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ails.- archiro n the ice, cont,1: ic and cis th,u -war or ,- INGUA ff.. ga. , ARAHUMARkvis" - 1 , ,,.,••• -• rlildrri riP trIr': ri-/_rrP (‘Y• 7 C. i A r• -Nb) itz it.. — BY THE NUMBERS A LOOK AT THE RICE UNIVERSITY CLASS OF 2000 1996 APPLICATIONS PEATURE UNDER G TOTAL APPLICATIONS 7054 At Rice., forefront OFFERS OF ADMISSION 1731 FRESHMEN (INCL. TRANSFERS) 675 LINGUA A Rice 1 can ton! 1996 ADMISSIONS FROM TEXAS 316 THINicit NANOS FROM OTHER STATES 331 The cc( ence ar society INTERNATIONAL 28 TOTAL 675 WyporF.A1.t1996 EATURES UN DERGRADUATE RESEARCH AT RICE 14 At Rice, undergraduate students often find themselves in the forefront of major research. LINRAU LINGUA TARAHUMARA 22 A Rice linguist's study of an almost unknown Native Ameri- can tongue has made him almost one of the family. —DAVID D. MEDINA THINKING SMALL/THINKING BIG: THE FUTURE OF NA NOSCALE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 30 The economic and commercial implications of nanoscale sci- ence and technology promise to reverberate throughout our A P t V C N T society for decades to come. —MALCOLM GILLIS RETURN ADDRESSED THROUGH THE SALLYPORT 5 WHO'S WHO 36 GIFTS AND GIVING 36 ON THE BOOKSHELF 38 SEs & ACADEMs 40 SCOREBOARD 42 ALUMNI GAZETTE 45 CLASSNOTES 48 YESTERYEAR 73 FALL '96 1 FOREWORD THINKING Sallyport FALL 1996, VOL. 53, NO. 1 FORWARD AFFIF .Published hv the I)ItIsluttoI I s crsIty Athancement I am tempted to tell you that the time has again come for change, but the truth ' The la< EDITOR is, as has often been stated,that change is the only constant and is always here with ments Christopher Do, us. That Sallyport's readers at times see alterations in the publication's pages is affirm; nothing new; in fact, it would be surprising, and perhaps a bit disappointing, if Inc.0 ART DIRECTOR change was not evident over time. left( os Sallyport began in 1945 as a four- to eight-page newsprint tabloid that was, bethminor essentially, the university's newspaper. That role remained constant for twenty the al years, though the format occasionally changed size, and page count increased to poenptusl ; Suz twelve. For a time in the 1960s, Sallyport was even printed on coated paper, and during that same decade, general-interest feature stories began creeping in to ' ittyh tni ha ' Stavvv McDaniel Martin, production assistant augment the news and alumni-related pieces. By the early 1970s, the repertoire gfro Th:eteh had expanded to include the regular appearance of departments. the DEMON BTAF The mid-1980s, however, brought the first definitive change since Sallyport's inception, when Sallyport adopted a format that, while still a tabloid, was more akin to the style used in today's newspaper pull-out magazines. The cover was fr ow, Jr printed in two colors,the page count increased dramatically,and for the first time, 'caning features and departments superseded news items in terms of space allocation. THE RICE UNIVERSITY BOARD OF GOVERNORS Suddenly, Sallyport was no longer a newspaper. It was a magazine. acaiocsntntu acl ncoo Trustees: L. \VIIII.IIII Barnett, chair, I. I). Ills Allshotisc, If change tends to come at an ever-increasing rate, Sallyport is certainly no t.ni 13. Kent And C1,,11, I li_Ills Alt,ell, James .1 Baker. III exception. In 1987 Sallyport underwent another format alteration—to a large- 3 Hap: 1.1111511, B11111111 I. MI.:0111111, III, N Kidd. hto. style magazine format printed on coated paper and similar to Life Magazine—and R. lannin,„ Jr., Robert R. Nla‘lichi, 124,1,11( Nair, I-I again in 1991—to a small-style magazine format. And,just a year and a half ago, M. Reasoner, N sick A i10IIIII GO,1'1100 Matt wcoai ndni G(JrgeS, W. Bernard Pieper, Call .•1 S, hill, , Stephen I I wrote in this column of yet further changes. Smith. But a curious thing happens when I spread out issues of Sallyportfrom Volume ing OFFICERS 1, Number 1 until this first issue of Volume 53. All those changes that I have Malcolm Gillis, president; David H.Auston, provost; Zenaido reduced to the above nutshell history seem to vanish. Instead of looking at Camacho, vice president for Studcnt Affairs; Kathryn R. individual pieces that have changed, I see a single piece that has constantly Costello,vice president for UniversityAdvancement; Dean W. Currie, vice president for Finance and Administration; G. evolved. Indeed, a publication is like a living organism that goes through many Anthony Gorry, vice prcsidcnt for Information Technology; stages on its way to maturity and beyond. Sallyport is no different, nor should it rnylitioni Scott W. Wise, vice president for Investments be. Sallyport exists to share the sense of purpose and the excitement of Rice with sinso hmi- SALLYPORT EDITORIAL BOAR the various university audiences, and because the university itself is evolving, so poi John B. Boles '65, David Butler '80, Edie Carlson-Abbey, must Sallyport. In fact, as I write these words,the university is celebrating a major Chandler Davidson, Rachel Gicsber '89, Donna Martin '57, evolutionary step—the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Rice faculty ad Sara McDaniel '71, Karen Hess Rogers '68, Rebecca Greene ma Uddcn '73. Ex officio: Kathryn R. Costello, vice president fiir members Robert Curl and Richard Smalley for their discovery of University Advancement,Scott Biddy'86, associate vice presi- buckminsterfullerene. Please see the article about them on page 5,and then look dent for development and alumni affairs, Janet McNeill, assistant vice president for public affairs, Ann Greene '71, at "Thinking Small/Thinking Big" by Malcolm Gillis to see how their discovery director of alumni affairs, Jeff Cox, director of publications, is bearing multiple fruits at Rice. Christopher Dow, manager of editorial services, Karen Ostrum George '77, president of the Association of Rice As you read this and future issues of Sallyport, you will see differences in our Alumni, Stephanie Wardwell, president of the Graduate Stu- pages as we strive not only to bring you even more of Rice's excellence, diversity, dent Association, Maryana Iskandcr, president ofthe Student Association. and sense of academic adventure but to introduce a freshness that will better reflect these qualities. Therefore,I am tempted to tell you that the time has again Sallyport is published quarterly by the Division of University come for change, but that might not be perfectly accurate. Differences are not Advancement of Rice University and is sent to university_ necessarily change—often they are growth. alumni, faculty, staff, graduate students, parents of un graduates,and friends. Editorialofffies:(Mice ofPublican° 6 5620 Grcenbriar, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77005. Mail- ing address- 5620 Greenbriar, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77005. Fax:(7I3)831-4747. E-mail: <sallyporterice.edu Voluntary subscriptions to Sallyport are available for a $15 suggested contribution. POST14 AAAAA Send address changes to Sallyport, Office of Publications, 5620 Grecnbriar, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77005. D1996 RICE UNIVERSITY 0 SALLYPORT IS PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER. 2 SALLYPOR RETURN ADDRESSED AFFIRMATIVE ACTION demic achievement, then even using describes would have had students ex- the SAT for just the majority popula- pelled. But some of us, at least, appre- the truth The lack of academic rigor in the argu- tion would be a big mistake. This is ciate propriety and decency or, at the iere with ments espoused by the opponents of because ofthe low correlation between very least, are considerate of what the pages is • affirmative action has always puzzled predicting academic success when us- older Rice alums might think. nting, if Inc. One ofthe basic premises seems to ing only this one metric. That is why I, for one, was not amused and am be that since the average SAT score of admission offices go through the trouble confident that her irreverent attitude hat was, minorities is, in many cases,lower than of asking for high school transcripts. was offensive to the majority ofSallyport r twenty the average SAT score of the majority No studies have shown that they could readers. See "hook up." eased to Population, in the eyes of the oppo- predict who would succeed just as well Somehow I expected more out of per, and nents of affirmative action, the minor- by SAT scores alone versus SAT scores Rice graduates. ig in to ity students are somehow suspect. and other information. My SAT score pertoire The conclusion usually drawn is that was lower than the average of my fresh- ROSALIE L. MURDOCK 'Si the minority students who obtain de- man class. This did not prevent me Roanoke, Virginia flypores grees are somehow stigmatized because from being on the President's Honor is more of the average SAT score of the enter- Roll. I guess the admission staff at Rice ver was ing freshman class ofminority students. knew what to look for in addition to MORE ON AFFIRMATIVE St time, I cannot provide a definitive answer on test scores. ACTION cation. a nationwide basis as to whether the I was heavily recruited by MIT. 1 conclusion of stigmatization is true or chose Rice because I thought it was a I just got around to reading the Sum- Lnly no not. I have seen no evidence that an better environment for me to flourish mer '96 issue, and I am aghast and large- actual study was ever done on a nation- in than MIT. My decision was not appalled at the anti-affirmative action wide basis by the proponents of this solely based upon one number assigned comments in Steve Sailer's letter and in If ago, conclusion. I can say that for the Afri- to Rice by some rating organization.