relevant factors such research to formulate The Rice University Board the are. Ultimately, we can use of Trustees policies and other strategies that will successfully and quickly incorporate James W. Crownover, chair; J.D. Bucky immigrants into productive streams of American society. Allshouse; D. Kent Anderson; Tevela "The emergence of Rose Barnes; Alfredo Brener; Vicki Other research by sociologists at Rice reported on in this issue includes Bretthauer; Robert T. Brockman; Albert the social sciences an analysis by Bridget Gorman of the relationship between racial and gender Y. Chao; Edward A. Dominguez; Bruce W. at Rice is but one disparities in health and survey findings that natural scientists are less likely to Dunlevie; James A. Elkins III; Lynn Laverty Elsenhans; Douglas Lee Foshee; piece of our success believe in God than social scientists. In another survey(an important method- Karen 0. George; Susanne Glasscock; ological tool for social scientists), Jones School professor Marc Epstein found Carl E.Isgren; K. Terry Koonce; Michael in contributing R. Lynch; Steven L. Miller; M. Kenneth to perhaps for wildlife preservation from an surprising results regarding support Oshman; Marc Shapiro;William N.Sick; knowledge across area ofthe country dependent on energy production. Political scientist Melissa L. E. Simmons the range of human Marschall has analyzed the critical role of mayors in achieving urban school Administrative Officers reform. scientists participated in a panel discus- experience." Both sociologists and political David W. Leebron, president; Kathy sion of the impact of Hurricane Katrina on Houston. Collins, vice president for Finance; The steady improvement in Rice's social sciences over the past decade is Eric Johnson, vice president for —David W. Leebron Resource Development; Kevin Kirby, due in no small measure to the leadership ofBob Stein, who has led the school vice presidentfor Administration; Eugene as its dean for 10 years. At the end of this semester, he will step down, and Levy,provost; Terry Shepard, vice president we expect to announce his months. Whoever takes over for Public Affairs, Scott W. Wise, vice successor within the next couple the helm at the presidentfor Investments and treasurer, school will be in a good position to build on the successes achieved during Bob's tenure. TBN, vice president for Enrollment; The emergence of the social sciences at Rice is but one piece of our success in contributing to Richard A. Zansitis,general counsel. knowledge across the range of human experience. Art, as emphasized by President Lovett in his open- All submissions to Sallyport are subject ing address, is a vital part of this endeavor. We don't have a campus museum (although Houston's to editing for length, clarity, accuracy, Museum of Fine Arts is close enough to qualify), but we do have a unique art gallery that appropriateness, and fairness to third specializes parties. in installation art. As the Rice Gallery celebrates its 10th anniversary, there is much to be proud of. The gallery has not simply brought art to the Rice community, but also made Rice an important par- Sallyport is published by the Division of ticipant in the Houston arts installation, Conversation Public Affairs ofRice University and is sent community. The latest by David Ellis, is both to university alumni,faculty, staff, graduate whimsical and thought provoking. I could, however, fully enjoy it only after being assured that it was students, parents of undergraduates, and not a parody of the Call to Conversation we launched last summer. friends of the university. Speaking of which, we were gratified by the incredibly thoughtful comments we received on the issues Editorial Offices addressed by the Call to Conversation, both in meetings and through our website. At the trustees meeting Office of Publications—MS 95 in December,the board unanimously endorsed a new mission statement and 10 basic goals emerging from P.O. Box 1892 the Call to Conversation. An overview of these propositions can be found on pages 12-13. Houston, Texas 77251-1892 I began this piece with a note about history. Of course, we often misunderstand some Fax 713-348-6751 of the history Email: [email protected] we are closest to. So if you are one of those loyal alumni or friends who carries a good deal of Rice lore in your head, this issue provides a chance to check some of your historical "factoids" against the real facts. Postmaster You may be surprised. Send address changes to: Rice University Development Services—MS 80 P.O. Box 1892 Houston, TX 77251-1892

02006 RICE UNIVERSITY

2 Rice Sallyport THROUGH THE SALLYPORTI

Small Times Gives Nano at Rice Top Marks

Nanotechnology-related pro- grams at Rice received high marks in Small Times magazine's latest university rankings, placing among the top five in three out of seven categories reported Rice's strongest showing was in the patent portfolio category, where it not only beat out heavy- weights like MIT and Michigan but also topped the combined performance of the entire Univer- Wihl continued. "This $20-mil- Humanities at Rice Receives $20M Gift lion gift will be targeted directly sity of California system A $20 million gift, the largest by an individual donor in Rice University's to the establishment offour The magazine, one of the history, has been made anonymously as the lead gift in a comprehensive new chaired professorships that nation's premier nanotechnology enable to bring to Rice $80-million plan to position the School of Humanities among the most will us trade publications, based its not just outstanding faculty, accomplished programs in the nation. patent portfolio rankings on an but also faculty who are leading authorities in specific fields of analysis by 1790 Analytics LLC, The gift will establish four en- The gift is a vote of confi- research." a New Jersey-based firm that dowed chairs, allowing Rice to dence in what the school already In addition to adding faculty specializes in evaluating intellec- hire faculty members that presi- has achieved and in its future chairs, Leebron and Willi are tual property portfolios Rankings dent David Leebron described potential, said Dean of Hu- working to raise an additional for the other six categories were as "the best leaders in fields vital manities Gary Wihl. "Rice is $60 million to complete the to our future." Endowed chairs home to some of this nation's other elements of the plan, based on surveys of more than traditionally go to faculty of the including new undergraduate 100 U.S. universities highest distinction, and the com- scholarships, increased support Rice's patenting activities, bination of their prestige and "This extraordinary for humanities doctoral pro- commercial spin-offs,and licens- enhanced funding makes these gift is from a donor grams, and new collaborative ing deals landed it the top spot in Positions valuable tools in high- ventures with artistic and liter- the commercialization category, level recruitment. who understands the ary communities. "The humanities are an and Rice ranked No 2 in the in- value of humanities The number ofstudents en- tegral part of the fabric of a rolled in humanities coursework facilities category. major tmiversity," Leebron said. education and re- at Rice has increased 12 percent "We are proud of where we "Strengthening them will be in the last three years, graduate a stand today, and we are commit- benefit to all Rice programs, search in our society applications doctoral to pro- ted to staying at the leading edge from music and architecture to grams have been increasing ev- and who exercises of nanotechnology," says Wade science and engineering. This ery year for the last three years, extraordinary gift is from a do- philanthropic spirit and external research funding Adams,director of Rice's Richard nor who understands the value for humanities at Rice jumped E. Smalley Institutefor Nanoscale of without wish for humanities education and by 43 percent over the last two Science and Technology. research in our society and who credit." years. The rankings appeared in the exercises philanthropic spirit As a result of previous invest- —David W. Leebron May/June issue of Small Times without wish for credit." ments over the last decade, Rice "The School of Humanities For more information, visit www most accomplished humani- humanities at the undergradu- at Rice already has achieved na- smalltimes.com ties faculty. This gift will lever- ate level rank in the nation's top tional and international recog- age our existing strengths to tier, and the university has high- nition," the anonymous donor a whole new level of visibility ly regarded graduate programs noted. "It is our hope that this and achievement. I am proud in English, history, philosophy, gift will allow Rice to build on to begin a process that will con- religion, and linguistics. Rice its already strong foundation in tribute to further excellence in faculty have won nearly every the humanities and augment the our humanities programs and to major national award and fel- school's excellent faculty with the overall excellence of Rice as lowship, and Rice is home to four new, vibrant educators and a comprehensive university. five of the leading journals in researchers. It will be a pleasure "The competition among top the country in classics, English, to watch the school rise even U.S. universities to attract and history, religious studies, and further in prominence." retain faculty is intensifying," feminist economics.•

Winter '06 3 THROUGH THE SALLYPORT

Costly Breeding Programs for Endangered Species Pay Off

Worldwide, zoos spend millions of dollars each year transporting rare be that genes lost through lowed to contribute a dispro- animals thousands of miles to breed them with their most distantly related minimal inbreeding allowed portionate share of offspring to relatives. Proponents cite the preservation of maximum genetic variability the MAT populations to better subsequent generations, based adapt to the harsh conditions in on their fitness scores. in small populations of endangered species, but critics have questioned the wild." The release into the wild the need for such programs, which can cause stress in rare animals, even Meffert chose to conduct her was simulated by adding en- to the point of death. experiments on common house- vironmental stress. In the flies because they breed every "postrelease" breeding sce- A comparative study of captive few weeks. This model system nario, temperatures in incuba- tors breeding strategies conducted permitted her to simulate several were altered on a 12-hour cycle at Rice has bolstered the case years of breeding for endangered based on the high and low for more costly and sometimes species that breed only once or temperatures recorded in Houston troublesome breeding pro- twice per year. However, thanks that day. In both grams. The results are based on to the recently established Hous- strategies, all breed- ing lines survived a yearlong study of 11 genera- ton Zoo and Rice University in captivity. In the "wild" tions of houseflies. The study Consortium in Conservation setting, four of the inbred is the first to compare the so- Biology, researchers and students populations went extinct, called "maximum avoidance interested in studying the effects compared to just one extinction for the inbreeding," or MAT,strategy of breeding programs on higher MAT lines. with regimens that allow limited orders of animals can do so at "Apparently, the stressful en- vironment inbreeding. the Houston Zoo. served to select only the most fit lines," "In previous studies, a "In particular, we wanted to To simulate small populations Meffert says, "while the more benign envi- number of groups identified simulate several generations of rare animals in zoos, Meffert ronment allowed low-fitness short-term benefits for breed- of captive breeding used breeding lines founded by followed lines to persist in captivity." ing schemes that used limited just five pairs of male and fe- by several generations of Though the findings clearly inbreeding in order to produce male flies. Because flies lay many breeding in the wild." support the case for expen- stronger individuals," says Lisa eggs and most higher-order sive MAT breeding schemes Meffert, assistant professor of —Lisa Meffert animals have small broods, each for some endangered animals, ecology and evolutionary biolo- fly breeding line was allowed to Meffert suspects that might gy and the lead researcher on the long as they remained in a con- grow by no more than 50 per- not be the case for species that project. "Ours are the first tests trolled, "captive" setting. How- cent per generation. reproduce faster or have larger ofthe long-term consequences ever, after the simulated release Each time a pair offlies mated, broods. For those animals, al- of these strategies. In particular, into the wild, the MAT popula- researchers measured the fit- ternate breeding schemes might we wanted to simulate several tions were less likely to become ness of the pair by counting the indeed prove more effective, generations of captive breeding extinct or to suffer population number ofeggs the female laid and her group is conducting re- followed by several generations crashes than were the popula- and by measuring the number of search to see if that's the case. of breeding in the wild." tions that had undergone lim- eggs that hatched. The research was funded by Meffert, postdoctoral re- ited inbreeding. In the MAT breeding scheme, the Environmental Institute of searcher Stacey Day, graduate "The benefits of maximum- brothers and sisters never were Houston and the National Sci- avoidance inbreeding were dif- to mate and were student Sara Hicks, and premed allowed ence Foundation, and the re- ficult to detect as long instead, only student Nsuela Mukana found as the paired, with off- sults are available online at the that populations in both breed- populations remained captive," spring from other breeding journal Zoo Biology.• ing groups exhibited similar Meffert notes. "It's not clear pairs. In the alternate breeding —Jade Boyd levels offitness and fertility as why this is the case, but it could scheme, the females were al-

4 Rice Sallyport THROUGH THE SALLYPORT

Should You Dare to Compare?

Encouraging comparison shopping is a common marketing technique, but Rice researchers say that it often backfires, making consumers more cautious and likely to buy the less risky name brand. Ironically, left to their own judgment, consumers are more likely to pick the lower-priced generic or store brand.

Encouragingcomparison-shopping sold at a higher final price than if most often is used to promote that item is adjacent to one with a lower-priced,lower -quality brands lower starting price. Psychologists or newproductsseeking greater vis- refer to this phenomenon as the ibility among consumers,says Paul "anchoring effect." Dholakia,an assistant professor of "We found, however, if online management at the Jesse H.Jones buyers are explicitly urged to com- Rice Experts Identify Threats to Graduate School ofManagement. pare the price ofone listing to other Long-Term U.S. Interests in Space As an example, stores often post adjacentlistings, they become much signs on their shelves encouraging The United States must bolster the competitiveness of its commer- consumersto compare store brand Shoppers who are cial space industry,expand international cooperation,and refocus prices with corresponding leading on basic science to hold on to its traditional leadership position national brands' prices. "Ifleft to in space,according to a paper that Rice's George Abbey and Neal decide for themselves, consumers encouraged to compare Lane wrote for the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. are just as likely to note the price differences and possibly choose brands become averse In "United States Space Policy: Challenges and Opportunities," Abbey and the lower-priced generic brands," Lane identify three important shifts in U.S. plans as threats to the nation's Dholakia says. "But, if they are to taking risks in their long-term scientific interests in space: proposals by the military to place directed to make comparisons weapons in space, decreased funding for civilian space science, and an un- between a well-known brand wi II ingnessto collaborate with international partners on space initiatives. The versus a store brand, they will be choice of products and study also finds that changes in export-control policies, which now require all more cautious and purchase the satellites to be regulated as munitions, have led to significant market-share less risky, nationally known brand. are unlikely to buy the losses for U.S. suppliers in recent years, threatening the long-term viability Generally,letting consumers decide of the U.S. commercial satellite industry. for themselves is a more effective private, lesser-known "America has long been considered by nations around the world to be approach." the unchallenged leader in all aspects of its space program," wrote Abbey In"The Effect ofExplicit Refer- label, even if it's less and Lane. But, they warned,"the future vitality of America's space program ence Points on Consumer Choice is in question." and Online Bidding Behavior," Abbey, senior fellow in space policy at the James A. Baker III Institute for published in Marketing Science, expensive. Public Policy, is former director of NASA's Johnson Space Center. Lane, the Dholakia and Itamar Simonson Malcolm Gillis University Professor, senior fellow in science and technology ofStanford University's Graduate more cautiousin their bidding and at the Baker Institute, and professor of physics and astronomy at Rice, is a School ofBusiness analyze the pur- the anchoring effectis diminished," former assistant to the president of the United States for science and tech- chase behavior ofconsumers who Dholakia notes. "More cautious nology, former director of the U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy, are urged to make comparisons be- bidders will tend to control their and former director of the National Science Foundation. tween differentoptionsversus those bidding behavior by making fewer "Government leaders are making decisions about U.S. space policy that left to draw their own conclusions. offers and submitting them late in will affect not only national security but also the ability of the United States The researchers conducted studies the auction."The end results,adds to successfully compete with other countries in the commercial use of space using both online auction bidders Dholakia,are fewer bids and lower and to maintain a leadership role in space exploration, science and engineer- and laboratory subjects. final prices. ing, and technology," the co-authors said. Though their assessment reveals Dholakia,who has conducted a When comparison marketing is significant obstacles to the continued success of the U.S. space industry and number ofstudiesinvolving online used in stores,the results are simi- space science, Abbey and Lane believe these obstacles are surmountable, auctions, believes their findings lar. Shoppers who are encouraged and they offer recommendations for realigning U.S. space policy to advance have far-reaching implications for to compare brands become averse national interests. sellers and buyers who use this vir- to taking risks in their choice of Foremost among their recommendations are the promotion of international tual marketplace.Just as consumers products and are unlikely to buy cooperation on space-related activities and the realignment of national ob- spontaneously notice the different the private, lesser-known label, jectives for space science and exploration with international agreements. quality and price ofbrands shelved even if it's less expensive. "International cooperation in space will be crucial," they said, "if we are to near one another, online auction "Thissimplypoints out," Dhola- reap the benefits of scientific research and human exploration." bidders areinfluenced bythe starting kia says, "that marketers need to The paperwascommissioned as part ofthe Reconsidering the Rules of Space Prices ofsilnilar nearby listings,and carefully consider the conditions project,wh ich is directed by the academy's Committee on International Security these prices affect their willingness under which it is more effective to Studies and supported by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. to bid and the final auction prices. use comparison promotions and More information about the project and about the Committee on International For example, an item listed next when it is risky to do so."• Security Studies is available atw.amacad.org/projects/space.aspx,and the to a similar item with a higher full text of the paper is available at www.bakerinstitute.org.• starting price is more likely to be

Winter '06 5 THROUGH THE SALLYPORT

The conspicuous size difference between lithesome distance runners and more muscular sprinters is dictated by simple rules of form and function, according to researchers from Rice and the Texas Medical Center's National Center for Human Performance. Specifically, the greater bulk of sprinters is explained by their need to hit the running surface harder to attain faster speeds.

"We found that, regardless of To establish how much ground the runner's race specializa- force was required for different tion or gender, we could link running and racing speeds, the re- an ideal body mass for running searchers measured how hard run- performance to how hard a run- ners hit the surface of a treadmill at ner needed to hit the ground," different running speeds. Men and explains Peter Weyand, assis- women alike hit with forces of about tant professor of kinesiology one-and-a-half times their body and lead author of the study. weight at slower speeds and with as "The mechanical requirements much as two-and-a-half times their of running and racing at differ- body weight at a sprint. ent speeds are related to the The pair established an ideal notable differences in body body size for each race distance by types long observed among compiling the average heights and Speed and specialized track athletes—and weights of the 45 fastest male and even among animal runners in female runners in each of the eight nature." competitive racing distances, from Endurance Previously, scientists and oth- 100 meters to 10,000 meters, dur- ers considered massiveness ing the past 14 years in any form to be disadvanta- As they related the force required Ake Doled geous for running performance. for the runners' racing speeds to This idea was based on stud- the ideal size of the different run- ies of distance runners and on ners, the researchers found a 0a4By the the limited running abilities of consistent relationship across all elephants and big dinosaurs. groups. Whether an athlete is male Pound However, Weyand and recent or female or a sprinter, a middle-dis- Rice graduate Adam Davis tance, or an endurance runner, the found the trade-offs involved in ideal massiveness for running was specialization for speed versus the same function of how much endurance conform to precise force the runners needed to apply body-mass rules. to the ground at their racing speeds. Their research provides a The specific amount of body mass new twist on the body mass needed to regulate ground forces index, or BMI, which measures and racing speeds is relatively small: body size based on a person's only 2.5 kg of mass per one me- height and weight. BMI has ter per second of racing speed for long been used as a guide on males and 1.8 kg per one meter per body sizes to be avoided. How- second for females. ever, Weyand and Davis unex- "The results provided power- pectedly discovered that this ful support for a basic conclusion," same index can guide some Weyand notes. "Sprinters have athletes toward body sizes that more muscle and body bulk because will optimize their performance they need to hit the track harder to In the study, Weyand and Da- attain their blazing speeds. In con- vis found that the ideal massive- trast, endurance specialists do not ness for running performance want or need bulky muscles be- is provided by a constant rela- cause the ground forces required at tionship between the BMI and their slower speeds are so modest." the force runners need to apply Weyand says further testing is to the ground at their racing needed to determine how appropri- speeds. A practical implication ate BMI guidelines might be for indi- of this finding for runners is viduals or any given athlete. Details that, for the amount of ground of the researchers' findings appeared force required for any race, an in the July 15, 2005, issue of the ideal BMI exists. Journal of Experimental Biology.

6 Rice Sallyport THROUGH THE SALLYPORT

"We found that socioeconomic status is more likely to explain health disparities across racial and ethnic groups than to account for differences between men and women within the same racial group." —Bridget Gorman

In U.S., Healthy, Wealthy, Health: The Interplay of Race and Ethnic- researchers also controlled for the length of and Male Usually—but ity," to be published in Social Science and time the subjects had lived in the United Medicine, Gorman and Jen'nan G. Read of States, their marital status, family size, so- Not Always—Go Together the University of California at Irvine ana- cioeconomic status, lifestyle, and behavior lyze the differences in men's and women's characteristics. Socioeconomic status often is related to self-rated health, functional limitations, "Our results show the magnitude of gen- differences in health of people in the United and life-threatening medical conditions for der difference varies considerably by racial States. However, as a new study shows, whites, blacks, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, group, health outcomes, and certain group comparisons," Gorman says. "The gender some socioeconomically disadvantaged and Cubans. For each health outcome, they investigate whether socioeconomic factors differences within and across groups was groups in the United States have better can account for the disparities they observe striking for functional limitations and could health profiles the majority white than within and across racial and ethnic groups. not be explained by adjusting for social, eco- Population. "We found that socioeconomic status nomic, and health characteristics on which is more likely to explain health disparities men and women differ." Yet, when comparing self-reported health In the first study to systematically exam- across racial and ethnic groups than to ac- across racial groups, the researchers con- me differences between the health of adult count for differences between men and firmed prior findings that once age and so- men and women in the United States across women within the same racial group," Gor- cioeconomic status were taken into account, racial and ethnic populations, Rice sociolo- man says. the gender gap diminishes or disappears for gist Bridget Gorman reports that gender Socioeconomic status, according to Gor- all racial groups. What the researchers dis- inequalities in health can vary significantly man, does not fully explain the gap between covered, however, is that this was true only among racial and ethnic groups and that men's and women's health, regardless of when women were compared to their male some minority racial groups have health race. All women,for example, are more like- counterparts. "When compared to white profiles -Hispanic whites, ly than men to experience functional limita- superior to non men,only Mexican and white women were despite their socioeconomically disad- tions, ranging from moderately increased being less likely to rate their health fair to poor," odds for white women versus white men vantaged. Gorman says. "Even after controlling for to much higher odds for Cuban women "Mexican men and women in the United socioeconomic status and age, black and States, for compared to Cuban men."Even when ac- example, have among the low- Cuban women were still more likely to re- est counting for socioeconomic status and other morbidity and mortality rates compared port fair to poor self-rated health than white to all lifestyle conditions," Gorman explains, "this other racial groups, even though they males, with Puerto Rican women faring the rank low health disadvantage remains significant for on most socioeconomic indica- worst." women of all races." tors," Gorman says. "Black women,on the Given the increased complexity of Amer- other Gorman and Read used data drawn from hand, have the highest rates of life- ica's health profile, Gorman believes their national threatening health conditions and are nearly surveys conducted from 1997 findings have several implications for future twice as likely as white men and women to through 2001 by the National Center for research and public-policy makers. "Most report fair to poor health." Health Statistics and the Centers for Disease prior studies of health disparities between Although racial and gender health dispari- Control and Prevention and administered by genders have controlled for race," says Gor- ties are well documented,little is known the U.S. Census Bureau. Adults randomly man."As we've seen in our findings, to bet- about the differences between the health of selected from each family in the National ter understand health, differences between men and women across and within racial and Health Interview Survey were asked to rate gender and race need to be taken into ac- ethni c groups and how much socioeconomic their general health and to report any func- count, as do multiple indicators beyond just status or other factors play a role in gender tional limitations or diagnosis of life-threat- men's and women's self-rated health."• inequities in health. ening medical conditions they had received In "Gender Inequalities in U.S. Adult by a doctor or other health professional. The

Winter '06 7 THROUGH THE SALLYPORT

Natural Scientists Are Less Fondren to Help Establish Digital Likely to Believe in God than Are Library System in Texas Social Scientists

Proponents of the digital revolution have long Scientists in the social sciences are more likely to believe in God envisioned a world where large repositories of and attend religious services than are scientists in the natural knowledge are at one's fingertips. But while the sciences, according to a survey by a Rice University sociologist Internet has made dissemination of such informa- of 1,646 faculty members at elite research universities. tion possible, the availability of high-quality storage has lagged behind. Now, the Texas Digital LibraryTm (TDL) will help change that. "Based on previous research, social science disciplines ofsoci- Organizers of TDL plan to assemble and provide we thought that social scientists ology, psychology, political sci- would be less likely to the combined technological advances and cultural practice ence, and economics, she found religion than natural scientists "distinct frameworks" for the and creative resources of Rice University, the Texas are, but our data showed just ways in which individuals view A&M University System, the University of Houston the opposite," says Elaine How- religion and spirituality as well System,the Texas Tech University System, and the ard Ecklund, a postdoctoral as how they make ethical deci- University of Texas System. The result will be a fellow in Rice's Department of sions related to their research. cost-effective venue for the assembly and delivery Sociology. She presented the Nearly 38 percent of natural preliminary results of her study scientists surveyed said they did of information that will benefit a variety of commu- at last fall's annual meeting of not believe in God, but only 31 nities, including K-12 students and their parents, the Association for percent of the so- university researchers, and the corporations doing the Sociology of cial scientists gave business within the state and interacting with its Religion. that response. institutions of higher education. The initiative will "Science often is Among each of perceived as incom- the two general be headquartered at the UT—Austin libraries, and patible with religion groups, one dis- a website will be launched in association with the and spirituality, but cipline stood out: project. few have asked how Forty-one percent "This is a major initiative that should contribute scientists them- of the biologists significantly to the public good and all areas of edu- selves think about and 27 percent of cation in the state of Texas," says Charles Henry, religion," Ecklund the political sci- notes. "So I wanted entists said they vice provost and university librarian at Rice. "The to examine how don't believe in Texas Digital Library will help focus our efforts to academic scientists Elaine Howard Ecklund God. make more widely available the wonderful resources in the natural and social sciences "Now we must examine the that we have and to provide leadership and energy understand the relationship of nature ofthese differences," Eck- to the increasingly complex—and vital—digital religion and spirituality and look lund says. "Many scientists see at topics ranging from environment." develop- themselves as having a spirituality ing a research agenda to ethi- not attached to a particular reli- The TDL, notes Geneva Henry, is a logical exten- cal decisions involving human gious tradition. Some scientists sion of Rice's multifaceted Digital Library Initiative, of subjects and interactions with who don't believe in God see which she is executive director. "The many projects students." themselves as very spiritual peo- that are part of Rice's Digital Library Initiative have The study, funded by a ple. They have a way outside of a common goal to share as widely as possible the $283,000 grant from the Tem- themselves that they use to un- pleton Foundation, was based derstand the meaning oflife." research," knowledge that comes from teaching and on a brief survey conducted on- Ecklund and colleagues are she says. "This includes papers published by Rice line or over the phone. Ofthe in the process of conducting faculty, musical performances by Shepherd School 2,148 initial requests, Ecklund longer interviews with some of faculty and students, knowledge published in the received 1,646 responses—a the participants to explore issues Connexions commons, material in the Travelers rate of 75 percent, which, she in more depth. They will be says, is quite high for social sci- asked about deeper in the Middle East Archive, Ancient Rome digital topics, such ence research. The 36 questions as the meaning of life, their un- assets, the Advanced Placement Digital Library, on the survey examined a vari- derstanding of the importance and many other resources developed at Rice and ety of topics, including religious of religious beliefs in their lives, by our collaborating partners around the world. The beliefs, participation in religious and the perception of conflict TDL will bring further visibility to this community of services, spiritual practices, and between religion and science. scholars,furthering the dissemination of knowledge the intersection of spiritual be- The in-depth interviews should liefs and research ethics. be completed within a year, and and the growth of new ideas."• When Ecklund compared then Ecklund plans to analyze —B. J. Almond faculty in the natural science the results and summarize her disciplines of physics, chemistry, findings in a book as well as in and biology with those in the several journal articles.•

8 Rice Sallyport THROUGH THE SALLYPORT

http://shellcenter.rice.edu

"The very concept of sustainability—the idea that mankind can find a way to sustain its environment, society, and economy for future generations— implies that decisions within those three realms are inextricably tied."

—Christian Holmes

Americans Support Wildlife Preservation environmental preservation. Residents want development to and Energy Exploration occur, with consideration given to the interests of wildlife and New research about Americans attitudes toward energy exploration and the environment. environmental protection on public lands near Yellowstone National Park National and local attitudes finds support for both, with a national survey indicating that most prefer are similar regarding residen- natural gas production not come at the expense of wildlife preservation. tial development versus wildlife preservation. However, when asked about energy develop- Today, southwestern Wyoming ered more than 50 years ago, ment, national respondents is the most active region in the the fields lay fallow until 1995, were more committed to pre- country for natural gas explora- when new technology made it serving wildlife, even at a cost to energy development. Although tion. Energy companies plan to feasible for energy companies to bureau this year acre Jonah, the the vast majority of the national drill more than 3,000 new wells drill profitably. -year plan that proposed a 50 respondents did not live in there during the next 50 years. "From a sustainability stand- would allow more than 3,000 Wyoming and may never have The findings are detailed in point, Pinedale offers tremen- wells. visited the state, they preferred a new Rice University report dous opportunity for studying The gas fields sit astride the that wildlife be preserved rather that is based on both national the balance between develop- longest big-game migratory than be negatively affected by and local surveys. The local ment and conservation," Ep- route in North America, a 500- energy development. polls were conducted in Sub- stein says. "We hope our report mile corridor used by prong- "The very concept ofsus- lette County, Wyoming, an will be useful to decision-makers horn antelope and mule deer tainability—the idea that man- area about 100 miles south in industry, government, and to move between summer pas- kind can find a way to sustain of where energy the conservation community." Yellowstone tures around Yellowstone and its environment, society, and report also may be companies are rapidly develop- The Grand Teton National Parks economy for future genera- other researchers ing more than 250,000 acres of valuable to and winter ranges in southern tions—implies that decisions development case natural gas fields. The research conducting Wyoming. within those three realms are in- States and was conducted by students in studies in the United Environmental concerns cen- extricably tied," explains Chris- Rice's Jesse H. Jones Graduate abroad, he says. "This study ter not only on the effects of the tian Holmes, executive director School of Management under helps establish a baseline for drilling but also on the associ- of the Shell Center. "Decisions the supervision of Marc Epstein, consideration of critical issues ated residential development. about the environment or about distinguished research profes- like wildlife inventories and One recent study projected resource development don't oc- sor of management, and Sally residential development," he that Sublette County's current cur in a vacuum, and ultimately, Widener, assistant professor of notes. "If the academic com- population of6,000 will grow every community is faced with management. Project funding munity can establish a common by 29 percent during the next finding a proper balance among came from Rice's Shell Center set of criteria for comparing case 10 years. Residents of Sublette the three." for Sustainability and from Shell studies, we can begin looking County say they do want resi- The report is available at Exploration and Production for a set of strategies that will dential and gas development to http://shellcenter.rice.edu.• Company. benefit communities all over the continue, but in a responsible Sublette County is home world." manner, since these currently —Jade Boyd to two of the nation's largest In 2000, the Bureau of Land are equally perceived as two of natural gas fields: the sprawling Management issued a 20-year the major threats to the envi- Pinedale Anticline, located just plan to allow more than 900 ronment. The majority of local west of the town of Pinedale, wells on the 200,000-acre an- respondents also favor a bal- and the smaller Jonah. Discov- ticline. In the adjacent 60,000- ance between development and

Winter '06 9 THROUGH THE SALLYPORT

Strong Mayors Now the Critical Massive, Clean, Component in Fixing Urban Schools Who can break the gridlock over urban school reform? Strong mayors, Low-Cost Energy. say Rice researchers. Rice Almost Has It Wired. Despite the increased attention given ban Education Project and from their to education reform over the past two content analysis of the media coverage decades, little agreement exists on of educational reform activities within ways to improve failing urban school those same cities at the time of the systems. According to a new study at project's study, the researchers found Rice, strong city mayors, not super- areas in which stakeholders agreed and intendents, might be the key to de- disagreed. For example, they identi- veloping consensus and cooperation fied six cities where three-quarters of among schools' principal stakeholders. the stakeholders agreed about the key "Studies suggest that the role of su- groups involved in education reform, perintendent has waned, and mayoral involvement in school policy has been on the rise," says Melissa Marschall, "Mayors may now be an associate professor of political sci- ence at Rice. "Mayors may now be one of the critical one of the critical components needed to move cities from conflict to con- Graduate student Myung Jong Kim, of the Department of Physics components needed sensus regarding education and Astronomy, in front of his nanotube growing chamber. policy." Marschall believes superintendents to move cities from are less likely to sustain support and On April 27, 2004, the late Nobel laureate Rick cooperation around education policy conflict to consensus Smalley testified to the U.S. Senate Committee reforms, in part because there's too on Energy and Natural Resources about energy much turnover in their position. At regarding education needs forthe 21st century. Single-walled carbon the same time, a growing number of policy." nanotubes, forming what Smalley called the the country's largest urban school districts have shifted from elected to —Melissa Marschall "armchair quantum wire," will be crucial for mayoral-appointed school boards. transmitting hundreds of gigawatts of electrical "Mayors are cited more often as power over continental distances. more influential regarding their cities' education policies because they tend but in the remaining cities, they found confusion over who should be respon- Now meet Myung Jong Kim, a Rice graduate to have more citywide leadership and better ties to the business community, sible for improving their schools. In at student and member of the team that is charged unions, and other groups concerned least three cities—Baltimore, Boston, with creating armchair quantum wires. One day with their public schools," Marschall and Washington, D.C.—more than he hopes to see such wires transporting massive says. "They also may be better able two-thirds of the stakeholders indicat- amounts of power from sustainable sources like to facilitate agreement among differ- ed they believed the mayor had critical responsibility for education reform. solar energy and wind. ent stakeholders than someone like the superintendent, who is only in the Less than half of the respondents in education arena." seven other cities identified the mayor Myung's work is sustained by an influx of award In "Keeping Policy Churn Off the as an important stakeholder. money from the Dr. Ted Zabel Memorial Fund, Agenda: Urban Education and Civic The study also showed that none created by Dr. Zabel's wife, Jane Jones. She Capacity," published in The Policy of the 11 cities had more than 70 wished to honor her husband's life and StudiesJournal, Marschall and Rice percent agreement among their stake- work, and holders as to what education solutions because he earned three physics degrees from doctoral student Paru Shah examine the conditions under were most appropriate, leaving the re- Rice, this award which urban was the perfect fit. Graduate school systems are likely to have clear, searchers to conclude that cities were awards such as this wield enormous power in sustained reforms. Given the seeming- better at identifying the problems but departments all across Rice. ly insurmountable differences among less clear as to how to solve them. stakeholders, the researchers were "Our findings show that agreement particularly interested in how gov- was relatively high regarding who For more information or to give to the Rice Annual Fund, erning coalitions around education the key stakeholders are and why the visit http://giving.rice.edu/annual. reform develop—how much the edu- educational system needs reforming," cation stakeholders agree as to who Marshall says. "However, when it came Annual Gifts Office-MS 81 the key decision makers are and what to how reform should occur, we saw a P.O. Box 1892 problems and solutions are involved considerable degree ofconflict.". Houston, TX 77251-1892 in reforming their school systems. Phone: 713-348-4991 • Fax: 713-348-5166 From data compiled in 11 U.S. Email: [email protected] cities by the Civic Capacity and Ur-

10 Rice Sallyport THROUGH THE SALLYPORT

"The politics of this are straightforward. Voters very Quickly do what political scientists call attribution. That is, they ask, who is responsible for this?" —Bob Stein "Katrina brought alive in all of us a new awareness of the grinding realities of third-world poverty in our midst." —Steven Klineberg

Hurricane Katrina Leaves beyond serving as Houston's mayor may be lution, and public education, Klineberg add- Impact on Houston bolstered. Texas Governor Rick Perry and ed. Houstonians' response also could help President George W. Bush, however, were change the city's reputation as a community not perceived as favorably. The perception of with little civic engagement. In a survey of Hurricane Katrina devastated and Bush,and the federal government in general, 40 U.S. communities, respondents said that other Gulf Coast communities, but the storm could lead to a debate about the national re- Houston embodies the issues that make civic likely will have long-term effectsfor Houston as sponse to natural disasters. engagement difficult—a vast metropolitan well,saidpanelistswhospoke atthe discussion The hurricane also could have an effect area, urban sprawl, long commutes, growing "Hurricane Katrina and Houston: Implications on how politicians in Houston and else- inequality, and an influx ofimmigrants. "But where deal with the long-neglected issue of what we witnessed after Hurricane Katrina for Our Future." Ironically, the event was held as Hurricane Rita was thought to be heading to Galveston. "In a major metropolitan area with millions of people, we never will have The hurricanes will force the city to re- consider its own emergency-response and emergency response mechanisms big enough to be a substitute for people evacuation plans. Further, there could be helping people." —Mayor Bill White long-lasting political, economic, and de- mographic ramifications for the city, which has become home for thousands of Katrina evacuees. The storm also may have altered poverty, noted sociology professor Stephen was an extraordinary outpouring of social the city's reputation and the ways in which Klineberg. "Katrina brought alive in all of us capital," Klineberg said. "This raises a dis- Houstonians deal with their own issues. a new awareness of the grinding realities of connect between the survey results and how "The politics of this are straightforward," third-world poverty in our midst." the community actually responded." said Bob Stein, dean of Rice's School of So- During the last 20 years, Klineberg said, Very possibly, Klineberg continued, Hous- cial Sciences. "Voters very quickly do what there has been a shift ofresources out of ton will see a demographic shift as a result of political scientists call attribution. That is, the hands of the poor and middle class and the hurricane. Previous domestic migrations they ask, who is responsible for this?" into the hands of the rich as equalizing poli- brought mainly Anglos to Houston, but the The big winner in the hurricane aftermath cies—like progressive income tax, a mini- domestic migrants from Katrina have been was Houston mayor Bill White, Stein said. mum wage that keeps up with inflation, and largely African American. Houston and Harris County residents polled the earned income tax credit—have eroded. Katrina also taught city leaders an impor- after evacuees arrived here said they felt The hurricane's aftermath could bring about tant lesson about how to respond to natural White did the best job of handling the crisis. a reversal of that trend and bring some relief disasters. While there must be a thorough This is in stark contrast to the response fol- for those living in poverty. But Klineberg evacuation and response plan, White said lowing Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 to warned that, in Houston,leaders should be there also must be room for improvisation. then-mayor Lee Brown. He was perceived as careful that they don't focus too much on Perhaps the most important lesson learned, a bad manager, and in an election just a few the poor from New Orleans and elsewhere White said, was that "in a major metropoli- months later, he lost many votes. while ignoring Houstonians. tan area with millions of people, we never The positive response to White's leadership The compassion that Houstonians will have emergency response mechanisms was reflected in the November 8 election, showed to Katrina evacuees should be big enough to be a substitute for people where he won an unprecedented 91 percent harnessed to address the critical problems helping people."• of the vote, and, Stein said, his political career central to the city's future, like poverty, pol- —Dana Benson

Winter '06 11 THROUGH THE SALLYPORT

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As a leading research university with a distinctive commitmentto undergraduate education, Rice A VISE University aspires to pathbreaking research, Emerging from the unsurpassed teaching,and contributions to the Call to Conversation betterment ofour world. It seeks to fulfill this During the Call to Conversation process that began late last spring, I had the opportunity mission by cultivating a diverse community to speak with thousands of people in all oflearning and discovery that produces lead- segments of the Rice community—fac- ulty, students, staff, alumni, parents, and ers across the spectrum of human endeavor. supporters—as well as other people in Houston and beyond who have an interest in the future of Rice. We discussed the e must take the following steps in furtherance of this mission: fundamental issues and important ques- tions that face Rice as it moves toward We must visibly and substantially increase our commitment to its centennial in 2012. The comments our research mission and raise our research and scholarship and ideas that came in during the feed- profile. back period have significantly informed We especially must focus on departments and disciplines in strategically selected areas where we have an opportunity our thinking and planning, and we extend to achieve nationally and internationally recognized levels of our thanks to the many participants in the distinction and achievement. Success in this endeavor will process and to the Rice Board of Trustees, require significant investments in and improvements to our who endorsed the resulting vision at its research support, physical facilities, and information technol- ogy infrastructure. December 15 meeting. A more complete exposition of the ini- tial outcomes of the Call to Conversation We must provide a holistic undergraduate experience that equips can be found at www.nce.edu/c2c. And, of our students with the knowledge,the skills, and the valuesto make a course, we will be in continuing communi- distinctive impact in the world. cation as we build and execute a strategy This requires that we reexamine the undergraduate curricu- lum as well as focus on enhanced research opportunities, to fulfill the vision. Here, I am excited to training in communication skills, and leadership development present the following brief overview of for our students. Rice's goals and priorities for the decade to come It starts with a new one-paragraph mission statement for our university and We must strengthen our graduate and postdoctoral programs to attract and recruit high-caliber students and young researchers. follows with 10 major steps we must take Greater attention must be paid to competitive financial to carry out that mission I look forward to support, appropriate teaching opportunities, and attractive your help in this important effort. campus amenities that will contribute to a stronger sense of community among our —David W. Leebron graduate students and postdoctoral President, Rice University fellows. Our doctoral programs are central to our ambition as a research university, and we must achieve greater recogni- tion of the quality of our doctoral students and the success they attain.

12 Rice Sallyport THROUGH THE SALLYPORT

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We must aggressively foster collaborative relationships with other We must become an international university with a more significant institutions to leverage our resources. orientation toward Asia and Latin America than now character- izes our commitments. This is particularly important in light of our comparatively small size. Our geographic location offers excellent op- The great universities of the 21st century inevitably will be portunities, and we are especially well situated to develop global universities, and although we are comparatively small, substantial strategic relationships with the other members that ought not be seen as an obstacle to our global reach. We of the Texas Medical Center. We also can expand our teach- should begin by increasing the number of international stu- ing and research achievements in the arts in part through dents in our undergraduate student body; develop research, effective partnerships with the cultural institutions of the student exchange, and other relationships with distinguished Museum District. universities and policy institutes around the world; and foster the international learning (both here at Rice and around the world) of our faculty, staff, and students. We must invest in a select number of interdisciplinary endeavors that will enable us to leverage our own strengths as well as the strengths of potential collaborators. We must provide the spaces and facilities that will cultivate greater dynamism and vibrancy on the campus and foster our These interdisciplinary endeavors should include some efforts sense of community. to which we already have made substantial commitments and new areas that will emerge as we develop our strategic To achieve this, we must provide more attractive campuswide research vision for the future. amenities, including a new recreational facility, a reconfigura- tion of the Rice Memorial Center to house a more substantial dining facility, and enhancement of outdoor spaces with a We must continue to invest in our professional schools in archi- special focus on the Central Quadrangle—the area bounded tecture, management, and music, as well as the Baker Institute by Fondren Library, the Rice Memorial Center, and Herring for Public Policy and seek ways to integrate their successes into Hall. We should make a greater commitment to incorporate the broader university. art into the campus landscape and interior public spaces. We also must seize opportunities for bold new endeavors when they arise, but we should not fund new schools out We must engage fully with the city of Houston—learning from it of the general resources of the university. and contributing to it—as a successful partnership with our home city is an essential part of our future. We must grow the size of the university to more fully realize our We should do so by continuing to integrate Houston into ambition as an institution of national and international distinction the educational experience of our students, by emphasiz- that attracts the very best students and researchers from around ing selective areas of research especially important to the the globe. city (notably energy and urban studies), by making tangible contributions to improve our city (particularly K-12 education Growth will enable us to develop a more dynamic and diverse and environmental quality), and by continuing to provide in- campus environment, increase our faculty in strategic areas, novative educational and cultural resources to the broader improve our services, enhance the employment opportunities Houston population. for our students, more effectively use our infrastructure, and build a more vibrant national and international alumni base. This growth must be carefully planned and occur in ways that preserve the distinctive features of our culture and campus, "Rice is in a state of transition. It is in a transition from provide an undergraduate educational experience character- good to better. Facing extraordinary opportunity, the ized by meaningful direct interactions with faculty and par- institution is about to become braver,stronger, sounder, ticipation in residential life in the colleges, and maintain and more beautiful." enhance the extraordinary quality and diversity of our student at his final commencement in 1946 body. Our undergraduate student body should become more —Edgar Odell Lovett national and international, reflecting our status as a premier research university. In light of these considerations, Rice's undergraduate enrollment should be expanded to approxi- mately 3,800 students within the next decade.

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Winter '06 13 STUDENTS

Two Rice graduate students neering, optics, and chemistry The prestigious awards are avail- engineering knee meniscus tis- enrolled in the Medical enables him to insightfully syn- able only to students studying sue. With the Hertz Fellowship, Scientist Training Program thesize advances from numerous engineering or applied sciences, I have more flexibility to move fields in his own work, and his with a strong emphasis on the between grants and follow have received preeminent the medical training allows him to physical sciences. interesting scientific questions, awards that will allow them to readily identify applications with A student in the laboratory of wherever they lead." focus on their groundbreaking particular clinical relevance." Kyriacos Athanasiou, the Karl F. The extra freedom is particu- research. Chang earned his bachelor's Hasselmann Professor of Bio- larly valuable at this stage in her degree in 2001 from Duke engineering and director of the studies, because Hoben still is Emmanuel Chang received University, where he majored Musculoskeletal Bioengineering trying to decide what type of a National Defense Science in biomedical engineering and Laboratory, Hoben hopes to residency she'll pursue. She is and Engineering Graduate electrical engineering with a complete the medical scientist considering three surgical spe- (NDSEG)Fellowship from the minor in chemistry. program around 2009. She cialties—reconstructive, cardio- United States Department of "One of the greatest privileges completed her first two years thoracic, and trauma. Once she Defense, and Gwen Hoben was of being on the faculty at Rice of medical school at Baylor last finishes her PhD studies, she'll named a 2005 Hertz Fellow is the opportunity to work with year and began working on her still have 18 months of electives by the Fannie and John Hertz students of Emmanuel's caliber," PhD in bioengineering at Rice and clinical rotations to com- Foundation. Drezek notes."He is an abso- last fall. plete at Baylor before she can Chang is a student in the lutely outstanding scientist." "I have known Gwen for start her five- to sfx-year resi- laboratory of Rebekah Drezek, NDSEG fellowships are six years, ever since she was a dency. Regardless of her choice the Stanley C. Moore Assistant among the nation's most pres- sophomore," says Athanasiou, of residency, she knows that Professor in Bioengineering and tigious and competitive, with whose lab conducts basic re- winning the Hertz will pay divi- professor in electrical and com- only 4 percent of biosciences search on the healing processes dends for many years, even after puter engineering, and he also applicants receiving awards. The of cartilage and applied research the fellowship expires. works in collaboration with Jen- fellowship covers tuition and into methods of growing tis- The Hertz Fellowship covers nifer West, the Isabel C. Camer- fees for up to three years. It also sues. "Through this time, she tuition and fees, and it can be on Professor of Bioengineering includes a $30,500 stipend that has demonstrated consistency, renewed for up to five years. It and professor in chemical and increases annually. purpose, and outstanding per- also includes a $28,000 stipend biomolecular engineering. His Hoben, meanwhile, is part of formance." for the year. work at Rice focuses on devel- an elite group of 15 graduate Hoben, who received a bach- The Medical Scientist Train- opment of biomedical imaging students to be awarded a Hertz elor's degree in chemistry from ing Program, an elite program applications of quantum dots, Fellowship. They are among Rice in 2001,says the Hertz offered by Baylor College of with a particular emphasis on the nation's most prestigious Fellowship offers her more op- Medicine and Rice, allows stu- early cancer detection. and competitive fellowships, tions to pursue the research that dents to undertake PhD studies "Emmanuel is an incredibly with awards given to fewer than appeals to her. "It gives me a lit- from Rice at the same time that creative, intelligent, and mo- 3 percent of those who apply. tle bit more freedom," she says. they are earning a medical de- tivated student," Drezek says. Rice is one of only 43 research "When I first started six months gree from Baylor.• "His highly multidisciplinary universities whose students are ago, I was associated with a —Jade Boyd background in biomedical engi- eligible for Hertz fellowships. specific grant that focused on

14 Rice Sallyport STUDENTS

"My parents are immigrants from Pakistan, and I've been active in the Muslim communi These are the sorts of things that have shaped my int -Nom ain Khan

Rice Senior Receives Rhodes Scholarship lic Policy, where she chairs the Baker Institute Student Forum. An active campus leader, Khan has interned at Shirkat Gah (a More than 900 American students applied for the Rhodes Pakistani nongovernmental organization dealing with women's Scholarships—the oldest of the international study awards rights), the U.S. Senate, the Middle East Institute, Amnesty Inter- national, and the Baker Institute Energy Forum. Girl Scouts of the available to U.S.students—which provide for two orthree years of USA recognized her as one of the nation's top 10 Girl Scouts for 32 were selected, study atthe University of Oxford in England. Only her work in Muslim community organizing. and one of them is Rice senior Noorain Khan. A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Khan sent her Rhodes Scholar application to the regional office for her home state after Khan will enter Oxford in October to pursue a master of philosophy receiving an institutional endorsement from Rice. After the Rhodes degree in migration studies in the university's Department of Social Scholar committee selected Khan as a finalist, she traveled to Min- and Cultural Anthropology. nesota, which is in the same region as Michigan, to be interviewed This degree will be an extension of Khan's studies at Rice, where with 14 other finalists during a group reception and then in a 20- she is majoring in political science, women and gender studies, minute individual session. The interview questions covered such and religious studies. She is writing her se- topics as common experiences that all immi- nior thesis on issues relating to the veiling grants have, feminist research methods, a dis- of young Muslim women in Houston. As a cussion of the multicultural nature of American Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow, she is society, and whether intelligent design should researching Pakistani American immigrants' be taught in schools. Following her solo inter- attitudes toward veiling before and after they view, Khan had to wait in a room with the oth- moved to Houston from Karachi, Pakistan. er finalists for about five hours while the judges The Rhodes Scholarship will enable Khan to made their final decision. study immigrants' attitudes toward veiling "We played Trivial Pursuit and relaxed before and after they moved to London from together," Khan recalls, noting that the final- Karachi and then compare the results from ists were highly motivated people with similar Houston and London. Noorain Khan, right, with Elora Shehabuddin. interests. Khan and one other finalist from her "My parents are immigrants from Pakistan, region were selected for the scholarship. and I've been active in the Muslim community," Khan explains. Khan, a resident of Martel College, expresses gratitude for the "These are the sorts of things that have shaped my interests." support she has received from the Rice community. "I have many Her years at Rice also impacted her significantly. "The really small mentors all over campus and a lot of supporters, particularly at the classes gave me opportunities to develop close relationships with Baker Institute. I really appreciate my association with them during professors like David Cook [assistant professor of religious studies] the past four years." and Elora Shehabuddin [assistant professor of humanities and po- The 32 American students chosen for 2006 will join an inter- litical science] and pursue independent studies that I wouldn't have national group of Rhodes Scholars chosen from 13 other nations. had at other places," she says. Approximately 85 scholars are selected worldwide each year. Rice also enabled Khan to indulge in activities that she had little —B. J. Almond and Margot Dimond experience with prior to college, such as writing for the Thresher and getting involved with the James A. Baker III Institute for Pub-

Winter '06 15 16 Rice Salk/Ng Alberto Gonzales with U.S.Supreme Court chief justice John Roberts Open to Interpretation

An Interview with Attorney General Alberto Gonzales

Conducted July 2005

By Mitch Kaplan The story goes like this. The migrant worker's son grows up in a small Houston house with seven siblings. A diligent student,he becomes the family's first col- lege graduate and attends the country's top law school. He comes home, makes partner in a prestigious law firm,and be- friended by the governor, is appointed governor's counsel. Within a short time, he becomes Texas secretary ofstate and then a TexasSupreme Courtjudge. When the governor moves to the White House, he appoints his loyal advisor as presiden- tial counsel and,later, the country's first Hispanic attorney general. 1

"Rice seemed so full of opportunity. I was only a small boy, but it was something that I knew I wanted to be a part of."

—Alberto Gonzales

Depending on who's interpreting it, Alberto July, I found him to be a quiet, serious man going to college." Gonzales's story encompasses any number who, at the same time, is personable, cor- In a student body primarily composed, of themes. Some see the vital ethnic role dial, and warm, with an understated sense of in Gonzales's words, of"blue-collar kids, model—the Hispanic who has risen the humor. Reserved? Certainly. Intense? Un- where only the top few kids went to school," highest in the U.S. government. Some see doubtedly. And firmly focused on his job. the focus was on "what kind ofjob we were a loyal, sincere force behind a governor- He's long been that way, recalls political going to have when we graduated from high turned-president. Others see a zealous science professor Gilbert Cuthbertson."He school." subordinate who has put loyalty ahead of wasn't just a good student, he was a superb His answer? The U.S. Air Force. responsibility and whose legal positions student—one of best that I have taught A good friend's father had been a career have drawn criticism from across the po- in 40 years at Rice," Doc C says. "He was air force man, Gonzales explains. "He kept litical spectrum. outstanding not only because of his depth encouraging us to look at going into the air Not in dispute is the fact that a beginning ofintellectual ability, but also because of his force. We thought that would be an oppor- to Gonzales's story can be found at Rice diligence, organization, and ability to ex- tunity to learn something and maybe to see Stadium, where, as a 12-year-old, he hawked press himself effectively in both exam and part of the world. I'd never been out of Tex- soda at Owls football games. "The Rice written work." as. I'd never been on an airplane before." campus and the beautiful neighborhoods When Doc C taught constitutional law In his address at Rice's 2004 commence- that surround it really seemed like a different to the young Gonzales, the future attorney ment, Gonzales said that he would have ap- world from the neighborhood where I grew general made more than a lasting impres- plied to Rice right out of high school—had up," Gonzales says. "Rice seemed so full of sion. "Alberto was one of these students he known it was possible. But life's path is opportunity. I was only a small boy, but it who really was a student," recalls Cuthb- not always clear-cut. Instead, after working was something that I knew I wanted to be a ertson, who also was Gonzales's academic two years in a remote Alaskan military base part of." In 1979, Gonzales completed that advisor. "He spent a tremendous amount and with the support of his commanding dream, graduating from Rice with a BA in of time in his research and did things in officers, Gonzales earned an appointment political science. that respect that many students don't do. I to the Air Force Academy. There, he made Gonzales's subsequent rise through the sometimes use the analogy of'Coronado's the dean's list each semester and was elected legal and political ranks has not always been children'—newly arrived individuals in freshman class council president. smooth. Amid even the most turbulent po- search of new opportunities and better lives Gaining acceptance into a military acad- litical storms, though, he has maintained a in Texas. That's the thing that was so ap- emy isn't easy. Deciding to leave is even calm, intent, reserved demeanor. pealing about Judge Gonzales—he not only harder. "It wasn't the fact that the academy "What you get is what you see—someone was bright, but eager. You just don't have had shortcomings," Gonzales relates. "I who is serious, intellectual, cautious, and tries that many students who realize what an op- had a wonderful experience at the acad- to do the right thing," explains Sofia Ad- portunity getting an education is." emy. Quite franldy, I'd been in the service rogue '88, of the Houston law firm Epstein Higher education wasn't easily attainable when I left for almost four years. I'd been Becker Green Wicldiff& Hall, who nominat- for Gonzales, however. away from home. I was ready to go back. I ed Gonzales for Rice's Distinguished Alumni "When I graduated from high school, thought that pursuing a career in law made Award, which he won in 2002. I didn't apply to college," he says. "Even more sense. And I took a shot at applying to Indeed, meeting Attorney General Gon- though I was an honor student in high Rice University." zales in his Department of Justice offices last school, well, there wasn't much talk about Gonzales's interest in the legal profession

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18 Rice Sallyport Alberto Gonzales in a cabinet meeting with President Bush and other top administration officials.

increased when he took Hank Hudspeth's the best possible solution for your client, relating to the death penalty. "Part of my introductory business law class, and it grew yet ending up with a transaction that makes job as counsel was to advise the governor, stronger under Doc C. After graduation, he sense for all parties. He instilled a confi- along with my team in the counsel's office, headed east for Harvard Law School. "It dence in the clients that he would reach a on issues relating to clemency—not issues was a great school," he recalls. "But I knew good result for them. At the same time, he relating to guilt or innocence, but whether that I was going to come back to Texas." has extremely high integrity and is very easy or not this person was an appropriate candi- That he did, to the Houston office of to work with because you know he will be date for clemency. Those were memorable." Vinson & Elkins, where the intellectual good to his word." The author of an article in the July/Au- challenge of business law enticed the seri- Was Dilg surprised when Gonzales moved gust 2003 Atlantic Monthly found those cases ous-minded attorney. "You get to work on from corporate practice into the public are- memorable for other reasons, stating that some very complicated cases and issues," he na? "In a way, I was somewhat surprised in Gonzales gave insufficient counsel, failed to notes. "You're not persuading a jury of un- that leaving the partnership in the firm was take into consideration an array offactors, informed—and sometimes uneducated—ju- a financial sacrifice," Dilg recounts."On the and instead actively worked against clemency rors. You're negotiating very complicated other hand, I knew Al had a great desire to in a number of borderline cases. That criti- issues with people who are just as educated give back to society through public service. cism—that he,in effect, gave his boss the as you are. I enjoyed that. My wife likes to When he found the right opportunity, the legal justification he wanted—would be levied

"In Texas,judges are elected, and there are consequences to the decisions you make." —Alberto Gonzales tell me that she thinks I have a talent for fact that he pursued it wasn't surprising." against Gonzales later on a much larger scale. dealing with people and negotiating compli- "I always have believed that, as a lawyer, Reflecting on his challenges as a Texas cated issues." you have an obligation to give back to your Supreme Court judge, Gonzales observes, Those abilities saw Gonzales rise to part- community," Gonzales says. "Working in "In Texas,judges are elected, and there are ner. "I think one of the factors contributing public service makes you a better lawyer consequences to the decisions you make, to his success was his ability to work with because you always have an opportunity to particularly when you have to stand for elec- multiple parties to reach a common goal," work on really complicated, very important tion in a partisan race. I hope those circum- remembers Vinson & Elkins managing part- issues that, as a young associate, you often stances didn't affect any of my decisions. I ner Joe Dilg, whom Gonzales reported to don't get. I think that it makes you a better don't think that they did. But it requires, I when Dilg headed one of the firm's business person. It expands your horizons. You learn think, special discipline and special courage transaction practice groups. "In a business more about the needs and the problems that in making decisions about what you think is transaction, while an attorney is represent- exist in our society, and it gets you to think- best and in applying the law. That may have ing a particular client, all the parties want ing about what can be done to address those been the hardest thing for me—operating in to get to the same place—a satisfactory issues." that kind of an environment." business transaction. It's a matter of work- It also exposes a person to public scrutiny. His court incumbency elicited the ire of ing through, in negotiations, the various As governor's counsel, for example, Gon- abortion opponents when Gonzales joined points that arise between the parties to find zales says the most notable issues were those a majority ruling that allowed teenage girls

Winter '06 19 Alberto Gonzales is sworn in as U.S. attorney general by then U.S. Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O'Connor. With him are President Bush, Gonzales's mother, Maria, and one of his three sons.

to obtain a legal abortion without parental and against providing Article III protection. published the day after it was circulated to notification. In reversing a lower court deci- In the end, Gonzales concluded that Article the cabinet secretaries. So for two—almost sion, Gonzales wrote, "Legislative intent is III was outdated and not suited for dealing three—years, this memo was out there. the polestar ofstatutory construction. Our with such fighters. People knew about it. No one said a thing. role as judges requires that we put aside our The draft memo's most frequently quoted And then, in connection with the confirma- own personal views of what we might like to section said that the value ofintelligence tion proceedings, it suddenly becomes a big see enacted and, instead, do our best to dis- that could be obtained during interrogation issue. And I'm asked whether or not I stand cern what the legislature actually intended." "renders obsolete [the] strict limitations on by the memo? His court colleague, Priscilla Owen,dissent- questioning ofenemy prisoners and renders "Well, the memo changed. That wasn't ed on that case. Later, when she was nomi- quaint some of its provisions requiring . . . the memo that went to the president. But I nated for a federal judgeship, her opinion such things as commissary privileges. . .ath- do stand by the advice that I gave the presi- became a sticking point that long delayed letic uniforms and scientific instruments." dent. If people don't abide by the rules of the nomination. At the confirmation hearings for Gonza- the Geneva Convention, they should not "I wish that I'd been able to stay longer les's appointment to attorney general, that be afforded its protections. It's a perversion on the court," Gonzales says. "It would memo was cited as helping to create a cli- of the Geneva Convention if you provide have been an opportunity to develop as a mate leading to abuses at Iraq's Abu Ghraib its protections irrespective of a person's

"Everything you say or do is scrutinized, and if you make a mistake, everybody knows about it." —Alberto Gonzales

judge." prison. "How can the Senate possibly ap- conduct. What incentive do people have Asked to work again with George W. prove the nomination.. .when Mr. Gonza- to abide by the Geneva Convention? We Bush as presidential counsel, however, he les is the official in the Bush administration believe very strongly in the Geneva Con- answered the call. "It's a much larger scale," who, as White House counsel, advised the vention and what it stands for and in its he observes about working in Washington, president that torture was an acceptable principles and values. And even though D.C. "Everything you say or do is scruti- method of interrogation in Afghanistan, members of Al Qaeda are not covered by nized, and if you make a mistake, everybody Guantanamo, and Iraq?" asked Massachu- Geneva, according to the president—that knows about it. The stakes are higher. It's setts senator Edward Kennedy. was his determination—the president made very, very political. It's meaner here. It's "The memo that was published was a it clear that they were going to be treated tougher." draft," Gonzales states sharply when asked humanely, consistent with the principles of Public attention to Gonzales increased about the subject. "It was not the actual Geneva." due to a January 2002 draft memo that ex- document that went to the president. People For many, however, the memo was an ex- plored whether Article III of the Geneva lose sight of the fact that they're all focused ample of Gonzales putting his boss's desires Convention—which protects enemy pris- on a draft. The draft was circulated to cabi- ahead of the higher duty of a White House oners of war from torture—applied to Al net secretaries to get their comments,so counsel. "The most important role that a Qaeda and Taliban fighters captured in M- that we could add it to the document to lawyer has at this level in government is to ghanistan. The memo made arguments for present it to the president. It was leaked and say no when policy makers are determined to

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20 Rice Sallyport "When people in his community have reached out to him and sought his advice and leadership, he's been there."

—Sofia Adrogue

do something that crosses legal boundaries," does—certainly some I do agree with," says displays a sincere and unique dedication and says Tom Malialowski, Washington advocacy Lynne Liberato, an attorney at Haynes and commitment, not only to the welfare of his director for Human Rights Watch, which Boone in Houston. Liberato, a Democrat profession, but to our community. You can opposed Gonzales's attorney general nomi- who worked with Gonzales at the Texas read 'our' however you choose—Houston, nation—an unprecedented stance by that or- State Bar Association and endorsed his nom- Texas, Hispanic, and now nationally. I think ganization for such a high-level nomination. ination in a Houston Chronicle op-ed piece, he has an innate sense of service and com- "Even if it's the president, Gonzales's job is adds,"I just have a lot of respect for him, his munity and of giving back." to say,'No, Mr. President, you cannot.' He fundamental intelligence, and his desire to Alberto Gonzales's story indeed may en- would have served the president far better if do the right thing." courage many interpretations. That's not he had. The fundamental failing of Alberto Gonzales has earned the respect of such surprising. Its lead character is multifaceted Gonzales is that he did not say no when no supporters, they emphasize, through his and complex. Reserved, attentive, dedicated, was morally and legally required. commitment to his ethnic community and loyal, intelligent—all those attributes ap- "He was not, I think, the architect of any the greater public. ply. But perhaps most importantly, says Doc of these policies," Malinowslci continues. "When people in his community have C,"Gonzales is forceful, tough, in his way. "But there were many strong-minded peo- reached out to him and sought his advice He's very polite, but I don't think he would ple around him in the Justice Department, and leadership, he's been there," says Ad- give an inch on his beliefs and convictions the White House, and the vice president's rogue. She recalls asking Gonzales to ad- politically." office, who were pushing radical new inter- dress the graduating class at the Chinquapin When asked about unflattering attention pretations of what the U.S. was permitted to School for intellectually talented but eco- he receives from across the political sphere, do in the law—the view that the president nomically challenged children. "Before he Gonzales displays both the emphatic loyalty could theoretically authorize torture. Gon- went on to become counsel to President that has generated criticism and the grit that zales did not say no." Bush, he had committed to being the key- has engendered praise, saying: "The ques- A wide variety of critics of all political note speaker. He flew back from D.C.— tion is whether or not I'm doing a good job stripes have disagreed with Gonzales on oth- made it a real point. With the same humility, as attorney general. Is the president pleased er issues as well: his support for all facets of the same openness and enthusiasm, he spoke with my performance? That's all I really the Patriot Act, his backing of military tribu- to those 25 kids. He didn't have to do that. should worry about, or can worry about. nals for the Guantanamo Bay prisoners, and He could have easily said,'I'm now counsel "When you're in government, you're go- his absence of total opposition to abortion to President Bush. I can't." ing to do things that people aren't going and affirmative action. They also criticize his For Hispanic Americans, says Alan Varela, to like, and you're going to be criticized," personal loyalty to George W. Bush, which, president of the Hispanic National Bar As- Gonzales continues. "And if you don't like they say, skews his role as legal advisor to the sociation, Gonzales's example "makes all it, you shouldn't be in government. That's president. the difference in the world when we tell our just the way it is. No one likes to be criti- "He's not without controversy," says Ad- children that, in America, you can grow up cized—particularly when it might be unfair rogue. "But you can look at his opinions to be whatever it is that you set your goals or based on misinformation or disinforma- and think he's not conservative enough or to be—that you can achieve high office and tion. But that comes with the territory. It he's not liberal enough. That's a part of his the highest leadership positions." always has and always will."• beauty—he's in the middle." Concludes Adrogue,"I nominated him "I don't agree with him on everything he for recognition as a Rice alumnus because he

Winter '06 21

Assimilation's First Steps The South has become a magnetfor Hispanicimmigrants, but employers often hold the key to how well these new- comers blend into the communities where they settle.

By David D Medina • Photography by Meg ReiIley

Rice sociologist Katharine Donato was opinion survey information. "By analyz- working in Baton Rouge in the early 1990s ing these data," Donato explains,"we when she noticed that immigrants little attempt to understand the first stages of the experience of U.S. immigrants in new seen before in southern Louisiana were destinations and to lay the groundwork slowly moving into the region. Donato for constructing a comprehensive theory spent her weekends doing fieldwork and of immigrant assimilation for the 21st discovered that, indeed, Hispanics from century." Texas and Mexico were following a new Louisiana proved to be an excellent field of study for this purpose. For much of immigration pattern in search of jobs. the last century, the state did not attract significant numbers ofimmigrants; only in For Donato, this provided an opportunity the 1970s did it became one of the top 10 right in her own backyard to study the resettlement areas for refugees from Viet- early assimilation process of immigrants. nam and other southeast Asian countries. Traditionally, Mexicans migrated to Cali- Until the mid 1990s, however, there were fornia, Texas, and Midwestern states to few Mexicans who settled in Louisiana. work in the fields, but since 1990, they "That's why," Donato says, "Louisiana have moved to different parts of the coun- presents an excellent opportunity to study try in search of other livelihoods. "The the early incorporation of Spanish-speaking South has become a new magnet for im- immigrants before strong social networks migrants," Donato explains. In North develop and facilitate further migration." Carolina, for example, the Hispanic popu- Her research project focused on four lation grew by more than 400 percent in Louisiana communities situated along the the 1990s. Gulf of Mexico: Morgan City, Houma, "This trend," she says, "offers insights New Iberia, and Port Fourchon. All four into the ways in which immigrants adapt communities had similar demographic to their new communities." The purpose profiles in that most of them had seen a of her research, Donato says, is to study growth in the number of Mexican im- how assimilation works in its earliest point. migrants. The four communities all relied Few studies, if any, have examined this heavily on the oil industry for work. Dur- idea. "Most," she says, "begin sometime ing the 1980s, all the communities suf- after an immigrant population actually fered from the national recession and lost emerges in a destination." many workers who decided to move to Little is known, therefore, about immi- other places in search of stable jobs or to grants' first job experiences and how em- attend college. ployers help or hinder the assimilation pro- After the economy picked up in the cess. Among other factors, Donato wanted early 1990s, almost all the state's employ- to learn what role existing communities ers needed skilled and semi-skilled work- play in furthering the immigrants' assimila- ers such as roustabouts, welders, riggers, tion and whether speaking English aided in fitters, machinists, carpenters, sandblast- adapting to a new community. ers, painters, and crane operators. "There With her team of researchers, which was a huge demand for all of this," Do- included Melissa Stainback of Rice Uni- nato says, "just when the local labor force versity and Carl L. Bankston III of Tulane was gone." University, Donato set out to interview The communities could not satisfy the employers, community leaders, and im- labor demand, so when visas became avail- migrants and to gather and study public able to lure immigrants, employers jumped

Winter '06 23 For many of these Mexican immigrants, assimilating into an American community took different paths, depending on a variety of factors, such as the characteristics of the immigrant group and the conditions of the community that accepted them.

at the chance to hire them. Donato says she thought employers must tackle their foreign community alone and often have more would only hire experienced workers, but they also were happy difficulty incorporating into the community." to take inexperienced ones. Employers were so desperate to hire The incorporation experience, Donato emphasizes, is different workers that they didn't care if Mexicans could speak English. for each community. In Houma,for example, the employers used At the same time, employers began to favor Mexican-born immi- contract labor to recruit immigrant workers. Mexicans, however, grants because of their "soft skills." According to the employers, were required to live in company trailers on the job site. Thus, the Hispanic migrant workers were loyal and hardworking, had a posi- employer had a great degree of control over its employees, and by tive attitude, and could get along with other employees. forcing the Mexican immigrants to live in isolation, the opportu- Mexican immigrants, Donato notes, also were profitable for em- nity for them to incorporate into the community was hampered. ployers. Many, she says, were paid less and received fewer benefits "Because housing was physically, legally, and geographically at- than their local counterparts. Migrants increased the company's tached to the employer," Donato says, "workers were segregated revenues by working longer days. Employers also liked to hire from the existing community." migrants because they were expendable. When productivity was In Morgan City, on the other hand, the employer relied on a high, employers hired more migrants; when work was down, em- loosely structured system of recruitment to hire Mexican work- ployers quickly scaled back their workforce by reducing hours or ers. In addition, the workers did not live in housing provided by employees. the employer. One employer, according to Donato, was a ship- "In just a few years," Donato says, "many employers shifted builder who announced to the community that he was housing from relying on a workforce that was almost entirely comprised of his workers in mobile homes on the work site, but community the U.S. born to one that consisted of many Mexican born." members objected. After months of controversy, the employer For many of these Mexican immigrants, assimilating into an was forced to move the trailers to a small community on the out- American community took different paths, depending on a variety skirts of Morgan City. of factors, such as the characteristics of the immigrant group and Placing the trailers away from the job site gave the immigrants the conditions of the community that accepted them. more autonomy to move around and become aware of what the "In contrast to the idea that assimilation is a linear process community had to offer. They discovered a church that catered to where immigrant groups become more incorporated into the immigrants. One of the church members made it her mission to American mainstream as time progresses," Donato says, "the as- assist immigrants. She did it by helping them find jobs, housing, similation process of immigrants actually is segmented and varies and food. She took the immigrants shopping, to the laundry ser- with the human capital brought by the group of newcomers and vices, and even to the doctor. with the context of the receiving community." "Therefore, in Morgan City, there was no one dominant force She explains that there are three main factors that shape the shaping the economic incorporation outcomes of immigrants," process of assimilation: government policies, societal reception of Donato explains. "All three factors—employers, community recep- newcomers, and existing ethnic communities. Government poli- tion, and co-ethnic networks—interacted to facilitate the incorpo- cies, for example, may encourage assimilation by allowing the ration of newcomers." immigrants to enter the country legally and providing help in set- These findings, Donato concludes, reveal how early assimila- tling. This happens, she says, when there is a shortage of profes- tion of immigrants is a complex and, at times, paradoxical process. sional workers or when immigrants are classified as refugees and "This finding is noteworthy because it constitutes fresh evidence are part of a resettlement program. regarding the earliest adaptive experience of immigrants," she says. When the host community favors immigrants, the process of "Rather than suggesting improvements immediately after arriving incorporation becomes easier. Community members and employ- in the United States, our work suggests that, early on in the immi- ers who are willing to help the immigrants with housing, trans- grant experience, segmented outcomes occur. Even as soon as one portation, language, employment, and social services provide an or two years after arrival, some immigrants are on an upward path incentive to the immigrants to become part of the community. whereas others are headed in the opposite direction." Incorporation also is facilitated when the community already has a Donato has gathered her findings in a book manuscript, Con- network of immigrants who can help the newcomers find housing, stantly Moving Steel: Immigrant Workers in a New U.S. Destina- jobs, transportation, and food. "Without a number of compatriots tion, which is under review for publication.• residing in the host community," Donato says, "migrants often

24 Rice Sallyport LAUNDRY $.60 LB. 8 LB. MIN. CHARGE $5.00 who were caught in this country, whether at Documentation and Education No Remedy for Hostile Conditions work or home, were deported," Donato says. "The penalty was the immigrant's to bear." While employers can have a positive affect on the assimilation of migrant workers, all is not rosy. Since passage of the IRCA, and even Since passage of the Immigration Reform and Control Act(IRCA) in 1986, researchers have observed stricter legislation in 1996, the onus regard- employment conditions worsening for Mexican immigrants. Many are working more hours for ing immigrant workers' status has begun significantly lower wages, often as part of the "underground economy." And, it seems, even higher to shift to employers. In addition, border levels of personal attainment don't count for much. enforcement has increased, immigrants have been barred from social programs, and a telephone verification system has been estab- A study by Katharine Donato shows that deleterious consequences ofrestrictive poli- lished so that employers can confirm a po- recent immigrants to the United States from cies within the last 19 years persist," Donato tential employee's legal status. Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic— says,"and, in some respects, are worse for "These dramatic changes in the immigra- who are more likely than Mexicans to enter other Latino immigrant groups today." tion landscape since 1986 could mean that with legal documents, more formal educa- To assess whether there have been differ- now there are discriminatory hiring practices tion, and better English competency—are ences between the employment conditions that perhaps didn't occur before," says Do- no better off in terms of wages. In fact, they of Mexican immigrants in the United States nato, who cites a study by the U.S. General are more likely than their Mexican counter- and those of other Latino groups, Donato Accounting Office in which approximately parts to be working in the informal sector and her colleagues reviewed employment one-fifth of employees surveyed in 1990 re- "Our study shows that the deleterious consequences of restrictive policies within the last 19 years persist."

and receiving their wages in cash. conditions for all Latino migrants prior to ported discriminatory treatment on the basis "Given differences in their legal status and and following enactment of the IRCA. The of Hispanic origin. in aspects of their skills and experience, one researchers examined the impact of recent For their analysis, Donato and her col- would expect Nicaraguans to have a better policies on migrant wages and asked if the leagues relied on data from the Latin Ameri- experience in the U.S. job market than their policy effects for Mexicans occurred for oth- can Migration Project and the Mexican Mexican counterparts," says Donato, who co- er Latino groups as well. Migration Project, which provided them authored the study with Chizuko Wakabayas- In their analysis, Donato and her col- with comparable information across national hi, a postdoctoral fellow in sociology at Rice, leagues were careful to control for factors that origins. Random surveys were conducted and Michael Aguilera, an assistant professor might explain differences in migrants' wages, in 3,730 households in Mexico, Nicaragua, ofsociology at the University of Oregon. such as a person's age when they immigrated, and the Dominican Republic, along with Donato's study is the first to document how well they spoke English, and whether nonrandom surveys of outmigrants located that today's labor-market conditions for Ni- they belonged to a U.S. social club or had in the United States in 1999 and 2000. caraguan and Dominican immigrants are the parents and siblings with prior U.S. experi- Donato and her colleagues believe their same as or worse than those that Mexican ence. Immigrants' legal status after 1986 also findings raise critically important ques- migrants have experienced since Congress was expected to have an impact on whether tions for future research on the effects of passed the IRCA—this country's first law de- they worked in the informal sector and re- America's immigration policies, particularly signed to reduce undocumented migration to ceived wages in cash. "For most of the 20th with regard to other immigrants from Latin the United States. "Our study shows that the century, migrants without documentation America or Asia and Africa. —B.J. Almond

26 Rice Sallyport "The numbers of women still aren't equivalent to the numbers of men, but the gender composition of undocumented migrants from Mexico certainly is shifting in that direction."

—Katharine Donato

Women Changing the Face In addition to showing a changing gender United States. From surveys inquiring about of Migration Patterns ratio in migration, Donato's research also how many times immigrants had crossed the reveals different patterns of undocumented border, men averaged four previous trips, It's no secret that the number of people mi- migration for men and women. "Compared compared to only two for women. grating to the United States from Mexico with men, women are much less likely to While the evidence suggests important has increased substantially during the past cross the border without documents by differences between men and women in the two decades. Most of the immigration sta- themselves," she says. "They are more likely process of undocumented border crossing, tistics on migrants from Mexico, however, to do so in the company offriends and fam- Donato notes that more investigators need reflect only legal border crossings and do ily and to use the services of a paid guide, to make a greater effort to gather border- not take into account undocumented border commonly known as a 'coyote.'" crossing histories from female migrants as crossings. When the latter are examined, says There are other differences as well. Wom- well as males. "To date, data-collection ef- Rice sociologist and demographer Katharine en, for example, tend to be older than men forts have focused almost exclusively on Donato, a different picture emerges. when they migrate. Donato found that the men," she says. "But until women are incor- "The data sources clearly show this has average age for women on their first and porated into data sets as fully as men, there been a male-driven flow of migrants," Do- subsequent border-crossing trips is 29 and will not be enough cases for the sort of mul- nato says. But as a result of the 1986 Im- 39 years, respectively, compared with aver- tivariate analyses that have proved so useful migration Reform and Control Act—the age ages of27 and 33 for men. The age in understanding and characterizing the pro- first piece oflegislation designed to control gap, Donato says, might reflect the fact cess of male undocumented migration." undocumented migration to the United that many women stay in Mexico until their The Mexican Migration Project is an on- States—a greater ratio of the migrants are husbands successfully have relocated in the going multidisciplinary study of Mexican women. "Before 1985, 15 or 20 percent of United States before following to reunite migration to the United States. Research- Mexican migrants were women," Donato their families. ers involved in the project have been con- says. "In the '80s and '90s, most data sourc- Women were less likely than men to ducting surveys in Mexico and the United es suggest, we're up to 35 to 45 percent be apprehended while crossing the States since 1982. The Health and Migra- women. The numbers of women still aren't border without documents, tion Project, which Donato directs with equivalent to the numbers of men, but the perhaps because women used Shawn Kanaiaupuni of Kamehameha, gender composition of undocumented mi- professional guides more than Hawaii, is a binational project that grants from Mexico certainly is shifting in men did. The likelihood of collects and analyzes longitudinal that direction." apprehension for women was data on the health consequences of Donato made these observations on the 12 percent on the first trip Mexico—U.S. migration through basis of data mined from the Mexican Mi- and 14 percent on subse- surveys of 11 communities in the gration Project and the Health and Migra- quent crossings; for men the state ofSan Luis Potosi, Mexico, tion Project in collaboration with Evelyn probability of apprehension and two U.S. communities. Visit Patterson '02. Their findings are summa- was 29 percent for both first www.mexmah.com for more rized in a chapter of the book Crossing the and later trips. information.• Border: Research Women also had less from the Mexican Migration —B.J. Almond Project(Russell Sage Foundation, 2004), accumulated migra- edited by Jorge Durand and Douglas S. tory experience than Massey. men on any trip to the

Winter '06 27 In 1988, George H. W.Bush and Michael Dukakis were duking it educational change rather than All Model Science Lab teachers an entity that would muscle its out for the presidency, Rain Man was in the theaters, shoulder way as a reformer into HISD, the are expected to serve as mentors pads poofed women's shirts and jackets, and Bobby McFerrin country's seventh-largest school in their home schools and to share was on the radio singing Don't Worry, Be Happy. Among Texas district. In the 17 years since it operations, the center has all that they've learned with their teachers, however, there was both worry and unhappiness. began maintained that diplomatic role, colleagues. Standardized testing had just been instituted, and the top engaging the wider community echelon of teachers felt that their students and curriculums through volunteers, financial sup- skills. But there is more to it than were being subordinated to political agendas. port, and partnering institutions to justteaching. They also strengthen identify educational problems and their content knowledge through formulate solutions. hands-on experiences, such as Rice," Frustrated with the constraints of Brown Foundation who has a PhD "Small often works well for spending a day with scientists Segner '76, the center's teaching to high-stakes account- in social work and many years of says Ed at a chemical company, seeing advisory board chair. ability tests and tired of battling professional experience improving new national in vitro fertilization at a hospital, have huge depart- the uneven quality of school fund- the lives of children."Maconda "Rice doesn't visiting a water treatment plant, discipline, and yet ing, many of the top teachers in Brown O'Connor responded im- ments in any and studying coastal erosion with one is excellent. I think it's the Houston Independent School mediately to our ideas based on each oil and gas executives. The field noting that Rice District(HISD) began asking,"Why the soundness of our approach and worth started out trips encourage teachers to bring by focusing on aren't schools hospitable to my her genuine affection for children in in 1912 science and all kinds of community resources engineering, because those were best work? Where can I go to be need," says Sass. "Beyond seed into the classrooms when they are the needs of the community. In a real teacher?" Some of these money, Maconda, personally and back in their home schools. programs grew frustrated but dedicated teachers through the Brown Foundation, Inc., time, its humanities All Model Science Lab teachers Such is the path of found their way to Rice's Linda and flourished. are expected to serve as mentors Education." McNeil and Ronald Sass. the Center for in their home schools and to share the endeavor, a per- McNeil had left a faculty position "Small often works well for Rice. A year into all that they've learned with their principal at Lanier Middle at Harvard University to come to ceptive colleagues. Graduates of the Model Rice doesn't have huge departments agreed to house the Center Rice and put into practice what she School Science Lab program thus become Education's first had discovered from her research in any discipline, and yet each for project: the vital resourcesto residentsand other Model Science Lab. on teaching and learning, and it was one is excellent" —Ed Segner Rice neuro- teachers who wantto improve their physiologist Elnora Harcombe is natural that she would collaborate students' connections to science. its director. "Though the design of with Sass, who had decades of ex- In fact, their classrooms actually the lab was perience working to improve science has supported the center's efforts brilliant in its flexibility become crucial field trip destina- to accommodate instruction. The two believed the financially and through hands-on different teach- tions for colleagues across HISD. ing styles and cooperative student problems of public schools could involvement. Dr. O'Connor was the In this way,the program is growing, learning," says,"the real be overcome, and the key lay in founding president of the Centerfor Harcombe with approximately 65,000 HISD genius of the empowering teachers through in- Education's advisory board,serving project was its focus students benefiting directly from on teachers. teacher's creased knowledge and a stronger in that capacity until very recently, When a the program each school year. knowledge base is professional voice. and she continues to inspire the strong, children The students chosen to participate acquire a real understanding of a The cumulation of their experi- center's focus on children." in the Model Science Lab are from subject, and it them in ence and optimism was the idea McNeil and her original team of sticks with the regular academic program, not the next grade and for Rice's Center for Education, researchers used Rice's status as beyond." the advanced or gifted and talented Each year, approximately eight which became a reality thanks to a small, private institution, out of track. Several of them from the science teachersfrom various HISD the farsightedness of the Brown the state's control, to the advan- previous year gathered last Sep- middle schools work as Foundation, Inc., and Maconda tage of the Center for Education. residents tember to talk about what they'd Lanier to refine teaching Brown O'Connor, a trustee of the Their goal was to be a catalyst for at their learned.Theirteachers were thrilled

28 Rice Sallyport In the Model Science Lab, students learn to think like curious, creative, and tenacious scientists. In their midst, teachers from various HISD schools are mastering teaching techniques. to hear that the young scientists learned in their research. People Literacy and Culture Project targets The Center for Education is one remembered the name of the water marvel at how dedicated center children too young to know how to flea (Daphnia) that they'd soaked researchers are, often spending write. Her ego-boosting idea wasfor of many of Rice's K-12 profes- with alcohol and nicotine, and they far more time with teachers than children to verbally tell their stories sional development contributions were gratified that the students re- funds allow, but they don'tthink like to teachers, who write them down to Houston-area teachers. membered why those substances that. These are their ideas coming and then recruit the other children are harmful to humans. to life with positive results. They're in the class to perform the story. Children excited about science thrilled about it all." The results blow Dick and Jane out physics and chemistry training are but one measure of the center's Researcher Wallace Dominey is of the water. School Literacy and for teachers, and Technology in success. The program administra- one of those exuberant research- Culture Project teachers gather at Teaching and Learning houses the tors have received an abundance ers who went far beyond HISD to Rice each spring to read from their National Endowment for Humani- of accolades from teachers who train elementary science teachers own writing journals and to share ties' Communities in History, the have stated unequivocally that in outlying districts on how to im- teaching triumphs. For many, it's Electronic Community of Teachers, they would not still be teaching prove their instruction. Adhering their first time to visit a world-class and a program that helps teachers in an urban school if the Center to the center's winning formula, research university. master the use of technology in for Education had not come along he extensively trained one science It's clear that teachers created the classroom. Rice's School of to give them new opportunities teacher in each school who was Centerfor Education programs;one Continuing Studies always has a big to learn and to stand by them in then able to train his or her peers of their thoughtful gestures was to response to its Advanced Placement perfecting pedagogy. over time. leave the door open so that gradu- Institute and digital library courses "Principals giving feedback can Other programs followed the ates can call on the researchers if as well as to its International Bac- be intimidating and irrelevant," says Model Science Lab—the School they have questions in the future. calaureate (IB) Workshop, where one teacher,"but watching master Writing Project, School Literacy and And there is no expiration date on teachers hone their techniques for teachers in their classrooms and Culture, Asia Outreach and Global those helping hands.Such long-term effectively teaching IB courses. hearing feedback from peers are Education,the Latino Family School relationships have translated into The Departments of Earth Sci- valuable." Resident teachers also Connection,and the School Science higher teacher retention, much to ence, Mathematics, and Physics participate in local, state, and na- and Technology Project—each cul- HISD's satisfaction. The district's and Astronomy offer teacher de- tional science workshops, further tivating an important area. fiscal support of the center's pro- velopment courses, and the Rice bolstering their knowledge and Mary Hoffman,for example,cre- grams is an indication it approves University School Mathematics confidence levels. "I treasure the atively tackled reading at the high of the strategy not to pursue small Project has been a bridge between time I've been given to increase school level with the concept that studies and quick fixes but, rather,to Rice's math research community my knowledge of science outside teachers should be writing along develop knowledge that can assist and Houston-area math teachers my specialty and to reflect on my with their students and even having decision makers who are shaping for the last 18 years. Performance in the classroom," students read the teacher's work. priorities of whole schools. New Having decades of experience says a 2005-06 resident. Another It's a novel concept, but it's working. ideas are needed with a student in public school systems, first as adds,"This kind of professional de- Student writing in this program is population as culturally diverse as a teacher and now as a researcher, velopment is what teachers need. memorialized in a publication called HISD-2004-05 demographics Linda McNeil wonders,"How can The old model of one-day in-service Impressions. Patsy Cooper's School show that 59 percent of HISD stu- Houston be so creative in medicine, retreats with canned material was dents are Hispanic, 29 percent are the arts, and space exploration but a total waste of time." African American, and 8.9 percent not show the same creativity with "Everyteacher," Sass says,"can The students chosen to participate are white. K-12 education? I'd like to see learn to be a better teacher and, in the Model Science Lab are from The Center for Education is one this city take a leadership position thereby, have better students.The of many of Rice's K-12 profes- in making urban public schools a center's leaders started with that the regular academic program, sional developmentcontributions to priority.". truth and devised grassroots pro- not the advanced or gifted and Houston-area teachers. The Center grams,always based in classrooms, for Biological and Environmental that stemmed from what they had talented track. Nanotechnology offers integrated

Winter '06 29 What's Your Rice Historical 10? Falsehoods about Rice history are as much a university tradi- tion as Beer Bike. Who knows where they originated, but they are fed to freshmen beginning on move-in day, reproduce ex- ponentially during 0-Week, and finally are held as fact by all. Perhaps you do know the fact from the fiction Or maybe you've just found some stories suspect but never have been able to find out for sure whether or not Rice really is an official cemetery or if live owls really did live on campus. Test your knowledge about Rice history by taking this short true-or-false quiz Then compare your knowledge with that of the wizard of Rice history, Professor John Boles, with the John Boles Rice History Meter.

Winter '06 31 Rice paysfor partofstudents' Former president George class ring and can demand it Bush was a professor at Rice be returned should they do in the Jesse H.Jones Graduate something that bringsshame School°Management prior on the university. to becoming vice president The Stories under Ronald Reagan.

No building on campus, other than Brown College, may be taller than seven Live owls, once Rice's stories. mascots, lived at Lovett College.

For several years,a pigstywas located next to Lovett Hall, then called theAdministration Building.

Edgar Odd Lovett narrowly escaped tragedy when he decided at the last minute to The stairs and halls of postpone his return tripfrom The Rice charter requires the James A. Baker Europe on the Titanic. III there to be a tree for every Institute for Public Policy student. were designed to confuse a terrorist.

Rice owned the land on which NASA's Johnson Space Center is located.

Rice owns a tree farm in Louisiana. "The trustees almost built the campus downtown but The Rice campusRice originally decided to move it to its featured a river. current spot in order to have ...... •, . ,.„. . . more land. 1'1 The Rice charter specifies Rice relied on a system ofwells throughout campus instead thatcampuswalkways cannot Students turned around of a public water utility to pump drinking water into the be concrete. This is why Willy's statue in 1988 to campus until a graduate student contracted typhoid every walkway fever protest a rise in tuition. is covered from the water. in pebbles.

32 Rice Sallyport When Rice was founded, Texas state law requires onlywhite menwere allowed that Rice be registered as to attend.Eventually, the an official cemetery because charter waschanged to allow William Marsh Rice is buried women and minorities to underneath his statue in the attend Rice. Academic Quadrangle.

Rice University once owned the leasing rights to Yankee Stadium but was forced to sell them to the city of New York in the 1970s.

Originally, benches were not allowed on campus to discourage socializing between the sexes.

Sammy received his name from a private investigator When then-president George Bush came to Rice for the who made it up as part of 1990 Economic Summit,the toilet in the president's office a code phrase during a trip in Lovett Hall was modified to make it more suitable for to return the mascot after it a U.S. president. was stolen by Texas A&M students.

The dirt removed from the ground when Rice Stadium was built was used to build the hill at Miller Outdoor Theater.

Now,turn the page to see how well you can distinguish Rice facts from fiction. space scientist. Rice didn't actually own a ring, more students failed the gradua- the 1,000-acre plot 22 miles southeast tion requirement.(7 points) of downtown but simply acted as a temporary intermediary in its transfer. Humble Oil and Refining Company gave the property to Rice in 1961 on the condition that the university offer it to the government to draw NASA to Fact: Rice owned two owls as mascots Houston. The free land sweetened a as late as 1991,and they lived in a tree in package put together by NASA board the Lovett quad.Of the last pair,one flew member and Rice alumnus Representa- off and the other died. More stringent tive Albert Thomas '20 and sealed the government regulations regarding the The Facts deal in bringing a manned space flight care of wild and endangered animals center to Texas.(5 points) made it too difficult and expensive to shortly after World War II. Only 2,000 replace the owls,so Rice found another acres of the land are logged every year. solution. Instead of returning to the large The tracts are then reseeded and given stuffed version ofSammy, such asthe one that had been stolen by A&M students, Fiction: Any building on campus 25 years to grow before the trees are can Rice simply stuffed a student into a cos- be taller than seven stories. The cut again.(3 points) story Fact Its true if you can call the Harris tume,thus retaining a live mascotwhile that floats inside the hedges is that the Gully,known to early students as the Blue successfullycircumventing government Rice Charter required every building be Danube,a river. The stream originally ran regulations.(3 points) shorter than seven stories—a myth from the northern end of what is now propagated by south campus residents, the Greenbriar Lot, around Autry Court, as Brown is eight stories tall. Those on and past the Track and Soccer Stadium. the north side tend to believe that the Fiction: Angry protests aren't as much There even was a bridge where Main Brown family, when donating the money a Rice tradition as the myth that turned Street crossed the stream. Rice obtained to pay for the college, specified that it permission from the city of Houston in this prank into one. In 1988, a group of Fiction: This persistent myth likely must always be the tallest building on 1946 to channel the stream students built an A-frame with a series of through a originated with a public relations push campus.(5 points) drainage ropes and pul I ies that lifted the one-ton pipe.(5 points) that sold Rice as a forest-like campus statue of founder William Marsh Rice with more trees than students. Today, off its base located in the Academic there is even a tree committee that Quadrangle onlyto retum him,unharmed, meets once every 10 years to count all facing the opposite direction. According of the trees on campus and compare the to the masterm i nds behind the operation, number of trees to the number of stu- Fiction: Although the timing is right, the activity was no more than a stunt, Fiction:The walkways on campus used dents. While its nice to know that some the name of the ship is wrong. During done to prove that the 180-degree turn to feature crushed granite, similar to students think our campus is wooded 1911 and 1912,Lovetttraveled theworld could be accomplished.(7 points) what is found on the outer loop trail. enough to support such a myth,there are hunting down the best faculty to herald Eventually, Rice decided to pave the not as many trees at Rice-4,000—as in the inaugural year ofthe Rice Institute walkways. "One of the reasons they there are students-4,600.According to for Literature,Science, and Art. Originally, changed the sidewalks from crushed groundskeeper Ron Smith, the number Lovett made plansto return several times, granite to pebble is that the crushed of trees on campus is fairly stable, but making it likely that one of these plans granite on the soles of people's shoes there is potential for growth. "We do might have included a return trip back Fact When the Rice Board of Trustees was ruining the carpet and floors of the plantings through the year," he says, via the Titanic. Not so. "I've seen all his purchased the land on which Rice buildings," says Boles. "That's also the "and we try to protect the trees we letters to his wife," says Boles. "While University now is located, there was reason the stairs in Lovett Hall look like have."(3 points) he kept delaying his return trip, he never trouble with one particular corner of they're 700 years old." Pebble-encrusted mentioned the Titanic." Lovett did return the new campus. Charles F. Weber sidewalks were chosen over less pleas- on another ill-fated ship, however—the owned an eight-acre farm that cut into ing plain concrete ones for aesthetic Lusitania.(3 points) the Main Street side of campus. He reasons only.(5 points) originally refused to sell his land, but relented in 1910 on the condition that Fact Rice almost did have an urban cam- he was allowed to remain on the land pus where the current downtown YMCA for three and a half years. Many early is located. Concerned over the lack of alumni remembered a pigsty, belonging land,EdgarOdell Lovettand thefirst Rice to Weber, on the south end of what is Fact In Beauregard Parish, Louisiana, Fiction: According to the Rice Ring trustees decided to move the projected now Lovett Hall.(3 points) 47,000 acres of land are devoted to Agreement, Rice can ask for your ring campus three milesfrom this spotto the financing Rice's educational mission. It back only on one condition: if you don't current location. About one-third of the was purchased by William Marsh Rice graduate. Students are allowed to pur- original land was bought from George in 1878, and in 1911, all the trees were chase rings after completing 90 hours W. Hermann, who bestowed to the city cut down in one fell swoop to pay for and are given a "reasonable amount of Houston much of the rest of the land the first buildings on campus. The Rice of time" to graduate. Today, few rings he owned,which later became Hermann Land Lumber Company has operated Fiction: It's a fantastic myth, perfect are returned. However, when Rice only Park. The total cost for the original land a modern tree farm on the land since for feeding the dreams of any future required 75 completed hours to receive was $290,000.(7 points)

34 Rice Sallyport a line of shrubbery was constructed to make sure the presidentwou Idn't have to The see such a ghastly sightshould he happen to glance out his window.(7 points) Fiction:This myth does ra ise one interest- Fact: Rice alumnus John Cox '27 gave John Bolos ing question,though.Whattastes better: his alma mater his ownership of Yankee water straight from the ground or the Stadium, including all leasing rights, in waterout of Baker College's decades old 1962. Rice made several million dollars pipes? Starting in 1911, Rice provided off the gift, leasing the House that Ruth its own drinking water through water BuilttotheYankeesfor almost a decade. Fact: William Marsh Rice was not very pumps. A graduate student did contract In winter 1966,the stadium was painted forward thinking when it came to rela- typhoid while studying at Rice in 1933; blue and white. Coincidence? We think tions between the sexes. Coeducational however, it was not from the wells, as not. The city of New York eventually facilities weren't too common when he documented in a 1933 test done by forced Rice to sell Yankee Stadium in wrote the original charterfor Rice. While Houston's health office. The use of the 1971 for the meager price of $2.5 mil- women were al lowed to matriculate into pumps was discontinued due to concerns lion.(9 points) Rice, they weren't allowed to stay on regardingthestabilityofthe underground campus past 5 PM. And no, there were water table.(3 points) no benches,exceptthe ones around Wil- liam Marsh Rice's statue, to discourage coed fraternizing.(5 points) 1 to 24 You must have believed all Fiction: While several people are those lies they told you during buried on the Rice campus, no Texas 0-Week Fact: Former president George Bush law requires Rice to be registered as a was an adjunct professor of adminis- cemetery. Who are the lucky ones with trative science at the Jones School in their permanent resting place as Rice? Fiction: The dirt removed to make way 25 to 52 1978, the year it opened. The course, "As far as I know," says Boles, "there for Rice's enormous stadium was banked Your potential for greatness can Organization Theory, involved lectures are three people buried here. William up around the walls of the stadium, not be saved only by immediately from Bush regarding the organizations Marsh Rice's ashes are underneath his used to make the hill in front of Miller attending a continuing studies he headed—the Central Intelligence Outdoor Theater. The dirt in the hill very own statue,and the Cohens are both class on the history of Rice. Agency, the National Republican Party, buried withinthe walls of Cohen House." originated with the expansion of the a U.S. congressional office, the United But three burials does not a cemetery lake in Hermann Park from 18 acres to Emirates Mission to China, and an oil make. "Having your founder buried on 20. The resulting mound can seat 10,000 53 to 80 exploration company. Just months be- your campus doesn't make your campus people. 13 points) You stayed at Rice for 10 years fore Bush hit the presidential campaign into an official cemetery," adds Boles. or more But don't worry, it took trail, the former president was candid resting No one has yet located the final 4)1') more than four years for more about his internal debate to enter the place of the dignity of Club 13 runners. than half of Rice's first class primaries.(7 points) Perhaps they simply dropped it some- where along the way.(3 points) to graduate—you deserved a victory lap, too. Fact In winter 1917, several Rice stu- dents constructed a giant stuffed owl to pa rade at a basketball ga me againstTexas 81 to 108 A&M. Rice lost the game to the Aggies, Either your name is John Boles Fiction: Really, does this need to be who pilfered the large stuffed mascot or you are an archivist at the explained? Terrorists know to get the FactTheathanceteamforthen-president during the game. A group of students Woodson Research Center. floor plan of a building before they Bush decided the original Lovett Hall formed the Owl Protective Association infiltrate it. Come on—we all know toilet, almost 80 years old, in then-Rice to reclaim the owl but couldn't locate Congratulations, you possess Baker Hall was designed to confuse president George Rupp's office, wasn't him. They turned to private investigator a frightening mastery of Rice visitors.(3 points) of acceptable quality for President Bush Sam Snow, who posed as a reporter to history. during the 1990 Economic Summit. At fool the Aggies into telling him about first, the team asked the president's the stolen mascot. On January 30, office to replace the toilet, but when Snow wired the Rice students with a the request was refused on the under- code phrase indicating he'd located the standable grounds that the toilet was owl. "Sammy is fairly well," he wrote, Fiction: The Rice charter specified that in fine working condition, the White "and would like to see family at eleven both white women and men would be House broke down and paid for a new o'clock." The Rice students raided the allowed to attend Rice. Blacks could not toilet seat to be installed. That wasn't A&M campus and rescued the owl but Thanksto John Boles,Jen Cooper, attend Rice until 1965, when the charter the only inconsequential detail changed were intercepted byAggies on the return was changed to allow minorities to at- during the economic summit. According trip to Houston. Rather than let Sammy and the staff of the Woodson tend Rice and tuition to be charged. The to Boles, the old Wiess College was again fall into the hands of the enemy, Research Center for assistance original tuition: $1,500.(3 points) substantially altered to make it more they cut his body into several pieces, with this article appealing to the eye since the window burned the stuffing, and smuggled the of Bush's Herring Hall office overlooked pieces of canvas "skin" back to Rice. the loading dock. A wall complete with (9 points)

Winter '06 35 MEM

8gIC

Flying School (Ecole d'aviation), an gallery. While Landry creates magic a universe expanding and contracting of the objects she selected. . installation at Rice Gallery by Quebec from quotidian objects, light is the key as the light moves Sitting in the darkened space,view- artist Diane Landry, looks like it was element in herwork Bulbs atthe base Landry lures you in to seeing the ers watched as The Cod presented a created bysomeone with a MaryPoppins of the umbrellas cycle on and off as spectacular visual potential of the feminine narrative through domestic fixation The darkened main gallery is the umbrellas open The light casts everyday. She doesn'thide the simple, objects and bric-a-brac A child's ice filled with umbrellas. There are 24 of bouquets of gorgeous, flower-like straightforward mechanisms she uses skates were placed on the turntable them in all—tiny children's ones with shadows on the gallery ceiling that to drive her work anymore than she and seemed to spin as if they were little bears, grandma versions with slowly expand and contract and fade disguises the discount-store objects on the rink. Shadows from the objects fussy florals, and unisex models with away. You could sit for hours in the she employs Her matter-of-fact use on the turntables overlapped each restrained geometncs. The cluster of darkened room, lulled by the sounds of materials makes her work all the other as Landry faded them in and sizes and styles creates the sense of and the slowly evolving panorama more fascinating. out Glass vessels cast rays of light an eclectic crowd of people gathered lnthe small gallery, Landry installed In addition to creating installations, An iron seemed to mutate as it spun together in a rainstorm Mandela Naya, a piece whose title Landry is a performance artist She around. High-heeled shoes danced, Landryautomated each umbrella so seems to suggest some object that presented one of her works, The Cod and a figurine in a flowing dress added that it slowly opens and closes using is elegant, minimal, and infused with (La Morue), at Rice Media Center. At a Cinderella effect Light radiating a simple mechanism that also is at- Asian spirituality.In actuality,its primary the performance, Landry sat at the through a colander caused the audi- tached to a bellows As the umbrellas component is a plastic laundry basket front of the theater behind a large ence to burst into applause open,the bellows expand and contract, ringed with empty plastic bottles of table, her back to the audience In Creating such haunting beauty, mimicking the rhythm of breath rising Naya brand spring water. front of her were two record turn- conjuring characters, and telling a and falling and creating a sound like But the effect is stunning and hyp- tables, lights, and host of objects story through the most banal of items someone breathing in and out on a har- notic The basket bottom is mounted The shadows of the rotating objects is an amazing feat Landry's installation monica. As you look around the room, flat against the wall, and Landry has filled the center's enormous screen, averaged 100 visitors a day, and her scattered umbrellas sigh themselves rigged up a track in the center along growing and diminishing as they performance was standing room only. into full flower and then collapse in which a light moves in and out of the circled around The audio came from "It's magic," Landry says, explaining a 30-minute cycle with no apparent basket The plastic grid of the basket the turntables themselves Landry let the appeal of her work. "It's magic, beginning or end and the light-distorting qualities of the record needle run on the bareturn- but you can see it."• But the real spectacle of Flying the bottles create a glorious display of table, producing a blurry atmospheric School happens on the ceiling of the pattern It radiates outfrom the center, sound that changed with the weight —Kelly Klaasmeyer

36 Rice Sallyport Keys of Success

Two graduate students from Rice's Shepherd School of Music—Clara Jung-Yang Shin and Kana Mimaki—are basking in the sun from their golden moment on an Italian island.

Each of the pianists brought home a gold medal from the Catania International Music Festival in Sicily, where they competed in the Rachmaninoff Concerto Competition Shin, who won the silver medal in the 2004 World Piano Competition, struck gold this time when she played Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini As part of her prize, she was invited to return to Sicily in November to perform a series of concertos "What is more important to me than winning this competition is finding my music being accepted by musicians with different backgrounds," says Shin, who is pursing a doctorate at Rice "Clara is a most compelling presence on stage, with true humanity in both her per- sonality and her playing," says Robert Roux, chair of the Rice piano program and Shin's teacher for the past several years "During my education at Rice," Shin says, "I gained tremendous confidence, leading _ me to believe that music is a universal language." That confidence also has led Shin to seek more challenges in the music world "I believed that the Catania Music Festival could open the door to more opportunities, and I couldn't have been happier when the results were positive." Success has led to more success Because she won the gold, Shin was invited to perform in January at the Atheneul Roman in Bucharest In the spring, she will be back in Catania to perform a piano quintet at a chamber music festival Also in the spring, she will be participating in the Steinway Festival in Gainesville, Florida, where she will have a chance to play for Philippe Entremont, a renowned French conductor and pianist After Shin completes her work Rice, she plans to give a recital in October 2006 at the Seoul Art Center, which is home to the Korean National University of Arts This perfor- mance will be of special significance to Shin for two reasons. she had her debut concert there in 1993, and it was the last time her grandmother heard her play before she died g to be quite an emotiona

Mimaki, another of Roux's doctoral students, won first place for Rachmaninoff's First Piano Concerto with the RIAS Youth Orchestra, directed by Daisuke Soga She is acclaimed as a soloist who performs evenly and effortlessly and produces a golden tone, and she also is described as a technically perfect collaborative pianist "It was an absolutely great experience for me," says Mimaki, who started playing the piano at age 3 in Japan. Only two years later, she won her first piano competition After graduating from a renowned high school for music, Mimaki found her way into the premier Japanese school of music, the Tokyo National University of Music and Fine Arts. As an undergraduate, she was invited by Herbert Stessin to attend the Aspen Music Festival, where she went on to win the E. Nakamichi Piano Concerto Competition Fol- lowing the completion of her bachelor's degree, Mimaki returned to the United States to receive her master of music degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She has studied with and played master classes for many internationally acclaimed pianists, including Gilbert Kalish, Anton Kuerti, Mack McCray, John Perry, Menahem Pressler, Andre Watts, and Roux "Kana is a brilliant young artist with great technique as well as sensitivity," Roux says "She is fully deserving of the numerous accolades she has earned." The Catania Festival is just the latest of Mimaki's recent achievements, which include first prize awards from the Los Angeles Liszt Competition and the International Russian Music Competition Her awards have helped establish her as a concert pianist of note, "It was an absolutely and she now has performed in nearly every major city in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Europe Her benefit solo piano recital last October at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts raised more than $70,000 for the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of great experience for me." America She has concerts booked for three years in advance, including a much antici- —Kana MirnaM pated second recital at the Hobby Center in March

—David D Medina

Writer '06 37 _ Photo Thomas D I ARTS]

'1 k space]

Rice Gallery Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary

By Kelly Klaasmeyer

Forget oil paint. Art at the Rice Gallery generally is done great community-based thing this was going to be," in a less-expected medium. Like hay. Davenport says. That was Michael Shaughnessy's requirement for The experience also taught her that there could be his January 1996 installation, An Caoin Ardaigh (The unexpected downsides as well. Work on An Caoin Gentle Rise), the first installation specifically created for Ardaigh almost came to a halt after graduate students in the Rice Gallery. And he didn't want just any hay, but a nearby windowless computer labs started to get allergy particular kind with stalks long enough for weaving To attacks from the hay dust that was being sucked into pull it off, the gallery staff had to track down the right the air-conditioning system. The staff, working with a sort of hay with the help of a Houston feed store. Gallery university safety officer, solved the problem with huge director Kim Davenport remembers the incongruous fans that sucked particulates out of the building. beauty of a truck laden with fragrant hay driving through "It was a great feeling the first time something was downtown Houston to get to campus made specifically for this space," Davenport says The Shaughnessy required more than hay. He needed Shaughnessy woven hay installation not only helped people to help him construct the giant arching shape of define the process for future installations but also woven hay that was to fill the gallery. The gallery staff set the tone for the diversity of artistic media seen in hung posters asking for volunteers, but Shaughnessy subsequent exhibitions. "The materials of installation wound up with just half a dozen helpers As they started often are bizarre and specific to an artist's work," to work with the massive mounds of hay, though, Davenport explains. The list reads like the world's most people walking by the gallery stopped to ask what was challenging scavenger hunt: umbrellas, panels of grass, going on, and a lot of them stayed to help. Davenport giant balloons, Halloween masks, Gilligan's Island and fondly recalls the scene at the gallery late one night, Land of the Lost reruns, 7,000 pounds of cardboard, when about 60 people sat quietly weaving hay. Gaelic seven tons of sand, video projectors, kiddie pools, bottle music was playing, and the room was heavy with crates, bamboo, hay, Fresnel lenses, and thousands of grassy perfume. "That was when we learned what a tiny kites, pushpins, drinking straws, and . .

Opposite Page True, False, and Slightly Better by Phoebe Washburn Winter '06 39 ARTS

Fresh Art Daily by Stephen Keene Stephen Keene's paint-spattered shoes

In the 10 years since Shaughnessy's hay arch filled the gallery, Davenport has curated 40 more installations, and under her director- ship, Rice Gallery has become one of the most interesting installa- tion venues in the country. It also is celebrated among artists as a great place to show. William Camfield, the Joseph and Joanna Nazro Mullen Professor Emeritus of Art History, hired Davenport for the director's position. Camfield, who spent 33 years at Rice, explains the gallery's history. In the late 1960s, John O'Neil, a painter and founding chair of the art department, "took the foyer space, shoved the desks aside, and made room to install artwork." O'Neil was still at Rice when Sewall Hall was being built to house the art department and gallery. Camfield and O'Neil went by to check out the construction site when it was just a big hole in the ground. "We discovered thatthey had notthought about reinforcing the floor," Camfield says. He and O'Neil were told that the gallery wouldn't be able to exhibit sculpture or have more than 40 or 50 people in the space. In addition, neither the planned drop-ceiling nor plaster-covered concrete walls were conducive to hanging paintings. Camfield and O'Neil were left to contemplate an art gallery that couldn't exhibit paintings or sculptures and couldn't accommodate a crowd for an exhibition opening. Unwilling to let matters stand,the two finagled a meeting with the architects to propose several changes, including an open ceiling, track lighting, gypsum board walls, and a reinforced floor. The architects agreed to the alterations, and Rice can thank the two professors for their quick thinking in making the gallery a practical and aesthetically pleasing space. The Sewell Hall Art Gallery, as it was then called, was run by faculty who were given course relief to organize exhibitions. Although, according to Camfield, there were some nice shows, there never was enough time or funding to fulfill the gallery's potential, and the space simply limped along for 10 years or so. At last, however, the department received enough funding to hire an actual director, though the salary was minimal, and three directors passed through in a short period of time. "By the early '90s," Camfield says, "the situation had become discouraging." The faculty tried to get more money for the director's position, and when none was forthcoming, they reluctantly voted to discontinue the gallery. But there were second thoughts, and one last appeal for funds succeeded. "We got a little more salary from the university," Camfield says, "and then we found Kim, who was the curator of contemporary art at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Connecticut. She took the gamble that we could turn the Superthrive by Stephen Hendee

40 Rice Sallyport Gentle Rise by Michael Shaughnessy

gallery into something significant." It would be a challenge."The mandate for me," Davenport explains, "was to do something completely different and not replicate what was being done by any other arts institution in town. There are some really specific reasons why I decided to focus on installation." Two of those reasons were budget and storage space. The gallery's annual budget for shows was spartan, as gallery manager Jaye Anderton frankly informed Davenport—only around $10,000. And while the gallery did have a small collection of works, there wasn't room to maintain, add to, or store it. "But we had this beautiful exhibition space," says Davenport, "and no other art institution in the city focused solely on installations. I ultimately decided I wanted to do one thing well." An installation program worked out financially, too, because there wasn't enough /fff-* in the budget to bring in exhibitions. "It costs less for an artist to do something new," Davenport says, "than to borrow a work." Loan fees, crating, insurance, and shipping are expensive when you are dealing with preexisting work. 44°411 By concentrating on installations, she also could draw Rice art students into the life of the gallery. "Students could see something coming into form," she says. "They could see the process of making art and realize that a work of art isn't just delivered." Davenport always is scouting artists by visiting studios, alternative spaces,galleries, and international art events like the Venice Biennale. She invites artists she is considering to come fora site visit and submit a proposal. If the proposal is approved, the exhibition is scheduled, and the artist is brought in to execute the work with the help of the gallery preparatorand student assistants. The gallery covers the artist's travel costs, materials, and expenses, but Davenport is committed to giving artists an honorarium as well. "I think there is this assumption that artists are asked to do things for free," Davenport says. "You wouldn't call a plumber and ask him to fix your toilet for free." dr The year after the gallery opened was a turning point. Houston philanthropists Louisa Stude Sarofim and Isabel Brown Wilson signed on to help with fundraising. They organized and co-chaired a patrons group that now covers the bulk of the exhibition costs. The university still handles employee salaries, and according to Anderton, the university has increased the exhibition budget to $55,000. "Endowment income has gone up to $15,000," Anderton says, "and now we also raise close to $150,000 for exhibitions from - individuals, foundations, and the city." Anderton has worked with the gallery for 22 years and is delighted with its progress. "When Kim came on board, it was just the two of us and a part-time preparator that we shared with the Department

Winter '06 41 ARTS

Jaye Andel tun, left and Ku Dayunpoit Artist David r.rririir owing tire unidi din of Conversation

of Art History. Now we have a full-time preparator and a curatorial Washburn adds."Whenever I meet people who do installations, I assistant, and we are about to add two more positions. One will be tell them they need to exhibit there." in outreach, and one will be in education." Jessica Stockholder is an internationally renowned installation According to Davenport, Anderton has been essential to the artist who teaches at Yale University. Davenport pursued the in- gallery's success. "Without Jaye, this demand Stockholder for nineyears until never could have happened." Originally an opportunity opened up. Stockholder hired as a financial administrator for the uses an array of junk—new and old—to gallery, Anderton now is the gallery create what are essentially three- manager. She still deals with finances, dimensional paintings. Stockholder's Rice but, Davenport says, "She has a really Gallery installation Sam Ran Over Sand great eye,and I really regard her opinion. or Sand Ran Over Sam used, among She has turned outto bean extraordinary other things, swaths of carpeting, 2- party planner, and she has jumped into by-4s, elderly club chairs, ice chests, every aspect of the installation process. and a bowling ball to create a dynamic

Hardaway

Essentially, every five weeks we are + three-dimensional composition. producing another Broadway show." Superthrive, by Stephen Hendee, Those shows are varied, to say the Hester was an installation that people still ask least. They have given young artists about, ©2003, and it remains one of the most their first big break as well as brought dramatic transformations of the space. the work of well-established artists to Hester Working with white foam board and Houston. They also have involved the Paul black photo tape, Hendee created Haze by Tara Donovan a Houston community at large, as well as faceted environment that could have Rice students. Consider a few of Rice been the setfor Superman's Fortress of Gallery's "Greatest Hits." Solitude. The walls glowed a luminous Phoebe Washburn's installation True, green and were lit from behind with gel- False, and Slightly Better was a jaw- covered fluorescent lighting. Hendee, dropping project that filled the gallery who worked by himself for a month with a swirling vortex created out of creating the installation says, "It was a 7,000 pounds of cardboard. Washburn tremendous opportunity. I was given a lot wasfresh out of graduate school,and the of freedom to develop something." Rice Gallery exhibition was her second • In 2001, Rice Gallery launched its solo show. Rice proved to be a wonderful Summer Window series. Featuring learning experience,especially in terms of § installations designed to be viewed logistics. How doyou ship 7,000 pounds of • through the gallery's window wall, cardboard? The Rice Gallery staff knows. • the series is a way to keep the gallery "Kim and Jaye were complete, calm Z., active even when closed during the professionals who also were supportive Sam Ran Over Sand or Sand Ran Over Sam by Jessica Stockholder summer months. The Shape ofSpace, and excited," Washburn says. "It was a by Alyson Shotz, was a standout of good balance. If I hadn't had that experience, I wouldn't have been the series. Shotz's installation used plastic Fresnel lenses—those able to shift scale that early. Because of the enormous scale of that magnifying sheets with concentric ridges. She and a team of project, I'm sure it helped me get other opportunities." assistants hand cut ovals out of the center of 18,000 lenses. She She is working on a collaborative installation with Stephen Hendee, stapled the ovals together into a massive 40-by-14 foot curtain another Rice Gallery alum, at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary that undulated and glittered like fish scales and magnified the Art in Kansas City. "My experience at Rice was an amazing one," room that lay behind it.

42 Rice Sallyport ARTS

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The SingingThe Posters by Allen Ruppersberg The Re-creation of Fort Discomfort by Jesse Bercowetz and Matt Bee

The Shape of Space hung in the gallery all summer long, and open grid held aloft by clusters of poles. then the Guggenheim purchased it for its collection. The installation The Ban project may have involved a team of people, but Stephen opened another door for Shotz: she recently completed a permanent Keene's installation Fresh Art Daily involved a mob. Keene is an artist installation at the University of Houston for the Cynthia Woods with an egalitarian attitude toward art: he sells his paintings by the Mitchell Center for the Arts. This time, foot, with prices ranging from $1 to it's glass beads. $15. For his show,the gallery advanced The gallery also has experimented him money to produce 200 paintings on in design and architecture. Jennie King, canvas. During his six-week residence, a Rice graduate and a PhD candidate at he painted from 8 AM to 10 PM daily. Princeton University,came to Davenport People came to watch, and the artist and asked to curate a show as an painted a bench for them to sit on independent-study project for one of while they observed. "That's when her courses. She chose the award- we realized," says Davenport, "that winning designer Karim Rahshid. For people are fascinated by watching art his installation, Pleasurescape, Rashid being made." painted the whole gallery a lush orange On Sunday, people could come and and filled the space with a grid of molded buy Keene's art. The sales were self- plastic furniture. The furniture's abstract serve: Keene used a moneybox and an shapes created a white topographic honor system. The Houston Chronicle expanse that was activated when ran an article about the show after the visitors draped first week.The second week,Davenport students and other Superabundant Atmosphere by Jacob Hashimoto themselves over the shapes. The says, the show was "sold out to the gallery windows offered a view to the walls in 40 minutes." The third Sunday, impromptu performances. with people lined up three hours before Bamboo Roof,the gallery's foray into the gallery opened, the staff limited architecture, was with none other than purchases to two per person. "The esteemed Japanese architect Shigeru fifth and sixth weekends," Davenport Ban,who is noted for his unconventional says, "we started giving out numbers. use of materials. He has used log-like Senior citizens' homes were bringing cardboard tubes to design everything in buses." At the end of the six-week from a gallery forfashion designer Issey show, Keene gave the gallery his paint- Miyake to housing for the victims of the spattered shoes. Kobe earthquake. Those shoes are emblematic of

Bamboo was the material of choice Rice Gallery's journey from obscure Dubrock Dubrock for the Rice project. Ban's design was campus exhibition space to an important destination for artists and art lovers. realized through a collaboration between Thomas undergraduate students from Rice's The Shape of Space by Alyson Shatz Davenport's rationale for transforming School of Architecture and the University the gallery into an installation space may of Houston's Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture. have been rooted in practical concerns, but the aesthetic results While Ban's design-to-build process normally takes two years, give the gallery a unique feel. For Davenport, the reason is simple. the Rice timetable was six months, culminating in a three-week "Rice Gallery is a place of encounter," she says. "You don't look at installation period. Fifty students, five architects, and two engineers installations; you are inside them, participating in and moving through worked ceaselessly to erect Ban's undulating bamboo canopy in the work." They are environments where the artist, the artwork, and which sections of bamboo flooring were fastened into a flexible, the viewer become one.•

Winter '06 43 ON THE BOOKSHELF]

English's Fultz Wins ilia Alamo Revisit/ Award for Book on Toni Morrison Toni Morrison Playing with Dif- ference, a penetrating study of Morrison's work by Lucille Fultz, MOM 00110A18110.1 has garnered the 2005 Toni Mor- Few calls to arms are more memorable or rousing than this simple sentence, and for good rison Society Book Award reason. It recalls ultimate sacrifice and heralds triumph pulled from the depths of defeat. The award honors outstanding Indeed, the Alamo is such an indelibly etched icon of American history that it—and its books about Morrison, recipient defenders—have attained near-mythic proportions. of the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Be lovedand the 1993 Nobel Prize in James Crisp '68 has heeded that call to arms Literature and considered one of as few have in the 170 years since the Alamo's The result is an interest- America's most influential writ- fall. A historian on the faculty of the Universi- ing, nonacademic, and ers Fultz, an associate professor ty of North Carolina at Raleigh, he has spent of English, received the award in much of his career attempting to regain the alternate view not only core truths that lie behind the mythos of the July at the biennial conference of Texas Revolution. The search has led to some of several decisive mo- the Toni Morrison Society (TMSI, startling conclusions, a bit of acrimonious ments in Texas history an author society of the American debate, and at least one relatively humorous but of the ways Literature Association threat of physical violence by a blue-haired history member of the Daughters of the Republic of can be distorted. The society praised Fultz's book, Texas. But through it all, Crisp has defended which was published in 2003 for its his position with a resolve The chapters that sophisticated and nuanced mapping that would have made William Travis, Davy follow delve into sev- of Morrison's ideological and artistic r\T eral much-debated Crockett, and Jim 1LT X-II development from her first book, Bowie proud. He does elements of the Texas The Bluest Eye(1970) to Paradise so again in Sleuthing the Revolution, includ- II ing speeches purport- 1998) The award committee Alamo: Davy Crockett's Last Stand and Other edly delivered by Sam noted, "Fultz not only elegantly Mysteries ofthe Texas Houston but that are synthesizes multiple strands of Revolution (Oxford Uni- 4 uncharacteristic of the Morrison scholarship, but she also versity Press, 2005). Texas commander- in-chief and the diary invites the reader to participate in Sleuthing the Alamo is, in Crisp's own words,"a ! of Jose Enrique de la this process, to accompany her on distillation of my schol- ) Pena, which baldly her intellectual journey. As such, arly work in all its facets states that Davy Crock- ett did not die during what Morrison succeeds in doing in over more than a de- cade," but the story takes the Battle of the Alamo her novels—'to provide the places root in his confessional but was executed after- and spaces so that the reader can Last ward. A later chapter prologue, which recounts CrocItett's ReoolotiStando* 'foxes the delivers an analysis of participate'—Fultz achieves in her the distortions regard- Davy PlyStOriOS of Other the various paintings own criticism." ing the Alamo that were sict CRISP that celebrate the Alamo doled out to him and other E. Described as "one of the most JA.VIES Texas grade school stu- defenders' last stand, as comprehensive studies to date of dents in the 1950s. In fact, well as other battles of Morrison," Playing with Differ- as Crisp hints in the pro- the Texas Revolution. Some of the material in Sleuthing the Alamo ence explores Morrison's body logue, his long search for the truth about the Alamo and the Texas Revolution may was covered in Crisp's article "Texas History, of work, uncovering the interplay be as much personal penance as an attempt Texas Mystery," which appeared in the Febru- between differences—love and to clarify a century and a half of misinfor- ary—March 1995 issue of Sallyport, but here it is given greater depth and benefits from an ad- hate, masculinity and femininity, mation. Certainly, as Crisp grew older and became more aware of the darker side of ditional decade of research. The result is an in- black and white, past and present, Texas—and by extension, American—histo- teresting, nonacademic, and alternate view not wealth and poverty—that lie atthe ry, he also had to deal with the darker con- only ofseveral decisive moments in Texas histo- heart ofthese vibrant and complex sequences of his own upbringing in rural ry but of the ways history can be distorted—as often from carelessness or cultural bias as from narratives. Southern culture, even as that culture was facing the imperative of desegregation. deliberate misrepresentation.• —Christopher Dow

44 Rice Sallyport [ ON THE BOOKSHELF]

Soulful Collection the New Mexican Benny, and Verdiano, a young man from Mexico who is going to Tells Stories of Chimayo to ask for good luck in his upcom- Beyond Enlightenment: Occultism and Politics New Mexico Pilgrims ing marriage. After Verdiano is struck by a in Modern France, by David Allen Harvey '93, car and lies dying beside the road, a crowd assistant professor of history at New College Florida (Northern Illinois University Press, Lisa Sandlin '73 takes New Mexico's claim to gathers around him,including Benny and of 2005) be the State of Enchantment quite seriously. Catherine. Sandlin's painstaking account of Although she teaches at Wayne State College Verdiano's death and its effect on his fellow Chaucer and Clothing: Clerical and Academic pilgrims is both moving and bracing. Later, Costume in the "General Prologue" to the in Nebraska,she hassummered in New Mexico in the whimsical "The Career of Saint Li- Canterbury Tales, by Laura F. Hodges '85 1974, so it's no surprise that, in her third since brada," we return to the death scene as an (Boydell & Brewer, 2005) collection of short stories,In the RiverProvince unlikely folk saint is supernaturally recruited The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (Southern Methodist University Press, 2004), to carry a message to the dying man's fian- of 1974: A Political History, by James Wooten the roads of her adopted state are filled with cee in Ciudad Juarez. '81, associate professor of law at the State Buffalo (University pilgrims. University of New York at of California Press and the Milbank Memorial Fund, 2005) Many of these pilgrims are en route to a sanctuary at Chimayo, a New World Global Perspectives on Industrial Lourdes, where the crippled and damaged Transformations in the American South, by are cured. The pilgrims' wounds might Michele Gillespie '83, the Kahle Associate be physical—abandoned crutches line the Professor of History at Wake Forest University, and Susanna Delfino (University of Missouri church's walls. But they also are emotional Press, 2005) and spiritual, as in the case of Andy C'de Vaca, who makes the traditional Good Fri- How to Get a Job in Europe, by Cheryl day pilgrimage to request that the thorn of Matherly, assistant dean of student affairs unrequited love finally be removed—after and director of Rice's Career Services Center decades—from his broken heart. (Planning Communications, 2004) C'de Vaca (his name is a variant of Ca- I Am a Man!:Race, Manhood, and the beza de Vaca, which is one of the nuggets Civil Rights Movement, by Steve Estes '94, ofinformation that makes the book feel so assistant professor of history at Sonoma State deeply grounded in New Mexican reality) University (University of North Carolina Press, makes his pilgrimage in the story "I Loved 2005) You Then, I Love You Still," but the reader Leadership Communication, by Deborah doesn't learn if he's finally able to forget Barrett, senior lecturer in management the high-school love who broke his heart. and director and instructor of management That's because Sandlin is more interested communications at Rice(McGraw Hill, 2005) in the process of pilgrimage than in its re- Overachievement: The New Model for sults. Readers follow Andy through several Sandlin closes the collection with a Exceptional Performance, by John Eliot, phases of his life: high-school romantic, lecturer in kinesiology at Rice (Penguin, 2004) Vietnam medic, honest cop, and disillu- masterpiece that snaps the rest of the col- sioned cabinetmaker, but Sandlin finishes lection into focus. "The Saint of Biloca- Shock Cities: The Environmental the story with Andy still marching toward tion" is a highly researched account of the Transformation and Reform of Manchester Chimayo. Although Andy wants to make his Inquisition's investigation into the miracu- and Chicago, by Harold L. Platt '74, professor (University of pilgrimage in solitary peace, a pair of sisters lous career ofSor Maria de Agreda, a 17th- of history at Loyola University Chicago Press, 2005) attach themselves to him despite his efforts century Spanish nun who apparently was to avoid them. Now,walking beside them, granted the ability to appear in two places Wanderers Between Two Worlds: German Andy savors the "perspective that those oth- at once—Spain and "the River Province," Rebels in the American West, 1830-1860, by er days visited by loneliness and regret are as New Mexico was originally known to the Douglas Hale '52, professor emeritus of history the illusion, that this day is the real day." Spanish. She reportedly was able to zip back at Oklahoma State University (Xlibris, 2005) forth between the convent and the New Sandlin often plays with time—characters and The West: Encounters and Transformations, who have a starring role in one story pop World to aid in the conversion of the Native by Michael Maas, professor of history up again in another, deepening the sense of Americans. Fray Antonio, a missionary who and director of the Ancient Mediterranean connection between the characters and the for eight years labored in the River Province, Civilizations Program at Rice, Brian P Levack, New Mexican landscape they inhabit. Andy is brought in to examine her testimony and and Meredith Veldman (Pearson Longman, C'de Vaca gets two stories, and while, in a pass his own judgment as to its accuracy. 2003) Knowing how the Inquisition disposes of sense, he feels like the book's protagonist, Women Medievalists and the Academy, edited he doesn't ask for very much out of life and heretics, Fray Antonio realizes Sor Maria's by Jane Chance, professor of English at Rice simply plows ahead, doing his duty and al- life hangs in the balance of his report. Pious (University of Wisconsin Press, 2005) ways on the lookout for grace. man that he is, Fray Antonio is afraid to be- The Question of the Animal, The collection begins with "'Orita on lieve. His struggle to accept the majestically Zoontologies: edited by Cary E. Wolfe, the Bruce and Chimayo," a graceful but inexplicable forms a coda for Sandlin's entire the Road to Elizabeth Dunlevie Professor of English at Rice collection, and Sor Maria's straightforward complex piece of storytelling that follows a (University of Minnesota Press, 2003) multiethnic group of pilgrims on the Good acceptance of heavenly magic gives In the Friday pilgrimage. Sandlin shifts the point of River Province its beautiful soul.• view skillfully between the Anglo Catherine, —David Theis

Winter '06 45 WHO'S WHO

Richards-Kortum Joins Rice to Lead detection of cancer. methods of screening for prein- Bioengineering Program She recently received a five- vasive cervical cancer. year, $8 million grant from the "This is an incredibly exciting National Cancer Institute to de- time to be joining Rice," Rich- Award-winning biomedical researcher Rebecca Richards-Kortum, velop miniature, disposable mi- ards-Kortum says. "I'm look- a leader inthe development of noninvasive screening methods for croscopes that doctors can use ing forward to playing an active cervical cancers and precancers, has joined the faculty of Rice's to rapidly diagnose tumor geno- role in helping to shape future types for lung, oral, and cervical collaborations with the Texas Department of Bioengineering. cancers without conducting a Medical Center and continuing biopsy. The project—a collab- to develop premier educational orative effort with researchers and research programs in bioen- Richards-Kortum became the complementary with the work from M.D. Anderson Cancer gineering." chair of the bioengineering ofseveral groups in our De- Center, the British Columbia Richards-Kortum received a department this fall when she partment of Bioengineering, Cancer Agency, the University bachelor ofscience in physics joined the faculty as the Stanley and her strong ties to the Texas of Arizona, and the UT Health and mathematics, with high- C. Moore Professor of Bioen- Medical Center further Rice's Science Center—Houston—in- est distinction, from the Uni- gineering. She comes to Rice goal of developing robust links volves the identification of versity of Nebraska—Lincoln in

This is an incredibly exciting time to be joining Rice. I'm looking forward to playing an active role in helping to shape future collaborations with the Texas Medical Center and continuing to develop premier educational and research programs in bioengineering." —Rebecca Richards-Kortum

from the Department of Bio- between our bioengineering unique molecular markers for 1985. She earned her master's medical Engineering at the Uni- programs and those at research each tumor type, the develop- and doctoral degrees in medi- versity of Texas—Austin (UT). institutions throughout the Gulf ment of contrast agents that will cal physics from the Massachu- "Dr. Richards-Kortum is a Coast region." bind to those markers, and the setts Institute of Technology in rising star and a dynamic lead- Richards-Kortum's research development of the microscopic 1987 and 1990, respectively. er," says C. Sidney Burrus, the centers on new, noninvasive probes containing the markers. She joined UT's electrical and Maxfield and Oshman Profes- cancer detection technologies A laser probe developed by computer engineering depart- sor Emeritus of Electrical and that use high-resolution, optical Richards-Kortum and M.D. ment in 1990 and was one of Computer Engineering and imaging; the use of fluorescent Anderson's Michele Follen cur- the founding members of UT's former dean of Rice's George imaging agents for cancer de- rently is in multicenter clinical Department of Biomedical En- R. Brown School of Engineer- tection; biophysical studies of trials for early detection of cervi- gineering in 2001. ing. "Her cutting-edge research the light-scattering properties cal cancer and precancer. The in laser spectroscopy, biophys- of cells and tissues; and the use probe uses fluorescence spec- ics, and diagnostic imaging is of fiber-optic sensors for in vivo troscopy to develop automated

46 Rice Sallyport WHO'S WHO

hat really motivates me is David Leebron's vision for Rice as articulated in the Call to Conversation. It very exciting, very bold, and I want to help him and his team implement it." —Kevin Kirby

Rice Names New VP president at CalTech. Kathy Col- tine, public health, dentistry, and responsible for all the nonmedi- for Administration lins was named vice president for nursing, as well as the Graduate cal functions ofthe $1.2-billion finance in May. School ofArts and Sciences and a institute. Previously, he held sev- The search committee was "very commercial biotechnology incuba- eral management positions with Kevin Kirby, former chief operat- enthusiastic" about Kirby's candi- tor. He supervised the majority of the Army Research Laboratory officer and vice president ing dacy, said Matthews,dean ofthe administrative functions and served and the Army Laboratory Com- for administration at Columbia VViess School of Natural Sciences. on the management team oversee- mand,served on the staff ofthe University Medical Center, has "Kevin Kirby brings a unique ing the university's development of White House Office ofScience and taken the reins as Rice's new vice combination ofexperience and a new 20-acre campus. Technology Policy, and was science role ofvice presi- Whitaker,former dean of Rice's advisor for the Army Forces Com- president for administration. insight to the dent for administration," she said. Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of mand and research engineer for the "I am delighted that Kevin Kirby "The fit of his expertise and inter- Management and professor emer- Army Materials Technology Lab. has accepted the position ofvice est with our needs for the next itus of business economics, sees Kirby holds a bachelor ofscience president for administration," said phase ofthe university's develop- Kirby's experience working in a in chemical engineering from Syra- Rice president David W.Leebron. ment is particularly compelling." medical center as a key positive at- cuse University, a master of science "His wide-ranging experience and Kirby said he looks forward tribute, due to Rice's proximity to from Massachusetts Institute of knowledge ofhigher education to his new position at Rice. and many research collaborations Technology in management,and

"Kevin Kirby brings a unique combination of experience and insight to the role of vice presidentfor administration.The fit of his expertise and interest with our needs for the next phase of the university's development is particularly compelling, and we are delighted

that he will be joining Rice." —Kathleen Matthews make him the perfect choice for "What really motivates me is with the Texas Medical Center. another master's degree in social our leadership team. I commend David Leebron's vision for Rice as "Kevin was dearly an outstand- and organizational learning from the search committee and its co- articulated in the Call to Conver- ing candidate, and he will add George Mason University. He cur- chairs, Kathleen Matthews and sation," he said. "It's very excit- value to the administration at rently is working on his doctorate Gilbert Whitaker,for producing ing, very bold, and I want to help Rice—first, because ofhis intel- in higher education management such an outstanding candidate. him and his team implement it." ligence, and second, because ofhis at the University of Pennsylvania. They did a superb job." Kirby has nearly 30 years of knowledge ofhigher education and Kirby is no stranger to Texas. He Kirby was chosen after a na- experience working for research medical centers," Whitaker said. was born in Port Arthur, and his tional search was launched when organizations in both technical Before joining Columbia, Kirby wife, Susan, is from San Antonio. two new divisions were created and administrative capacities. In his was executive officer and acting They have two sons—Jake, 13, to handle finance and administra- former position, he was respon- deputy director for the National and Ty,9. Is tion, previously a single position sible for the execution ofstrategy Institute of Neurological Disor- —Margot Dimond held by Dean Currie, who left for the $1.2 billion medical center ders and Stroke at the National last year to become executive vice comprised ofthe schools of medi- Institutes of Heath, where he was

Winter '06 47 WHO'S WHO

— Vicki Whamond Bretthauer — Janice Suber McNair — Robert McNair — David Alexander — Eva Haverkamp In the News — Caroline Levander — Randi Martin — Richard Tapia — Michael Deem — Rebekah Drezek — Marcia O'Malley --Sidney Burrus -- Robert Curl — Joyce Farwell — Graham Glass — Werner Kelber — William Leeman — Ronald Sass — Gale Stokes — Sandra Gilbert — Greg Williams —Cynthia Wilson — Ronda Platt

Alumna Bretthauer Joins Board Jones School Building Named Active in the Houston community, a recipient of the 2004 Presidential as ARA Representative for McNairs McNair is a current or past mem- Early Career Award for Scientists Vicki Whamond Bretthauer '79 The newest building on the Rice ber of the boards of trustees of a and Engineers, one of the nation's was named to the Rice University campus, the 167,000-square-foot number of institutions in addition foremost honors for professionals Board of Trustees as the represen- home of the Jesse H. Jones Gradu- to Rice, including Baylor College at the outset of their independent tative of the Association of Rice ate School of Management, has of Medicine; the Museum of Fine research careers. Alumni (ARA). She will serve a been officially named Janice and Arts, Houston; Houston Grand Op- Alexander, the Andrew Hayes four-year term. Robert McNair Hall by the Rice era; Greater Houston Partnership; Buchanan Associate Professor of A 22-year veteran of the airline Board of Trustees. Greater Houston Convention and Astrophysics and associate professor industry, Bretthauer is a consultant Robert McNair, chair and chief Visitors Bureau;the Free Enterprise of physics and astronomy, was one with DLS Associates, a transporta- executive officerof the McNairGroup Institute; and the Federal Reserve of 58 researchers honored in a White tion consulting firm specializing and majority owner of the Houston Bank of Dallas. House ceremony June 13. in resource planning, scheduling, Texans, served on the Rice Board of Janice Suber McNair also is well A member of the Rice faculty and operations management. She Trustees from 1994 to 2002 and as known in the Houston community since 2003, Alexander specializes also is an advisor/investor with honorary co-chair of the Rice: The for her philanthropic and civic com- in the study of the sun. His work in Waverly Capital on an airline start- Century Campaign, which mitment. With her husband, she the fields of solar and solar terres- up in China. Next concluded year. He his established the Robert and Janice trial physics spans theory, model- An active alumna, she is a last and McNair Foundation, which provides ing, simulation, and data analysis. member of the alumni board, past wife, Janice, who serves with him significant support to a wide variety He has helped develop models of president of the ARA, and chairs as a Rice Associate and member of charitable, scientific, literary, edu- solar flares and worked on a range the Rice alumni group in Chicago. of the William Marsh Rice Society, cational, and religious organizations. of other problems, including She also serves on the Council of made the largest gift to the $502.7 coro- She Overseers for the Jesse H. Jones million campaign in support of the also is a strong supporter of the nal heating, 3-D simulations of the Graduate School of Management Jones School.Through the Houston Houston Zoo, where the Janice Su- corona, large-scale eruptions, coro- and has served on the Rice board Texans, the McNairs also helped to ber McNair Asian Elephant Habitat nal mass ejections, and magnetic committee on resource develop- underwrite a sports management has been open since 1994. reconnection. ment and alumni affairs. program at the Jones School. The McNairs' past gifts to Rice Throughout his career, Alexan- Bretthauer, who lives in Florida McNair is perhaps best known include funding to endow the chair der has been active in the areas and Chicago, has an MBA from the in the business community as the of the director of the James A. Baker of education and public outreach. Kellogg School at Northwestern founder of Cogen Technologies, one III Institute for Public Policy. He works regularly with NASA's University in marketing and op- of the world's largest cogeneration Sun—Earth Connections Education erations. She is a member of the companies, which was sold in 1999. Forum, and he created the suc- Astrophysics' Alexander Earns business advisory committee for cessful Solar Week educational The McNair Group oversees an White House Honor the transportation center at North- investment portfolio that includes program, which offers teachers western and is a frequent lecturer Rice University astrophysicist cogeneration assets in the eastern a weeklong series of web-based at the center. David Alexander has been named United States. educational activities designed to

48 Rice Sallyport INHO'S WHO

Vicki Whamond Robert McNair Eva Haverkamp Caroline Levander Randi Martin Richard Tapia Bretthauer

spark students interest in science. Levander Chosen as Director ers on the humanities at the third monthly peer-reviewed journal. JER For more information, visit www. of Center for the Study of Cultures International Conference on New LMC features original experimental Perspectives in the Disciplines at studies on basic processes of cog- solarweek.org. Now in its 18th year, Rice's Cen- the University of Cambridge, U.K., nition, learning, memory, imagery, ter for the Study of Cultures has where she gave a talk on the role conceptformation, problem solving, welcomed Associate Professor of Haverkamp Named Radcliffe of centers in international research decision making, thinking, reading, Fellow English Caroline Levander as its initiatives. and language processing—fields new director. The center's goal is to Eva Haverkamp, the Anna Smith Levander's research areas include that dovetail with Martin's areas of bring together faculty and scholars Fine Assistant Professor of His- 19th-century American literature expertise. from the humanities and social sci- tory, recently was named a 2005 and race, gender, and cultural stud- Martin's research focuses on the ences to discuss common interests Radcliffe Institute fellow at Harvard ies. She is the author of numerous cognitive mechanisms involved in and connect them with the greater University. She was among 51 articles appearing, most recently, language comprehension and pro- world through conferences,lectures, women and men selected from in American Literature, American duction in people with brain damage symposia, and workshops. a pool of 782 applicants. Literary History, and Studies in as well as in people with healthy Levander, a member of the Rice Radcliffe Institute fellowships, American Fiction, and she is the brains. A long-standing research faculty since 2000, will work to which run from September to author or editor of several books interest in her lab is the relation increase the center's national pro- June, are designed to support and anthologies. between short-term memory and file and initiatives and oversee its scholars, scientists, artists, and language processing. She also existing programs, which include writers of exceptional promise studies speech production and the postdoctoral fellowships supported and accomplishment who wish Psychology Chair Named Journal processes involved in word, phrase, the Andrew Mellon Foundation Editor to pursue work in academic and by and sentence production. She con- seminars sponsored professional fields and in the and graduate Randi Martin, the Elma Schneider ducts research on the structure of Foundation, National creative arts. Fellows live in the by the Mellon Professor of Psychology and chair reading and writing systems as well, forthe Boston area as they pursue their Endowment Humanities Dis- of the Department of Psychology, examining patients with different projects, chosen by the selection tinguished Visiting Scholars and the has been named editor of the Jour- types of reading disorders to test committee for their quality and Autrey Visiting Professors,as well as nal of Experimental Psychology: models of reading. long-term impact. workshops and conferences. Learning, Memory, and Cognition A fellow of the APA, the Ameri- Haverkamp's project, Christians Since her term began in July, (JEP:LMC). can Psychological Society, and and Jews at the Time of the First Levander has been involved in the She is the firstfemale editor of this the American Association for the Crusade: Contours of Interactions, Consortium for Humanities Centers scientific journal and its first editor Advancement of Science, Martin continues her research of the and Institutes,an association of more specializing in neuropsychology.The has been associate editor of the Jewish and Christian historical than 150 centers and institutes from American Psychological Associa- journals Cognitive Neuropsychol- experience in medieval Northern around the globe aimed at fostering tion (APA)—the largest association ogyand Psychonomic Bulletin and Europe. cross-disciplinary activity. She also of psychologists worldwide, with Reviewand has served on a number joined the world's leading think- 150,000 members—publishes the of other editorial boards.

Winter '06 49 WHO'S WHO

Michael Deem Rebekah Drezek Marcia O'Malley Sidney Burrus Robert Curl Werner Kelber

Hispanic Pioneer Tapia Earns "Rice University has provided the Academy of Medicine, Engi- tions—Rice, Cornell University, and University's Top Academic Title an excellent environment for me to neering, and Science of Texas; and GE Global Research—had three Texas Science Rice University has announced pursue my dreams and objectives," a member of the invited participants. the promotion of Richard Tapia Tapia says. "Over the years, the Hall of Fame. The event brings together young to the school's highest academic administration has been unusually Tapia's leadership also has earned engineering researchers who are title of University Professor. He supportive of my programs and Rice national accolades for its mi- performing cutting-edge work in a ideas. I am deeply honored by this nority outreach programs. He is becomes only the sixth person variety of disciplines. The partici- recognition. It validates the activities the director of the university's Al- and the first mathematician to be pants were chosen from a field of that I believe in and represent." liances for Graduate Education in given that title. 220 applicants nominated by fellow Tapia is internationally renowned the Professoriate Program, which Tapia, who joined Rice's faculty in engineers or organizations. 1970,is an award-winning mathema- for his research in numerical optimi- is funded by the National Science The symposium explored aspects tician and the first Hispanic named zation methods. He has authored Foundation. This highly recognized of identification and verification tech- to the nation's highest scientific or co-authored two books and program provides opportunities for nologies,the engineering of complex governing body,the National Science more than 80 research papers and both undergraduate and graduate systems,engineering fordeveloping Board. He also is the first Hispanic directly supervised 31 doctoral stu- students in science, math, and elected to the prestigious National dents. His service to Rice includes engineering to participate in uni- communities, and energy. Academy of Engineering. a longstanding commitment to the versity activities and work during Deem, the John W. Cox Profes- "Appointments to the rank of Department of Computational and the summer under the guidance sor in Biochemical and Genetic University Professor are reserved Applied Mathematics (CAAM), of Rice faculty researchers. Engineering and professor of phys- for exceptionally eminent faculty which he helped found and build. ics and astronomy, specializes in whose experience and interests Tapia served as chair of CAAM from statistical mechanics, specifically Rice Garners Three Invites suit them for a broad role in the 1978 to 1983. the computer simulation of complex to Coveted Symposium intellectual life of the university," Nationally, Tapia is best known for molecularsystems. He is interested Rice president David Leebron his efforts to increase participation Three of Rice University's top in four main areas of research: the of underrepresented minorities in explains. "The stature of Richard young engineering faculty—Mi- adaptive immune system response, science and engineering. In 1996, chael Tapia's scientific accomplishments Deem,Rebekah Drezek,and cancer vaccines, protein structure is matched by his passion for and his longtime efforts earned him Marcia O'Malley—were selected and drug discovery, and zeolite commitment to improving the op- the Presidential Award for Science, to participate in the National Acad- structure and nucleation. His group portunities for underrepresented Mathematics, and Engineering emy of Engineering's 11th annual uses both simulation and analytical minorities in science and engineer- Mentoring. That same year, he Frontiers of Engineering symposium statistical mechanics to attack these ing education." again earned White House recog- in September. The event draws problems. Tapia also has been awarded nition when he was appointed by talent from academia, industry, Rice's Maxfield and Oshman Profes- President Clinton to the National and government, and in 2005 only Drezek, the Stanley C. Moore sorship in Engineering. He serves Science Board. 88 engineers ages 30 to 45 were Assistant Professor in Bioengineer- as associate director of graduate Tapia is a founding member of invited to attend. ing and professor of electrical and studies at Rice and director of the the Society for the Advancement No institution received more computer engineering, conducts university's Center for Excellence of Chicanos and Native Americans than three invitations for general translational biomedical research at and Equity in Education. in Science; an original member of participants, and only three institu- the interface between nanobiotech-

50 Rice Sallyport [ WHO'S WHO]

Ronald Sass Gale Stokes Greg Williams Cynthia Wilson

nology and biophotonics. In particu- of chemistry; Werner Kelber, the Alum Williams Named New Head Wilson previously worked as an lar, her laboratory is developing new Isla Carroll and Percy E. Turner Pro- Women's Basketball Coach executive search consultant, leading Studies; high-level searches for Fortune 100 molecular imaging technologies for fessor Emeritus of Biblical Rice alumnus Greg Williams '70, emeri- companies. Before that, she served improved detection, diagnosis, and William Leeman, professor who has been a head coach at as communications specialist for monitoring of breast, ovarian, and tus of earth science; Ronald Sass, two major colleges and in three McKinsey &Company Inc., design- endometrial cancer. the Harry C. and Olga Keith Wiess professional leagues, is the new ing and executing communications O'Malley, assistant professor in Professor Emeritus of Natural Sci- head women's basketball coach and cultural change strategies for mechanical engineering and ma- ences in Ecology and Evolutionary for the Owls. Fortune 500 clients. terials science, is director of the Biology; and Gale Stokes,the Mary Williams was a three-year letter- Since Wilson no longer will be Mechatronics and Haptic Interfaces Gibbs Jones Professor Emeritus man for the Owls basketball team devoting all of her time to the Lab, which studies the use of ro- of History. under head coach Don Knodel from president's office, a new executive 1967 to 1969,earning all-Southwest botic devices in virtual and remote assistant has been named. Ronda environments. Her current research Conference honors in 1969. Wil- Sandra Gilbert Receives Award Platt will provide administrative interests include the development liams replaces Cristy McKinney, for Work in Humanities support for President David Leebron who was named of new techniques for the display head coach at and will be the primary contact for Clemson of augmented feedback in virtual Rice's Centerforthe Studyof Cultures University. all scheduling, logistics, and travel environments; the implementa- (CSC) has been called "the intellec- needs. tion and study of haptic feedback tual backbone of the humanities." If Wilson Named New —Reported by B. J. Almond, Jade in simulated and remote environ- that'strue, Sandra Gilbert givesthat Assistant Boyd, Margot Dimond, Jennifer Evans, backbone its muscle.Since2001, she to the Board ments,including associated control and Lindsey Fielder issues; and the design and control has served as associate director of After spending a year as the ex- of wearable robotic devices for the CSC, organizing and administer- ecutive assistant to the president, rehabilitation and training. ing about 50 academic events, from Cynthia Wilson has been appointed lecturesto symposia and conferences; the new assistant to the Rice Uni- managing the center's visiting-scholar, versity Board of Trustees. She still Board Approves Emeritus Status teaching-releasefellowship,and post- will have duties in the Office of the for Eight Faculty Members doctoral programs;and handling CSC President,acting as a liaison between Eight faculty members have joined public relations. the office and the board. the ranks of professors emeriti. They For this dedication and hard work, Wilson came to Rice in 2003 during are Sidney Burrus, the Maxfield Gilbert recently was recognized with the search for the seventh president and Oshman Professor Emeritus Rice University's Distinguished Em- of the university, then stayed to work of Engineering; Robert Curl, Uni- ployee Award.The award is given by in the office of the new president to versity Professor Emeritus and the human resources department on help with the transition. Her position the Pitzer-Schlumberger Professor behalf of the university to recognize as assistant to the board also will Emeritus of Natural Sciences; Joyce employees who perform above and be during a time of transition. Jim Farwell, professor emerita of voice; beyond their job descriptions to the Crownover took over the position Graham Glass, professor emeritus benefit of the Rice community. of board chair July 1.

Winter '06 51 COREBOARD1

Todd Graham Named New Head Football Coach

Todd Graham has been named Rice Graham's players at Allen were former 60th that season. Tulsa's defense also University's 17th head football coach, Owls B J. Forguson (1998-2000, 2002) ranked 11th in pass defense efficiency, replacing Ken Hatfield as the leader of and Chad Richardson (1996-99) 16th in pass defense,an improvement of the Rice program. Hatfield resigned on Graham then spent two years as an 28 spots, and 72nd in scoring defense, November 30 after 12 seasons as the Owls' assistant coach at West Virginia Univer- an improvement of 29 spots in the na- head coach. sity, under head coach Rich Rodriguez. tional rankings from the previous year. There, he was the defensive scheme In Western Athletic Conference play, Graham started his coaching career in coordinator and safeties coach in 2002 the Hurricane defense ranked first in 1988 at Poteet High School in Mesquite, after coaching the linebackers in 2001. In pass defense, second in total defense Texas, where,in three seasons, his teams 2002, the Mountaineer defense ranked and pass defense efficiency, and third compiled a 25-5 record. Since then, Gra- 33rd nationally in total defense and 30th in scoring defense ham has played major roles in reversing in rush defense He helped VVVU im- In 2004, the Tulsa defense ranked the fortunes of struggling programs at prove from a 3-8 mark to a 9-3 record 22nd nationally in pass defense This the high school and college levels, includ- in his second season, registering wins past season, the Hurricane improved to ing at his first collegiate coaching job as over nationally-ranked Virginia Tech and 13th in pass efficiency defense and also defensive coordinator at East Central Pittsburgh was fourth nationally in turnover margin, University in Ada, Oklahoma His three In 2003, Graham wentto the University gaining an average 1 38 turnovers per seasons with the Tigers saw ECU improve of Tulsa, where he served as assistant game Tulsa led C-USA in both statistical from a break-even program to the NAIA head coach, defensive coordinator, and categories, and one of Graham's position national championship in 1993 secondary coach under Steve Kragthorpe players, junior safety Nick Graham, led He was head coach at Carl Albert High There, he helped the Hurricane jump the league with six interceptions School in Midwest City, Oklahoma, in from 1-11 in 2002, prior to his arrival, to A native of the Dallas—Forth Worth area, 1994, ranking 10th in the state's final an 8-4 record in 2003 The Hurricane's Graham, 41, was an all-state defensive class 5A poll, before moving to Allen success continued with the 2005 Con- back at North Mesquite High He later High School north of Dallas in 1995 to ference USA championship and a 31-24 was a two-year NAIA all-America defen- serve as head coach and athletic director. win over Fresno State in the AutoZone sive back at East Central and three-time In the year prior to Graham's arrival, the Liberty Bowl Tulsa finished with a 9-4 all-conference performer. He signed as a program had no district wins, but Graham record in 2005 free agent with the NFL's St Louis Cardi- led the team to five playoff berths and Both the WVU and Tulsa turnarounds nals He earned bachelor's and master's two hi-district championships wins in were the best in NCAA Division I in degrees in education at East Central six seasons In 2000, Allen posted a 9-3 those seasons In Graham's first season University. He and his wife, Penni, have record and captured a Class 5A Division at Tulsa, the Hurricane's total defense six children Bo, Hank, Natalie, Haylee, II bi-district title, defeating four teams saw dramatic improvement, jumping Dakota, and Michael Todd Jr • ranked among the top 10 in Texas Among 49 spots from the previous year, to rank

52 Rice Sallyport MAKE A GIFT TO RICE THAT GIVES BACK TO You AND YOUR LOVED ONES

Michael Panos '52 and his sister, Effie

"NEVER FORGET THE SCHOOL THAT EDUCATES YOU."

These are the words that Michael Panos'52, his sister, And even though Effie attended another college, Effie, and their late brother, Gus'53, constantly heard her heart remains with Rice. from their parents, who emigrated from Greece to In appreciation for their education, and in memory Houston. They only had sixth-grade educations, and oftheir parents and Gus,Michael and Effie established they wanted their children to attain a college educa- a charitable remainder trust to benefit the university. tion so they could have greater opportunities in their They receive periodic payments of 5 percent of the personal careers. trust's annual value, and Rice maintains the principal They prayed that their children would attend Rice for an endowment that will benefit the mechanical because ofits excellent reputation and the fact that, engineering department. at the time, there was no tuition. Both Michael Michael encourages others to remember Rice."With- and Gus earned degrees in mechanical engineering out Rice,there would have been a lot ofpeople without from Rice and went on to achieve personal success. a college education in Houston."

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Photo by Tommy LaVergne

New York artist David Ellis, center, whose installation Conversation is currently at the Rice GaIle is flanked by two members of his art collective, The Barnstormers Max Fenton and Kenji a