November 24, 2021
Aditya Mohite:
Ultrathin solar cells get a boost (Rice News)
Double House:
Two Rice Architecture students win city honors (Rice News)
Aditya Mohite:
Ultrathin solar cells get a boost (Rice News)
Double House:
Two Rice Architecture students win city honors (Rice News)
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering:
Jamie Padgett named CEE department chair, effective July 1 (Rice News)
Charles Renfro '89:
Baytown native reveals architectural plans for new Sarofim Hall (Houston Chronicle)
Stephen Hahn '80:
House panel probing COVID response seeks to question former FDA chief (Politico)
Newton J Burkett Jr:
On November 3, Newton J Burkett Jr passed away at the age of 83. Raised in McKinney TX, he earned a BA in Philosophy from Rice in 1961. He lived in Houston and Elizabeth NJ. He enjoyed a career in consulting and finance. Also, he was very active in supporting community empowerment and in taking a stand against injustice. And, in retirement, he “taught courses in inquiry and research at Kean University” where he had earned a MA in 1992. Finally, he was a distance runner, an avid bird-watcher and possessed a lifelong love of learning. He is survived by, among others, his wife Barbara. Click here for The Star-Journal Ledger obituary.
Engineering and Science Building:
Two Deans, One Shared Vision (Rice News)
Everyday Infrastructures:
An Interview with Tei Carpenter (RDA)
David Varner (1960-2021):
On November 13, Dave Varner unexpectedly passed away. A native Houstonian, he earned his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Architecture degrees from Rice in 1982. He married Marjorie Foelker ’83 in 1986. He enjoyed a career as an accomplished architect in Washington DC, before joining SmithGroup where he retired as Office Director in December 2020. Also, he was an exceptional athlete and he and Marjorie loved to travel. A year ago, they moved to Bellingham WA.
Today, there will be service in Washington State and there will be another service in the DC area on Saturday, December 11, with details to follow. Click here for the obituary.
Rice History Corner:
Click here for Melissa Kean’s latest blog entry entitled “Friday Follies: Mechanical Malfunction”.
Brian Armstrong '05/'06 (Thanks, Tammy Taura '84):
Coinbase: Brian Armstrong – How I Built This with Guy Raz (Apple Podcast)
Vivas Kumar '14:
This week, Mitra Future Technologies (“Mitra Chem”) completed a $20 million Series A funding round led by billionaire investor Chamath Palihapitiya’s Social Capital Holdings. The startup aims to boost the North American battery supply chain industry that is currently dominated by China, by producing an iron-based cathode for non-Chinese applications. Read more.
The CEO and Co-Founder of Mitra Chem is Vivas Kumar ’14. In 2020, he was featured in Rice Magazine as a “Twenty in their Twenties” young alumni here.
Shepherd School:
A Day in the Life (YouTube)
Claudia Gee Vassar '99:
This weekend, Lightscape, a traveling, after-dark light show, opens at the Houston Botanic Garden. The president and general counsel of the Houston Botanic Garden is Claudia Gee Vassar ’99.
Kim Garcia '99:
Kim Garcia Named New Chief Human Resources Officer (Quanex News)
What's In Woodson:
Life and Adventures of Calamity Jane (Woodson Research Center)
Daniel Preston:
Rice shows how to decontaminate masks (Rice News)
Jones School:
Rice Business ranked No 1 for entrepreneurship by Princeton Review (Rice News)
The Rice Thresher:
The Rice Thresher published yesterday. You can check it out here.
Sarofim Hall:
New arts building to be designed by internationally acclaimed firm (Rice News)
James Sullivan '03:
Gov Abbott Names Sullivan New General Counsel (Texas Insider)
Rice History Corner:
Click here for Melissa Kean’s latest blog entry entitled “Secession, 1992”.
Jay Cunningham (1925-2021):
On November 9, Jay Cunningham passed away. Born in Iowa, he entered Rice on the V-12 program, left to serve in WWII and returned to finish his degree in electrical engineering in 1947. He enjoyed a thirty-two year career with SWB and, after retiring, worked for Warner Amex and Espey, Huston and Associates. Also, he was very active in his church. He is survived by, among others, his wife Lucille (they were married in 1949). Click here for The Dallas Morning News obituary.
Dr Huda Zoghbi:
Dr Huda Zoghbi, a member of the Rice Board of Trustees, was the co-recipient of the Lundbeck Foundation 2020 Brain Prize, the largest prize for neuroscience in the world, for her pioneering research on Rett syndrome. Read more.
David Eagleman '93:
Earlier this month, BrainCheck raised $10 million in new funding to detect and manage cognitive impairment. The company was cofounded in 2015 by David Eagleman ’93 and Yael Katz. Read more.
Candace Bushnell (class of 1980):
Candace Bushnell’s Latest Adventure (New York Times)
Frank Liu '78:
POST Houston opens its doors today (Houston Chronicle)
Geoff Winningham:
Photographer Uncovers Historic Photos of Buffalo Bayou (Glasstire)
Robert Redman (1947-2021):
On October 17, Robert Redman passed away. Born in Houston and a relative by marriage of Bev Schorre, he was a member of the Rice Police Department until his retirement in 2010. Also, he was an avid tennis player. Click here for the Chronicle obituary.