Rice Magazine is published by the Office of Public Affairs of Rice University and is sent to university alumni, faculty, staff, graduate students, parents of undergraduates and friends of the university.

1. 14 | Children’s Campus •
| Work of Heart
11 • 4 | Environmental Puzzles • 41 | Emmy Winner
22 THE CENTENNIAL CAMPAIGN
32 GLOBAL HEALTH
36 RICE’S HIGH -TECH ADVANTAGE
44 THE TEXAS BOWL
Hot Coffee
Cool Conversation
BROCHSTEIN PAVILION TAKES OFF
Rice Magazine • No 1 • 2008 1

2. Contents
6
1
10 Biological processes
promise environmen-
tally friendly meth-
ods for producing
pharmaceuticals.
11 Rice engineers
helped develop the
14 Continued growth marks the Rice campus. world’s first artifi-
cial heart, and once
again they’re going
straight to the heart
of the matter.
38 Take a journey 13 ‘Smart’ shock absorbers
through Rice’s own are built to take the
“Fantastic Voyage.” quake.
42 How they collected 19 Rice students are
“things in which taking the brew-
we believe.” master’s art to new
— and healthier —
levels with BioBeer.
9 Find your path the
high-tech way with
Rice’s new interactive
online maps.
13 You might have more
in common with the
microscopic, sea-dwell-
ing Trichoplex than
you imagine.
On the cover: Build it and they will come. Brochstein Pavilion
has become a favorite campus gathering place.

3. Students
20 Young heart patients often
Features
face a lifetime of operations to
replace faulty valves. But not if
Elizabeth Stephens has anything
to say about it.
18 And the Austrian Mathematical
22 A Second Century of No Upper Limit Society’s award for best
Much has changed since Rice University master’s thesis goes to. ...
opened its doors in 1912, but the ideals that
have made Rice a powerhouse in education 18 One of the world’s largest
and research continue to drive its endeavors. producers of oil and gas and
By David W. Leebron alternative energy knows how
critical Rice graduates are to its
24 Rice: Living Its Vision For The business.
Second Century
Arts
With the launch of the Centennial Campaign,
Rice strengthens its legacy and looks toward
the future and its second century.
By Christopher Dow
39 Alert! Giant Styrobot and mutant
graphics take over Rice Gallery!
27 Three Big Ideas
40 Life’s ambiguities and the
The Centennial Campaign distills Rice’s future
inevitability of change mark
into three main areas.
filmmaker’s award-winning
work.
28 A Conversation
Centennial Campaign co-chairs Susanne M. 41 Emmy-winning cinematographer
Glasscock and Robert B. Tudor discuss what’s 22 found inspiration at Rice.
important for Rice and how the campaign will
move the university forward.
32 Global Health: Taking the Lead in Bookshelf
Education and Prevention 42 Poems of time, distance and
Solutions to the world’s most pressing health the contours of the American
issues won’t come from technology alone. Southwest
They’ll be driven by people with vision —
people like Rebecca Richards-Kortum and her 43 When navigating unknown
intrepid band of undergraduates. terrain, you need a good
By Deborah J. Ausman guidebook, and few know the
32 Middle East like Edward P.
36 Turning Rice Research into Reality Djerejian.
The Office of Technology Transfer is the
place where Rice-born technologies become
real-world products. Sports
By Mike Williams
44 Did you say, ”Texas Bowl?”
The Owls say, ”Bowl ‘em over!”
48 These two Rice Owls never met
a pass they didn’t like.
36
Rice Magazine • No. 2 • 2009 1

4. Rice Magazine
Vol. 65, No. 2
FOREWORD
Published by the
Office of Public Affairs
Is my dictionary trying to tell me some- Linda Thrane, vice president
thing? Immediately following the word Editor
Christopher Dow
“campaign” is “campanile.” It’s a serendip- Editorial Director
Tracey Rhoades
itous juxtaposition considering that Rice Creative Director
is embarking on an extraordinary fund- Jeff Cox
Art Director
raising campaign to ensure its legacy in Chuck Thurmon
the century to come, and the “Campanile” Editorial Staff
Merin Porter, staff writer
yearbook represents the personal legacy of Jenny West Rozelle, assistant editor
Photographers
alumni who have attended the university. Tommy LaVergne, photographer
Jeff Fitlow, assistant photographer
The Centennial Campaign is the boldest fundraising challenge in Rice’s history — the plan is to raise The Rice University Board
$1 billion by June 30, 2013, half of which was raised before the campaign’s public launch on Nov. 7, of Trustees
James W. Crownover, chair man; J.D.
2008. You can read about the campaign in this issue, from President David W. Leebron’s call to ac- Bucky Allshouse; D. Kent Anderson; Keith
tion, to campaign co-chairs Susie Glasscock and Bobby Tudor’s reasons for spearheading the effort, T. Anderson; Teveia Rose Barnes; Alfredo
to the specific ways Rice is approaching the future with targeted initiatives that will both strengthen Brener; Vicki Whamond Bretthauer; Robert
and enhance the university and its programs. T. Brockman; Nancy P. Carlson; Robert L.
Clarke; Bruce W. Dunlevie; Lynn Laverty
You’ll also read a lot of reasons to participate and support the campaign, and they’re good rea- Elsenhans; Douglas Lee Foshee; Susanne
sons. But look just as closely at the other stories in this issue — the stories about the researchers and Morris Glasscock; Robert R. Maxfield; M.
students at Rice who are making a real difference in lives of people like you and me the world over. Kenneth Oshman; Jeffery O. Rose; Lee H.
When you get down to it, people are what the Centennial Campaign is really all about. Rosenthal; Hector Ruiz; Marc Shapiro; L.
E. Simmons; Robert B. Tudor III; James S.
There’s no better place to start than the feature titled “Global Health: Taking the Lead in Education Turley.
and Prevention,” which tells how students in Rebecca Richards-Kortum’s Rice 360° program are
generating ideas and using a hands-on approach to create technologies that will help people in Administrative Officers
developing countries prosper in a safe and healthy environment. Or read about Elizabeth Stephens, David W. Leebron, president; Eugene Levy,
provost; Kathy Collins, vice president
whose work to grow replacement heart valves from a patient’s for Finance; Kevin Kirby, vice president
own tissue is showing great promise. And speaking of hearts, you for Administration; Chris Muñoz, vice
might know that Rice engineers had a hand in developing the first president for Enrollment; Linda Thrane, vice
artificial heart pump, but what you might not have heard is that a president for Public Affairs; Scott W. Wise,
vice president for Investments and treasurer;
new generation of Rice engineers is working to create the smallest Richard A. Zansitis, general counsel; Darrow
and most efficient heart pump yet. Zeidenstein, vice president for Resource
There’s much more, including beer that contains anticancer Development.
agents, “smart” earthquake shock absorbers for buildings and
pharmaceuticals manufactured using environmentally friendly Rice Magazine is published by the Office of
production techniques. These stories illustrate just a small fraction of the valuable work going on at Public Affairs of Rice University and is sent
Rice, and they’re exactly the sorts of efforts in which Rice students and researchers excel and the to university alumni, faculty, staff, graduate
students, parents of undergraduates and
kinds of things that the Centennial Campaign will help foster in the university’s second century. friends of the university.
But life — even at Rice — isn’t all work and no play. Be sure to visit the Rice Web site at www.
rice.edu for new interactive maps and amazing virtual tours that give you full 360° views of a num- Editorial Offices
ber of campus locations. For the full 360° effect, click on an image and drag the mouse around to get Creative Services–MS 95
P.O. Box 1892
a dizzying view of how stunning this campus and its surroundings are. And after you recover from Houston, TX 77251-1892
TX
your vertigo, go further to see how the campus is expanding and to check out familiar haunts.
Fax: 713-348-6751
And whatever you do, don’t neglect our coverage of the exciting Texas Bowl — the culmination E-mail: ricemagazine@rice.edu
of one of the Owls’ most outstanding football seasons ever — and the record-breaking efforts of two
players who helped spearhead the effort. Postmaster
Go Owls! Send address changes to:
Rice University
Development Services–MS 80
P.O. Box 1892
Houston, TX 77251-1892
© F EB. 2 0 0 9 RICE UNIVE RSIT Y
Christopher Dow
cloud@rice.edu
2 www.rice.edu/ricemagazine

5. THROUGH THE Sallyport
Corrosion Control
It’s a slow process that usually occurs out of sight, silently but incessantly
destroying the integrity and life span of buildings, bridges, pipelines and vehicles.
It’s corrosion, and it’s a problem that costs the United States
an estimated $276 billion a year. To fight this nemesis of the nation’s
infrastructure, Rice has established the National Corrosion Center,
which also involves NACE International, an association of more than
20,000 scientists, engineers and technicians concerned with corro-
sion prevention and control.
Learn more:
› › › t i n yu r l . c o m /6qxm 2b
Rice Magazine • No. 2 • 2009 3

6. Prof Pursues Pill to
Halt Gaucher’s,
Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s
What if a pill could keep the
effects of Gaucher’s and
similar diseases in check?
That’s the goal of Laura Segatori, who
is working to treat lysosomal storage
disorders (LSDs) like Gaucher’s and
Carrie Masiello and Tibisay Perez
Tay-Sachs in ways that could also help
Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s sufferers.
All four diseases are the result of
genetic mutations or sporadic condi-
tions that disrupt the way proteins,
the body’s basic building blocks, fold
within cells. The way a protein folds
determines its function, and any Fresh Perspective on
problems with the folding or changes
within the structure can compromise
Environmental Puzzles
the protein’s activity.
Segatori, the T.N. Law Assistant
Professor in Chemical and Bio-
molecular Engineering, hopes to make Gathering information is never easy for an en- — which is 300 times as powerful a greenhouse gas as
treating the diseases easier and less vironmental scientist, but it gets harder when carbon dioxide — by adjusting the methods farmers use to
fertilize crops.
expensive by arresting the process monkeys are throwing, uh, stuff at you.
Nitrous oxide is emitted when bacteria digest nitrogen
that causes proteins to misfold. “I was setting up an experiment in the rain forest from broken-down plant matter or from fertilizer that
“The idea is to look at these in Costa Rica. I looked up and saw all these really has not been consumed by crops. Perez and Masiello are
neurodegenerative diseases in a cute monkeys,” recalled Tibisay Perez, professor at looking for ways to properly fertilize corn, switchgrass and
completely different way by enhanc- the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research in sugar cane — all major sources of biofuel — for maximum
ing the cells’ quality-control system,” Caracas. “I guess they were angry, because they all growth and minimal damage to the environment.
Segatori said. “Right now, the therapy started throwing monkey poop at me!” “Worldwide, the nitrogen-applied fertilizer plant uptake
that exists, particularly for Gaucher’s Years later, she’s still laughing about it. She is about 30 percent,” said Perez. “The other 70 percent is lost
disease, is enzyme replacement, in also knows that, while the monkeys might not have by leaching, runoff and soil emission of nitrogenous gases,
appreciated her at the time, her research was good such as nitrous oxide, produced by microorganisms that feed
which the enzyme (aka the protein)
for them and for humanity, too. off that fertilizer.” Finding ways of minimizing that enormous
is synthesized and injected into the
Perez, who is at Rice to continue her study of fertilizer loss by adding microorganism inhibitors or charcoal
patient. It’s extremely expensive, and global warming as an International Visiting Fellow could save money and cut emissions, a win-win mitigation
you need a lot of injections.” in Energy, the Environment and Sustainability, is the strategy Perez hopes will take root among farmers.
Segatori’s treatment consists first of four researchers who will work here this year The issue becomes more important as developing
of regulators that promote the and next. The visiting fellows program, part of Rice’s nations ramp up agricultural production to ensure the
proper folding of LSD proteins, Energy and Environmental Systems Institute, encour- security of their food supply and for the possible expansion
despite genetic mutations that would ages close collaboration with international professors of biofuel crops. “We want to determine the net global
otherwise keep them from doing so. and fulfills a goal of Rice’s Vision for the Second warming potential due to biofuel production in the tropics
The regulators not only would be Century by building relationships with research over long-term scales to evaluate if it is environmentally
institutions beyond our shores. sustainable,” Perez said.
cheaper to manufacture, but they
Perez’s specialty is collecting and analyzing data Masiello, who is seeking funding to continue the
could be administered orally in the
on the emission of the potent greenhouse gas nitrous visiting fellows program beyond 2009, applauded the fresh
form of a pill. oxide, and she’s done so in rain forests and on farms perspective Perez and the others bring to Rice and the
—Mike Williams in South and Central America — areas that are under- issues at hand. “Scientists in the developing world have
represented in current studies of greenhouse gases expertise we need,” she said. “As we think about building a
Read more about the research: and climate. sustainable future, we need to partner with them.”
›› › t i n y u r l . c o m / 5 bw9se Perez is a longtime colleague of Rice Assistant
—Mike Williams
Professor of Earth Science Carrie Masiello, whom
Read the research paper in the journal she met while both were earning their doctorates at
Cell: the University of California at Irvine. Perez expects Learn more about the international visiting fellows program:
›› › t i n y u r l . c o m / 64o3o6 their work to lead to a better understanding of how ›› › t i n y u r l . c o m / 6 f 9 7 f v
to control the atmospheric release of nitrous oxide
4 www.rice.edu/ricemagazine

7. THROUGH THE Sallyport
Global
Warming’s
Ecosystem
Double
Whammy
James Coleman
Plants and soils act like sponges for atmospheric carbon dioxide, typical of a normal year, and the other half were subjected to
but new research finds that one abnormally warm year can sup- abnormally warm temperatures — on the order of those pre-
dicted to occur later this century by the Intergovernmental Panel
press the amount of carbon dioxide taken up by some grassland on Climate Change. In the third year of the study, temperatures
ecosystems for as long as two years. The findings followed an un- around the warmed plots were turned down again to match
precedented four-year study of sealed, 12-ton containerized grass- temperatures in the control plots. The CO2 flux — the amount of
land plots at the Desert Research Institute (DRI) in Reno, Nev. carbon dioxide moving between the atmosphere and biosphere —
was tracked in each chamber for all four years of the study.
“We confirmed that ecosystems respond to climate change in a The scientists found that ecosystems exposed to an anoma-
much more complex way than one might expect based solely on lously warm year had a net reduction in CO2 uptake for at least
traditional experiments and observations,” said study co-author two years. These ecosystems trapped and held about one-third
James Coleman, Rice vice provost for research and professor the amount of carbon in those years than did the plots exposed to
of ecology and evolutionary biology. “Our results provide new normal temperatures.
information for those who are formulating science-based carbon “Large reductions in net CO2 uptake in the warm year were
policies.”
Scientists found that ecosystems exposed to an anomalously warm year had a net reduction in CO2 uptake for at least two years.
The four-year study involved native Oklahoma tallgrass prairie caused mainly by decreased plant productivity resulting from
ecosystems that were sealed inside four living-room-sized envi- drought,” explained co-author Paul Verburg of DRI, “while the
ronment chambers. To minimize the disturbance of plants and lack of complete recovery the following year was caused by a
soil bacteria, a dozen of the 12-ton, six-foot-deep plots were ex- lagged stimulation of CO2 release by soil microorganisms in
tracted intact from the University of Oklahoma’s prairie research response to soil moisture conditions.”
facility near Norman, Okla., and moved to DRI, where scientists The collaborative study, which also involved scientists from
replicated the daily and seasonal changes in temperature and the University of Nevada, Reno; the University of Oklahoma;
rainfall that occur in the wild. the University of New Hampshire; and the National Center for
Plants and soils in ecosystems help modulate the amount of Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo., was funded by the
CO2 in the atmosphere when plants, which need CO2 to survive, National Science Foundation and was published in the journal
absorb the gas during spring and summer growing seasons, stor- Nature.
ing the carbon in their leaves, stems and roots. The stored carbon
—Jade Boyd
returns to the soil when plants die, and it is released back into the
atmosphere by soil bacteria that feed on the dead plants.
This relatively stable cycle was disrupted in the second year of Learn more: ›› › t i n y u r l . c o m / 5 gw kz 8
the study when half of the plots were subjected to temperatures
Rice Magazine • No. 2 • 2009 5

8. No. 1
Pats on the Back
In the 2008 edition of “America’s Best-Value Colleges,”
published by The Princeton Review, Rice University is
ranked as the nation’s No. 1 best value among private col-
leges. That’s the good news for students, but the good news
Entrepreneuring Program from them can be found in the 2009 edition of Princeton
Review’s “Best 368 Colleges.”
Rice’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate In that survey of 120,000 students attending the
368 colleges chosen for their outstanding aca-
School of Management ranks demics, Rice ranks No. 2 nationally both for best
16th in the U.S. according to a quality of life and for plenty of interaction among
report released by The Princeton students of different races and classes. Rice has
Review and Entrepreneur mag- consistently ranked in the top 10 in both of these
azine. The ranking is based on categories over the past several years and placed
No. 1 in the 2007 edition. The university also
survey data from more than 2,300 ranks No. 15 for “happiest students.” Only about
U.S. undergraduate and gradu- 15 percent of America’s 2,500 four-year colleges and two
ate schools. Canadian colleges are profiled in the book.
It’s the second year in a row that Rice
Complete profile: ›› › t i n y u r l . c o m / 5 7 6 j a k
has been ranked in the top 25 in the
nation, and the program moved up six
places from last year. Rice again had Top 20
the only graduate entrepreneurship
program in Texas that made the top Rice University ranks among the top 20 best national uni-
25 ranking. versities on U.S. News & World Report’s list for 2009, and
New academic programs at the it made the top 10 on the magazine’s “Great Schools, Great
Jones School include a concentration Prices” list.
in entrepreneurship, a capstone proj- Rice is 17th among 262 schools classified as “na-
tional universities” — institutions that offer a full
ect in entrepreneurship required of all range of undergraduate majors and master’s and
Executive MBAs and a life science en- doctoral degrees and are committed to producing
trepreneurship certificate program. groundbreaking research.
Rice also did well on several of the other lists
comparing national universities: 10th best value,
Read more about the rankings: 7th in percentage of graduates who have the least
› ›› tinyurl.com/ 5zjyox amount of debt, 15th in economic diversity of
students, 17th in undergraduate programs among engineer-
ing schools whose highest degree is a doctorate, 10th in
Learn more about the graduate biomedical engineering and 15th in computer engineering.
programs at the Jesse H. Jones
Graduate School of Management: Read more: ›› › t i n y u r l . c o m / 5 t t 7 b 5
› ›› jonesgsm.rice.edu
Learn more about the Rice Alliance
Top 200
for Technology and Entrepreneurship: Saying you’re in the top 200 might not sound so good, until
› ›› alliance.rice.edu you realize that means the top 200 universities worldwide.
It sounds even better to say you’re No. 78 on that list.
That’s where Rice University stands according
to rankings by Times Higher Education and QS
Quacquarelli Symonds based on a peer review of
more than 6,000 academics and 2,000 employers
around the globe. The organization also looked at
data on research, teaching and the international
orientation of universities and noted that Rice has
had some of the most frequently cited research
in academic papers published around the world
during the past five years.
Complete list: ›› › t i n y u r l . c o m / 4 h u t b a
6 www.rice.edu/ricemagazine

9. THROUGH THE Sallyport
SMALL MATTERS
Big Endeavor
The irony of research at the smallest scale is that it often requires the greatest effort. Enter the
he
International Collaborative Center on Quantum Matter,
a joint venture by Rice University and China’s Zhejiang University intended to enhance long-term
international research in the emerging area of quantum materials and magnetism.
LEARN MORE › ›› tin yurl. com /5 s w2 6 q
Tracking
Nanomaterials
With industrial-scale production
of materials that use nanopar-
ticles on the near horizon, it has
become important to understand
how these tiny substances move
through the environment and to
learn what impact they may have
on the health and function of
natural systems. Rice University is
on the right track.
LEARN MORE ›› › tinyur l .com/ 6ow f mw
Rice Magazine • No. 2 • 2009 7

10. Making a CAREER of It
Rice University’s appeal to talented young faculty can
easily be quantified with one glance at the National
Science Foundation’s awards list: Rice tied for second
place among private American universities in the num-
ber of CAREER Awards received last year, with funding
given to seven professors who are just beginning to make
their marks here and in the scientific community.
CAREER Awards, which are the most prestigious
grants that young faculty members can get in the ba-
sic sciences, support the early development of junior
faculty who seem likely to become academic leaders
in their fields of study. The five-year grants are worth
up to $500,000 and are among the most competitive
at NSF, which awards only about 400 of the grants
across all disciplines each year.
View the full list of Rice CAREER Award winners:
›› › t i n y u r l .c o m/ 6 4 v7q p
Baker Institute Collaborates on Breakthrough in External Funding
Online Archive
Rice University attracted more than $100 million in fiscal year
The James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy has become a 2008 for sponsored research and educational initiatives — a
participating organization in PolicyArchive, the nation’s first com- milestone in its 96-year history and an extraordinary 28 percent
prehensive, searchable, open-access online archive of research increase over award funding for 2007.
from foundation-funded and other public-policy think tanks. The funding came from a variety of sources, including founda-
Baker Institute fellows and scholars will be able to distribute, tions and private industry, but the lion’s share was from the
publicize and archive their research through the site, which will federal government.
be a tremendous resource for policymakers, members of the news
media and the interested public. Learn more about Rice’s external funding breakthrough:
›› › tiny url. com /5 6 km qk
Learn more about PolicyArchive:
›› › w w w.p o l i c y a rc h ive . o rg Learn more about the Office of Sponsored Research:
›› › os r. rice. edu
Rice MBA Program Ranks First in the Southwest
According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the business-to-business arm
of The Economist magazine publisher Economist Group, the four most important
outcomes to students pursuing an MBA are the ability to pursue new career op-
portunities, the expansion of personal development and educational experiences,
an increase in salary, and networking.
Using those metrics, EIU ranks the MBA program at the Jesse H. Jones Graduate
School of Management among the world’s best. Topping the rankings in Texas and
the Southwest, the Rice MBA program ranked 25th in the U.S. and 44th globally.
The ranking’s global distribution to business professionals gives the Rice MBA
tremendous international visibility.
View survey results and overall rankings:
›› › e c o n o mi s t .c o m
Learn more about Rice’s highly respected MBA program:
›› › t i n y u r l .c o m/ 5 c u ja n
8 www.rice.edu/ricemagazine

11. THROUGH THE Sallyport
Calling All Facebook Fans
More than 10,000 Facebook members, including students, alumni,
faculty and staff, already identify themselves as part of the Rice
network, and you can join in the fun and show support for the
university on Rice’s newly launched Facebook page.
For Facebook members: Add the Rice Facebook page:
››› t i n y u r l . c o m / 6 5 7 2 a 5
New to Facebook: Create your Facebook page for free:
››› w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m
Find Your Way the High-Tech Way
Experience the Rice virtual tour: ›› › www. rice. edu/v i r t u a l t o u r s
Those who say a map is not the territory haven’t visited Rice’s interactive campus map. Have a look here. Click around there.
Activate a blue dot, and you’ll see a picture of the building it’s attached to. Click a name in the building list, and you’ll be taken to
the building — virtually, of course. Click down to street level under “Related Information,” and drive along the tree-lined lanes.
It’s all part of a grand plan to make the new virtual tour of campus, where
Rice more accessible to everybody. you can find 16 different 360-degree,
The page, which sits atop a Google interactive panoramas taken on and
map and adds building details and nearby campus. Each panorama is
photos to its standard street names and accompanied by a brief text box that
satellite views, allows users to locate explains the scene and provides links
bus stop markers and locate police to other information. The feature
call boxes throughout campus, as well also includes a map showing where
as to get the street views provided by the shots are located. More virtual
Google. High on the list of features vignettes will be added in the future
to come are more descriptive text as new projects around campus are
to go with the building photos, cell completed.
phone access to maps and GPS locator It still may be true that a map is
capabilities so users can pinpoint their not the territory, but the Rice interac-
location on campus. tive map and virtual tour are the next
And if that isn’t enough, check out best thing to being there yourself.
View the Rice interactive campus map: ›› › www.rice.edu/maps
Rice Magazine • No. 2 • 2009 9

12. Green Pharmaceutical
Production
Weighing the Effects of
What if you could bring medications to the mar-
ketplace faster and at lower prices? It sounds
CO2 Restrictions on World
even better if your production process is envi-
ronmentally friendly. Those are the goals of two Energy Markets
Rice University researchers whose long-term
collaboration seeks to develop an environmen-
tally friendly bacterial process to replace cur-
rent chemical production methods.
“A chemical factory uses hydrogen gas and
metal to perform a reaction,” said George
Bennett, the E.D. Butcher Professor of
Biochemistry and Cell Biology. But in a bio-
logical system, enzymes are the workhorses
that carry out the process, acting as catalysts
to produce pure chiral molecules, which
serve as pharmaceutical agents that can be
tailored for specific uses in desired areas of If concerns about global warming lead politicians to impose restric-
the body.
“Our group is one of the very first tar- tions on greenhouse gas–producing emissions, natural gas demand
geting what we call ‘cofactor engineering,’” will rise substantially because it is the fossil fuel with the lowest
said Ka-Yiu San, the E.D. Butcher Professor
ratio of CO2 emissions to energy output.
“Our group is one of the very This is one conclusion of research con- Europe, whose natural gas has tradition-
first targeting what we call ducted by Rice economists Peter Hartley ally been supplied by Russia, may see an
‘cofactor engineering.’” and Ken Medlock, whose analysis relied on opening of providers. “Europe is a major
the Rice World Gas Trade Model (RWGTM) consuming market that seeks to import
—Ka-Yiu San
they have been developing for a number natural gas from a variety of sources,”
of years. The model is designed to predict Medlock said.
fluctuations in natural gas supply, demand The RWGTM predicts that gas from
in Bioengineering and Bennett’s partner
and prices over the next few decades, the Middle East will dominate European
on the project. A cofactor is a chemical
taking into account the possible effects of imports after 2020, displacing supplies from
compound that acts as a helper in the
political disturbances as well as technologi- Russia and the Caspian States, and that
process of biochemical transformation. San
cal change. Turkey, because of its geographical location,
and Bennett set up a biochemical reaction
Hartley, academic director of the Shell is likely to become a major transit hub for
that continually replenishes the supply of
Center for Sustainability, and Medlock, a fel- natural gas headed to Greece, Bulgaria and
the cofactor NADPH — critical in forming
low in energy studies at the James A. Baker the rest of Europe.
chiral molecules — inside metabolically
engineered E. coli cells.
“This can be used not only for medical
compounds, but also for other biochemicals
and biofuels,” said San, who notes that Turkey, because of its geographical location, is likely
patents for the process are in the works. to become a major transit hub for natural gas.
—Mike Williams
III Institute for Public Policy, also found The researchers concluded their analysis
that some of the consequences of natural with a note of caution: “Developments (or
gas prices and dependence on Russia and lack thereof) in Russia as well as hindrances
the Middle East could be lessened if the in the Middle East can alter the most ef-
United States opened domestic areas that ficient outcome.”
are currently off-limits to exploration and
production. —Franz Brotzen
“An increase in domestic gas production
will change the elasticity of response of the
market to disruptions and shocks,” Hartley View working paper version of the Rice World Gas
said. However, he concluded, the effects are Trade Model online:
unlikely to be large enough to completely › › › t i nyurl . co m / 5 o 4 rwn
Ka-Yiu San and George Bennett offset the effects of tightened emission
controls.
10 www.rice.edu/ricemagazine

13. THROUGH THE Sallyport
Heart of the
Matter
Researchers Matteo Pasquali, Dhruv Arora and Bob Benkowski
Heart failure is the leading cause of death in the United States, and the American will mimic the self-regulating function of
the heart in an effort to ensure that the left
Heart Association estimates the direct and indirect cost of heart failure in the and right ventricles stay in sync with each
United States for 2008 at nearly $35 billion. It’s a major predicament whose only other and to make the pumps respond to
the body’s changing needs for blood, such
solution seems to be the creation of a simple and reliable artificial heart. as during exercise.
“The heart has a built-in self-regulating
ability,” Pasquali said. “Since the two pumps,
In fact, Denton Cooley, president and small size will ease implantation and use in
constituting the total artificial heart, bypass
surgeon-in-chief of the Texas Heart Institute children as well as adults.
the whole heart, it’s important to build a
(THI), said, “The availability of an effective, Rice’s role is to develop a computer
mechanism for regulation in the devices.
reliable mechanical replacement for the fail- model to analyze blood flow and any dam-
Otherwise, you could get an accumulation of
ing human heart would have an enormous age to the blood cells and platelets that might
blood in the lungs if the left pump is pump-
impact on health care.” He should know. In result as blood travels through the pump.
ing too slow compared to the right pump.”
1969, Cooley became the first surgeon to im- “Because these pumps will be implanted
plant a complete artificial heart in a human.
Since then, several implantable artificial
hearts have been developed, all of which
were designed to mimic the pulse of the
natural heart. As a consequence, they are
somewhat bulky and mechanically complex,
which leads to issues of reliability. To solve
the problem, the National Institutes of
Health has funded a project to design small-
Rather than mimic the pulse of the natural heart, the ventricular assist device pumps blood continuously.
er and more reliable heart pumps under
the Bioengineering Research Partnership, a for the long term, we have to make sure
The researchers will apply what they
special program to encourage collaborations that blood damage is minimal,” said Matteo
learn from computer simulation to physical
among medical and engineering experts. Pasquali, Rice associate professor in chemi-
models of the pump that are manufactured
Led by THI, the project includes engineers cal and biomolecular engineering and in
and tested in laboratories at MicroMed. This
from Rice University, St. Luke’s Episcopal chemistry.
Houston-based company makes the MicroMed
Hospital, MicroMed Cardiovascular Inc. and Pasquali and his colleagues will monitor
DeBakey ventricular assist device (VAD) that
the University of Houston. the computer models for two main types of
is being used for this study. The pump, which
The researchers are developing two blood damage: excessive release of hemo-
already is used in human patients in Europe,
heart-assist pumps that individually perform globin from the red blood cells, which can
is named for the late heart surgeon Michael
the function of the left and right ventricles. be toxic to the kidneys and liver, and the
DeBakey, who pioneered the development
Rather than trying to mimic the pulses platelet activation process that leads to for-
of heart pumps. In the 1960s, he collaborated
of the natural heart, the devices pump mation of white thrombi, or clots of white
with chemical engineering professor Bill
blood continuously. The one for the left blood cells, which could cause a blockage
Akers, who led Rice’s Biomedical Engineering
ventricle — the heart’s main pumping in the brain or small blood vessels.
Laboratory, to produce the first successful left
chamber — circulates blood throughout “We are trying to understand why and
ventricular heart bypass device — a precursor
the body; the one for the right ventricle where these thrombi form so we can sug-
to the VADs used as the base design in the
pumps blood to and from the lungs. The gest how to change the shape of the pump,”
current research project.
continuous-flow pumps are smaller — about Pasquali said.
—B.J. Almond
the size of a C battery — and simpler than Researchers at the University of Houston
their complex, rhythmic predecessors. Their are investigating the control mechanism that
Learn more: › › › t i nyurl . com/6 3 y c r2
Rice Magazine • No. 2 • 2009 11

14. Finding Molecular Clues
to Wilson Disease Agustina Rodriguez-Granillo
protein with that of the nonmutant and
It’s amazing how a single small mutation can have such a large effect. In the case found very little difference, so it was
of a subtle genetic change to a complex protein called ATP7B, the result is Wilson unclear how this small change led to
disease, a genetic disorder that alters the protein’s ability to work, causing cop- the devastating effects that are seen in
per to build up to toxic levels in the liver, brain, eyes and other organs. Wilson disease.”
Rodriguez-Granillo, Wittung-
Stafshede and postdoctoral researcher
Erik Sedlak (now at the University of
Over time the disease can cause life- a small amount for key enzymes Texas at San Antonio) looked spe-
threatening organ damage. Wilson involved in, for example, respiration cifically at the portion of the protein
disease affects as many as 150,000 peo- and brain functions. ATP7B sits in an where the mutation occurs and not
ple worldwide. But a combination of internal membrane and acts something only confi rmed that the protein’s
computer simulations and cutting-edge like a warehouse manager, locking up function was significantly reduced in
lab experiments by physical biochem- bulk quantities of copper and handing the mutant form, but found that the
ists at Rice University may offer some it out when it’s needed. mutation caused structural changes in
hope. The researchers focused on a ge- other sections of the protein far from
“The mutation that causes most cas- netic flaw that is caused when just one the mutation site. They plan further
“Our study looks at the overall puzzle to see how such a small mutation
can alter the shape and function of such a large and complex protein.”
—Agustina Rodriguez-Granillo
es of Wilson disease is well-known,” of the more than 1,400 amino acids in research to examine these changes
said the study’s lead author Agustina ATP7B is changed. to learn exactly how they alter the
Rodriguez-Granillo, a Rice doctoral “This mutation occurs at a crucial protein’s function.
student in biochemistry and cell biol- location where the protein typically The research was supported by
ogy who carried out the mathematical binds with a molecule that provides The Robert Welch Foundation and is
simulations and laboratory research. the energy the protein needs to move available online from the Journal of
“Our study looks at the overall puzzle copper from place to place,” said study Molecular Biology.
to see how such a small mutation can co-author Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede,
alter the shape and function of such a an associate professor of biochemistry —Jade Boyd
large and complex protein.” and cell biology at Rice and Rodriguez-
Although large quantities of copper Granillo’s adviser. “Past studies have
Learn more: › › › t i nyurl . com/6 zy d lo
can be toxic, the human body needs compared the behavior of the mutant
12 www.rice.edu/ricemagazine

15. THROUGH THE Sallyport
Recognizing common
genes among many ‘Smart’ Shock Absorbers
Take the Quake
species helps scientists
figure out their To envision what a building undergoes in
an earthquake, Satish Nagarajaiah sug-
lineage, as well gests imagining yourself standing in a mov-
as where they ing bus or train.
diverge. It also “Riders make their bodies and muscles tense when the bus
moves, and they relax as soon as the sudden motion stops,”
might help sci- said Nagarajaiah, professor in civil and environmental engi-
neering and in mechanical engineering and materials science.
entists learn the “The typical steel-framed building or bridge can’t do that,
but we want to find technologies like adaptive stiffness and
ways groups damping systems that can give structures that ability.”
About 100 U.S. buildings and bridges — including the
of genes famed Golden Gate Bridge — have been built or are being
retrofitted with large, passive dampers that use pistons and
function. hydraulic fluid to absorb the impact of sudden shocks the way
that shock absorbers do in a car. But passive dampers are
designed to perform the same way in every earthquake, and
Nicholas Putnam as quake researchers have discovered in recent years, not all
quakes are created equal. The 1994 Northridge earthquake in
California, the 1995 Kobe earthquake in Japan, the 1999 Chi
Tiny Creature Is a Big Subject Chi earthquake in Taiwan and the 2008 Sichuan earthquake in
China are each examples of quakes that delivered a massive
initial shockwave that was particularly damaging for struc-
tures near the epicenter.
We may not look anything like tiny, amoeba-like creatures that live in “Our aim is to create smart structures that can sense
the sea, but what we have in common with them — and with all the what kind of shock is arriving and react with the best possible
creatures on Earth — interests Nicholas Putnam. strategy to minimize damage,” said Nagarajaiah, principal
investigator on the project, which is funded by $1.6 million
An assistant professor in Rice’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary from the National Science Foundation. Nagarajaiah’s past
Biology, Putnam co-authored a study published in the journal Nature that research on smart structures and structural control for seis-
breaks down the genetic code of Trichoplax, a simple saltwater creature one mic protection has led to quake-protection systems that have
might find anywhere in the world — even in household aquariums. been implemented in China and Japan.
“We’re trying to identify genes in the —Jade Boyd
Trichoplax, which Trichoplax that also are found in other animals,” Learn more: › › › t i nyurl . co m / 6 n x h s9
Putnam said. Recognizing common genes among
is a tiny little many species helps scientists figure out their lin-
pancake of cells eage, as well as where they diverge. It also might
help scientists learn the ways groups of genes
you can barely function.
Why Trichoplax?
see without a “Sequencing a genome is a big effort and a
microscope, has a big investment, so we have to choose carefully,”
Putnam said. Trichoplax, which is a tiny little
relatively low place pancake of cells you can barely see without a
in the evolutionary microscope, has a relatively it ideal forin the But
evolutionary chain, making
low place
study.
chain, making it despite its lowly status, Trichoplex shares genetic
elements with humans. A gene index published as
ideal for study. part of the Nature paper clearly shows many large
collections of genes that group together on both
Trichoplax and human chromosomes.
Putnam hopes to understand the purpose these large, conserved groupings
of genes serve, as well as the reason they’re together and the effects on the
health of the organism if they get separated by a mutation.
The study was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, the University
of California and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
—Mike Williams
Satish Nagarajaiah
Learn more: ››› tinyu r l .c o m/55b8q s
Rice Magazine • No. 2 • 2009 13

16. Construction @ rice
Family Matters
New Rice child care center helps keep kids healthy and happy
The new Rice Children’s Campus (RCC) doesn’t just meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental and rest times, children are encouraged to
Design standards — it takes them by the hand and dances a waltz with them. Everything about the satisfy their natural curiosity through learn-
Chaucer Street building is graceful, from its five-point sawtooth roof with north-facing windows to ing and exploration. CECE is also working
its undulating blue entryway ceiling that’s more than a little reminiscent of ocean waves. with the Rice School Literacy and Culture
Project to provide a storytelling curricu-
lum that has been proven to support and
On the exterior, bands of bricks in colors water-efficient fixtures and one of the build- enhance childhood vocabulary knowledge
like robin’s egg blue, bright yellow and sea ing’s most unconventional features — an and literary skills.
foam green are interspersed with 10,000 8,000-gallon underground rainwater cistern “Each classroom environment is
tan bricks salvaged from the homes that fed by collection sites on the building’s roof. equipped to ensure the success of all
once stood on the building site. “I didn’t The collected water will be used to irrigate students, with teachers facilitating learning
anticipate how truly amazing they would the building’s landscape, which show- in five key areas: math, language, science,
look,” Rice Director of Sustainability Richard cases local, low-maintenance plant species. sensory development and everyday living
Johnson said of the recycled bricks. “They “Ordinarily, people don’t view storm water skills,” said Lisa Hall, a consultant with Rice
really help connect the building with as a resource, but we did,” Johnson said,
“Each classroom environment is equipped to ensure the success of all students, with teachers facilitating
learning in five key areas: math, language, science, sensory development and everyday living skills.”
—Lisa Hall
the rest of the street, and that was made adding that Rice saved more than $200,000 University who acts as a liaison between the
possible because we viewed the previous by installing a cistern instead of a storm campus community and the operator. “Life
homes as potential resources. I’m very sewer. lessons of respect, cooperation, appreciation
proud of that outcome.” The RCC is divided into four color- of others, problem solving and responsibil-
But recycled building materials aren’t coded quadrants, with preschoolers in ity are modeled and practiced on a daily
the RCC’s only environmentally sensitive the southeast, toddlers in the southwest, basis by children and staff.”
attribute. Among others are features that infants in the northeast, and the support The campus, which opened last
enable the building to enjoy an energy and teacher areas in the northwest. More September, has a maximum capacity of 86
savings of about 20 percent over buildings than 80 students between the ages of 6 students, who must be the children of Rice
that are simply built to code, including light weeks and 5 years have enrolled at the faculty, staff or students to be eligible for ad-
sensors, programmable thermostats for school, which is operated by Metropolitan mission. To learn more about the RCC or to
each of five separate zones, double-paned Montessori Schools through the Center for fill out a wait-list application, please visit the
energy-efficient windows and overhangs Early Childhood Education (CECE) and CECE Web site at www.discovercece.org.
that block the strong southern sun. Other which employs the progressive Montessori
elements should result in substantial savings method of instruction. With activities like —Merin Porter
in domestic water consumption, such as art projects, songs, stories, lessons, recess
14 www.rice.edu/ricemagazine

17. THROUGH THE Sallyport
Tower of Power
The holidays at Rice had
a little more sparkle with
the completion of the
South Plant’s 85-foot-
tall glass steam tower
last month. Designed
by renowned architect
Antoine Predock, the
South Plant will provide
the chilled water and
steam necessary to heat
and cool the BioScience
Research Collaborative
at the corner of Main
Street and University
Boulevard, as well as
other buildings that
eventually will make
their home on the south-
west side of campus.
For a more in-depth look at
the South Plant, visit:
› › › t i nyur l. com /73yr qo
Webcam: › › › t inyur l. com /6m m h2q
Rice Magazine • No. 2 • 2009 15

18. Construction @ rice
Making a living
New graduate student apartments make life a little cheaper — and a lot more fun
For a building that’s the equivalent of a 40-story skyscraper lying buildings on the north side of Shakespeare Street, which were in
on its side, it’s no surprise that the new Rice Village Apartment much worse condition structurally than the Morningside Square
buildings on the south side of Shakespeare.
(RVA) complex is turning local apartment living on its ear. Not “With the additional acreage, we had the opportunity to demol-
only will Rice graduate students who move into the 137-unit, ish our existing units that were nearing depletion and replace them
237-bed residence enjoy close proximity to campus — only one with a higher-density and better-programmed structure,” said Mark
block west of the university in Rice Village — they’ll also benefit Ditman, associate vice president of housing and dining. “The pri-
from extremely competitive monthly rates, plus amenities like a mary reason we did this was to do our part to strengthen graduate
programs by offering a third community that would help attract and
clubhouse, a laundry room on each of four floors, a study room retain high-caliber graduate students.”
equipped with computers and even a Although the new complex is off
community herb garden. campus, it still maintains the Rice feel
with a brick-and-stucco exterior remi-
Apartments, which range in size from
niscent of Hanszen and Baker colleges.
efficiencies to two-bedroom, two-bath
It also follows the lead of other new
units, are fully furnished and feature free
campus buildings in that it was designed
basic cable and Internet. The complex
and built to Leadership in Energy and
also offers four handicap-accessible units,
Environmental Design standards.
although the entire community complies
“We were really conscientious about
with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
energy conservation in this building
While the facility has fewer parking
because the graduate students pay
spaces than you’d find at a commercial
their own utility bills,” said Director of
apartment building, there are many more
Sustainability Richard Johnson, who
than are typically available at a student
said the new complex is at least 30
housing facility. Still, Rice is hoping there
percent more efficient than a standard
will be plenty of parking spaces to spare.
apartment building. That means that if
“Rice committed to a robust shuttle
a student typically pays $100 per month
schedule and bicycle storage spaces as
for utilities, they’ll only pay $70 at RVA
a means of minimizing the need for
— which creates substantial savings over
residents to have cars,” said Rice Graduate Housing Manager Abeer
the course of a year.
Mustafa. “We also included a bicycle option as part of an early move-
“The project team devoted considerable attention to selecting
in reward program where, in exchange for promising not to bring
ENERGY STAR appliances, developing efficient lighting strategies
a car to the apartments or to park one on neighborhood streets,
and providing ample natural daylight for the apartments,” Johnson
students receive a new bicycle when they move in.”
said. “By offering apartments that are so energy efficient, we are
Rice decided to build RVA — its third graduate student residence
essentially embedding financial aid into the building itself.”
— in 2005, when the waiting lists for Morningside Square and the
—Merin Porter
Rice Graduate Apartments were burgeoning and the purchase of five
lots on Shakespeare Street made the construction feasible. The new
lots were adjacent to nine existing Morningside Square apartment Learn more: › › › g ra d a p t s. ri ce. ed u
16 www.rice.edu/ricemagazine

19. THROUGH THE Sallyport
Prefab Masterpieces
The Museum of Modern Art in
New York has long served as
home to magnificent pieces by
Vincent van Gogh and Pablo
Picasso, but one of the mu-
seum’s recent acquisitions
may be its most extraordinary:
Rice University’s new college
bathrooms.
Nip, tuck,
Featured in the museum’s Cellophane
House exhibit last fall, the 7-by-7-foot
prefabricated lavatories were built in a
score!
factory and delivered to Rice’s Duncan
College and McMurtry College con-
struction sites as completed units, with
showers, sinks, toilets and even mirrors
in place. That means less traffic to sites,
reduced construction waste and fewer
Autry Court renovation is a net gain for Rice subcontractors — all of which align with
Rice’s goal of achieving Leadership in
After 57 years of accumulated structural wrinkles and sags, Autry Court
Energy and Environmental Design certifi-
was due for a facelift.
cation for every new campus building.
“Using prefabricated bathroom pods
Thanks to $24 million in financial support from Youngkin ’90 and his wife, Suzanne, and it houses actually prevents waste before it is even
generous donors, the site for Owls basketball a study area for student–athletes, a hydrotherapy
created, thanks to the use of lean manu-
and volleyball home games underwent a dramatic room with hot and cold whirlpools, a first-aid room,
transformation that included renovations and up- and staff offices that overlook a weight and train- facturing processes,” said Rice Director
dates to the arena, seating arrangements, sound ing room. The center connects Autry Court with of Sustainability Richard Johnson. “This
and game information systems, restrooms and the existing Fox Gymnasium, and students and fits the spirit of Duncan and McMurtry
concession areas — among many other improve- fans will enter the renovated facility via an all- colleges, where we also are recycling
ments. Now the basketball and volleyball teams new plaza, which provides access to all of Rice’s on the order of 90 percent of all of the
enjoy gleaming new locker rooms; fans can shop at sports venues and offers a feeling of continuity to construction waste that is generated.”
a team store; and donors have access to a luxuri- the campus’s “athletic quadrant.”
ous club room, which offers a balcony overlooking On Nov. 15, just 16 months after renovations
College Way and provides an area to meet, greet began, Tudor Fieldhouse unveiled its new look at
and eat prior to games. an Owls basketball game, where athletes and fans
In addition to a new look, the building also re- alike enjoyed the center-hung LED scoreboard,
ceived a new name. Dubbed the Tudor Fieldhouse crystal-clear sound and new student seating
in honor of major donor and Rice trustee Bobby section on the court’s south side. After nearly six
Tudor ’82 and his wife, Phoebe, it encompasses decades, Autry Court looks better than ever —
Autry Court and the new Youngkin Center, which and has finally taken its place among the nation’s
replaced the facility’s old administrative section. premier athletic facilities.
Youngkin Center was named after donor Glenn —Merin Porter
Construction Web Site Remodel
Looking for news on the many construction projects
around campus? Visit Rice’s recently renovated con-
struction Web site to take advantage of an interactive
map with project locations and descriptions, plus Web
camera views, photos and videos. Also be sure to
check out the latest construction news and alerts as
well as up-to-the-minute notices of road closures, util-
ity outages and much more.
Learn more: ››› cons t r u c t i o n . r i c e. e d u
Rice Magazine • No. 2 • 2009 17

20. Energy Scholarships to
Energetic Students
BP, one of the world’s largest produc-
ers of oil and natural gas as well as
one of the world’s largest investors in
“People always
alternative energy, knows how criti-
cal it is to get quality graduates to fill
its workforce.
The company not only is looking to
Rice, but also is helping out with schol-
said the U.S.
arships awarded to 18 select full-time
students who have expressed an interest is a better
place to be,
in energy-related careers. The $10,000
scholarships are intended to help offset
tuition, fees and other expenses.
and I wanted
The scholarships reflect the close
relationship that BP has developed with
Rice. BP also has asked Rice to lead a
consortium of universities in develop-
ing petrotechnical training that will
enhance the dissemination of knowl-
to find out for
edge and skills among BP’s employees
around the world.
—B.J. Almond
myself.”
—Helge Krüger
Learn more: ››› tinyurl.com/6 emtyb
Doctoral Mathematics doctoral student Helge Krüger
has been named winner of the annual
Student Studentenpreis, awarded by the Austrian
Mathematical Society for the best master’s
Wins thesis written in Austria.
He wrote the thesis as a graduate student at the
Austrian University of Vienna. Titled “Relative Oscillation
Theory for Sturm-Liouville Operators,” it was
Math
built on a theorem on differential equations by
19th-century mathematician Charles-François
Award
Sturm, who first calculated the
velocity of sound through
water.
Krüger said that meet-
ing Rice associate profes-
sor of mathematics David
Damanik, now his faculty
adviser, was an important
factor in his decision to come
to Rice, but that the university’s outstanding
reputation and friendly atmosphere were im-
portant, too.
“People always said the U.S. is a better
place to be, and I wanted to find out for my-
self,” said Krüger, an avid reader and Frisbee
aficionado. “The professors here are excellent.
You can talk to people, and they always want
to talk to you. There’s a feeling here of a com-
munity doing things, which I think is great and
BP Gulf of Mexico Chief Financial Officer Peter Zwart which I didn’t experience in Europe.”
spoke during a luncheon honoring BP scholarship
recipients.
18 www.rice.edu/ricemagazine