Engineering students lend their experience to those who need it most. Elizabeth Moon's Path to the Stars 82. Serious II ord Play Thanks to the McMurtrys ay Says Goodbye RICE SALLYPORT • THE MAGAZINE OF RICE UNIVERSITY • SUMMER 2006 2 President's Message • 3 Letters • 6 Through the Sallyport Departments 16 Students • 37 Arts • 40 On the Bookshelf 42 Who's Who • 50 Scoreboard 2Outsourcing to it Rice to manage an 1 maquiladora factories intemational team- may seem economically production ofan beneficial on the surface innovative set of but could have hidden detectors for a premier costs not initially partide accelerator. apparent. la A Rice study looks into the facts and fictions Shelly Harvey's discovery ofIT outsourcing to 15 may not help you untie other countries. a tangled shoelace, but it will help topologists characterize the underlying mathematical structure ofcomplex surfaces like knots. Birth weight of male 12 infants is related to their later ability to learn and focus on visual stimuli. AL 11 The new "nanorice" 10 The world's first single-molecule vehicle gets its own engine. particle may find applications in cancer treatment, medical Rice's Medical Scientist An intoxication ofcolor diagnostics, molecular 16 Training Program links 39illuminates the Rice imaging,and chemical institutions to provide Gallery. sensing. doctors ofthe future with an interdisciplinary focus. Celebrating the struggle to 37 reach a higher plane with The Birth ofSomething. 20 Engineers Without Borders The practical experience gained by engineering students who participate in the Engineers Without Borders program is nothing compared to their feeling of accomplishment at providing clean water and electrical power for third-world villages. Features By Tracey Rhoades 26 Making Contact: Elizabeth Moon's Path to the Stars What does it mean to be "normal?" Best-selling science-fiction writer Elizabeth Moon has sought the answer throughout her unusual life and in her award-winning fiction. By Christopher Dow 34 R2 R2,the new Rice undergraduate literary magazine, gives nascent authors a venue for expression. By Ruth Samuelson Rice Sallyport Summer 2006, Vol. 62, No. 4 "Our students are amazing." That is a phrase I have heard often from faculty Published by the Division since the beginning of my involvement with Rice. Indeed, both the objective and subjective of Public Affairs Suzanne Gschwind, director of Web "amazingness" of Rice students was one of my main attractions to Rice. But what exactly and Print Communications makes our students amazing? Editor Of course, we are privileged to attract some of the most outstanding students from across Christopher Dow the nation and, increasingly, from across the world. (This fall's entering undergraduate class Editorial Director has twice as many foreign students as previous classes.) They are outstanding as measured on Tracey Rhoades the usual numerical criteria such as SAT or ACT scores and on their high school grade point Creative Director average or class rank. But that is not what makes them amazing—rather it is that they explore, Jeff Cox they create, they contribute, and they excel. Art Director Let me start with exploration, because without it, our students cannot realize their potential. Chuck Thurmon They must reach outside the familiar and explore themselves and the world. Our job at the Editorial Staff university, in large part, consists of maximizing students' opportunities for exploration, in Dana Benson, associate editor the classroom and outside of it. In this issue, we take note, in particular, of the Sarah Williams, assistant editor Christie Wise, production coordinator international explorations ofsome ofour students,funded both by Rice fellowships and scholarships such as the Wagoner and national competitive awards such as Design Staff Tommy LaVergne, photographer Fulbrights and Watsons. Our students will use this support to study in places Jeff Fitlow, assistant photographer from Argentina to Vietnam. The Rice University Board The second amazing thing about our students is their creativity and imagination. of Trustees Two of our schools are devoted, in large measure, to such creativity, namely the James W. Crownover, chair; J.D. Bucky Allshouse; D. Kent Anderson; Teveia School of Architecture and the Shepherd School of Music. But our students are Rose Barnes; Alfredo Brener; Vicki creating all across the campus,from the college-based theatre to the establishment Whamond Bretthauer, Robert T. Brockman; Albert Y. Chao; Robert L. Clarke;Edward of R2, a student-run magazine for student writing. It is no surprise, given the A. Dominguez; Bruce W. Dunlevie; Lynn "It is no surprise, creativity of our students, that we find our alumni engaged in a wide range of Laverty Elsenhans; Douglas Lee Foshee; given the creativity Susanne Morris Glasscock; Carl E. 1sgren; creative endeavors, from writing novels to producing movies. K. Terry Koonce; Michael R. Lynch; of our students, that Our cover story in this issue focuses on the third exceptional element of Rice Robert R. Maxfield; Steven L. Miller; M. we find our alumni Kenneth Oshman; Marc Shapiro; L. E. students, contribution. I was so moved and inspired when I attended a student Simmons; Robert B. Tudor III engaged in a wide presentation of the work of Engineers Without Borders, and I felt privileged range of creative Administrative Officers when the group asked me to address a national meeting of EVVB held at Rice. David W. Leebron, president; Kathy endeavors,from This is a student-created and student-led effort at Rice. It is wonderful to see our Collins, vice president for Finance; writing novels to Eric Johnson, vice president for students recognize that the opportunity to obtain knowledge and develop skills Resource Development; Kevin Kirby, producing movies." at Rice also creates an obligation to contribute. Our students have changed the vice presidentfor Administration; Eugene Levy,provost; Chris Munoz, vice president —David W. Leebron lives of people in Central America, in particular, and, in so doing, have learned for Enrollment; Scott W. Wise, vice valuable skills and life lessons. president for Investments and treasurer, Richard A.Zansitis„genera/ counsel; TBN, On another scale, many of our students, especially our graduate students, contribute to vice presidentfor Public Affairs. the pathbreaking research that takes place at Rice and helps advance human knowledge and All submissions to Sallyport are subject understanding. The research teams that produced nanocars in Jim Tour's laboratory and to editing for length, clarity, accuracy, nanorice in Naomi Halas's laboratory (with physics professor Peter Nordlander), mentioned appropriateness, and fairness to third parties. in this issue, included graduate students. All this might be enough to make our students amazing, but beyond that, they excel. They Sallyport is published by the Division of Public Affairs ofRice University and is sent excel in their drive to explore, they excel in their creativity, they excel in their contributions, to university alumni,faculty, staff, graduate and they excel in their learning. Creating the opportunity for such excellence, regardless ofthe students, parents of undergraduates, and friends of the university. financial backgrounds ofour students,is costly. In this issue, we cover the recent announcement of a $100 million campaign for scholarships. The college system at Rice also has been a key Editorial Offices Office of Publications—MS 95 feature in creating a climate for the pursuit of excellence and exploration, and we are very P.O. Box 1892 pleased to announce an expansion of the college system in anticipation of the growth of the Houston,Texas 77251-1892 university in the years to come. It is graduates and friends like Burt and Deedee McMurtry Fax: 713-348-6751 Email: [email protected] whose engagement and support make the "amazingness" of our students possible. Postmaster Send address changes to: Rice University Development Services—MS 80 P.O. Box 1892 Houston, TX 77251-1892 OSEPTEMBER 2006 RICE UNIVERSITY 2 Rice Sallyport LETTERS Letters 1,111910 "The winter 2006 issue of Sallyport is absolutely awful. Has Rice become the Berkeley of the South?" —Michael S. Adams '64 Our Own Facts and Fiction ter supply do not go back that far), private citizens to capture, collect,and both the legal issues and the practi- Rice has provided some or all of the hold protected wildlife outside of the cal problems we saw in Rice continu- Thanks for an interesting, education- campus domestic water supply from normal hunting and fishing laws. It ing in its present course with its live al article, "Rice Fact and Fiction," in groundwater through this well. We was a minor, if somewhat sore, spot mascots. The Rice representative ex- the winter 2006 edition of Sallyport. currently supply 42 million gallons a among some animal rights activists plained that poor maintenance on the I learned a lot and resolved some 40- year (about one-fifth) of the campus's who maintained contact with us that owl cage had allowed some animal year-old questions. domestic water from this well, and in some colleges in Texas were hold- to pry open a corner of the enclosure, However, in the interest of total ac- the past (1991) were legally allowed ing protected wildlife and displaying invade it, and kill both the owls. She curacy, as a member of the first class to withdraw as much as 180 million them as mascots. Notable were Baylor also explained that there were no more to pay tuition at Rice, let me assure gallons a year from this well. University's endangered black bears, owls at the university at that time and you that the first tuition charged at Concerns over land subsidence and, Texas A&I University's occasional ja- that none were likely until funds could Rice was $1,200, not $1,500 (answer as noted,the stability ofthe underground velinas, University of Houston's cou- be found to make the cage safer.