2021 Rice Datathon:
The Rice Science Data Club is sponsoring the 2021 Rice Datathon this month.  If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, click here. 

Robert Manning (1928-2020):
On December 30, Robert Manning passed away.  A native Houstonian, he graduated from Rice in 1946 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering where he met his future wife Betty Ann Turner ’48.  He worked designing vessels for oil refineries and later for nuclear power facilities around the world.  Also, he was a “devoted Rice Owls fan”, he was a fabulous cook and he and Betty loved to travel where he was the photographer.  He is predeceased by, among others,  Betty (she passed away in 2019).  Click here for the Chronicle obituary.

Baker Institute:
Baker Institute among finalist finalists for $10 million Lone Star Prize (Rice News)

Barry Wood (1928-2020):
On December 29, Barry Wood passed away.  Born in Oklahoma, he earned a BA from Rice in 1950 and a MD from UTMB Galveston in 1954.  After military service, he practice medicine in Odessa and Houston until his partial retirement in 1991 and his full retirement in 2001.  Also, he was active in the community and was involved at Rice, participating in organizations and events and holding season tickets for Rice baseball and football.  He is predeceased by his first wife Barbara (she passed away in 1957) and his second wife Betty Blount Seale ’49 (they were married in 1962 and she passed away in 2014).  Click here for the Chronicle obituary.

Glasscock School:
Glasscock School partners with Chase for Business to help small businesses (Rice News)

Robert Hauck (1923-2020):
On Christmas Day, Robert Hauck passed away.  Born in the state of Washington, he graduated from Rice in 1949 after military service in WWII.   He enjoyed a twenty-six year career with TXDOT, retired and then worked another twelve years with METRO before retiring again.  Also, he was active in his church.  He is preceded, by among others, his first wife Gladys (they were married fifty years) and his second wife Lou (they were married almost twenty years).  Click here for the Chronicle obituary.

Best of 2020:
Single-pixel camera captures top honor (Rice News)

Robert Brockman:
Houston tech billionaire wins change of venue in $2 billion tax fraud case (Chronicle)

Karl Ludwig (1938-2020):
On December 15, Karl Ludwig passed away.  Born in Oklahoma, he earned a BA from Rice in 1961 and a MD from Baylor College of Medicine in 1965.  His wife, Ann Kriegel Ludwig, also graduated from Rice in 1961.  After military service, he enjoyed a medical practice with Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco until his retirement in 1998.  Afterwards, he was active in community service and he continued his study of music.  He is survived by, among others, Ann (they were married for 60 years).  Click here for the San Francisco Chronicle obituary.

Rice History Corner:
Click here for Melissa Kean's latest blog entry entitled "I've Been Looking For A Fitting Way To Starty 2021".

The Ion:
Energy industry beginning to get behind tech incubators (Chronicle)

Howard Burt (1929-2020):
On December 19, Howard Burt passed away.  Born in St Louis, he attended Rice (class of 1951) and earned a MD from UT Galveston in 1954.  After military service, he practiced dermatology in Austin for twenty years and then moved his medical practice to Georgetown for another 18 years before retiring in 1998.  Also, he was active in the community.  He is survived by, among others, his wife Penny (they were married in 1952).  Click here for the Austin American-Statesman obituary.

Glasscock School:
Registration for spring 2021 Community Learning & Engagement courses is now open.  Classes will be entirely online.  From now through January 8 (extended from December 31), receive a 20% discount by checking “Apply Discount” and then selecting “CLE December 2020” when checking out.  Browse offerings here.

Thomas Parks (1939-2020):
On December 24, Thomas Parks passed away.  A native New Yorker, he was a professor in the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rice from 1967-86.  Also, he authored over 100 books and research papers in digital signal processing.  He is survived by, among others, his wife Martha.  Click here for the obituary.

Debbie Christ Morales (1952-2020):
On October 4, Debbie Christ Morales passed away.  Born in Louisiana, she graduated from Rice in 1979 with a degree in accounting.  With her husband Daniel, they raised two sons Daniel II and Derrick.  Also, she was active in the community and was an avid music lover and an outstanding cook.  Click here for the obituary.

Jeffrey Tabor:
Light flips genetic switch in bacteria inside transparent worms (Rice News)

Brian Armstrong '05/'06:
Coinbase Underpaid Black and Women Employees (New York Times):

Caleb McDaniel:
Join the Bryan Museum in Galveston for the third episode of Hidden History featuring Caleb McDaniel on Thursday, January 21 at 7 pm.  His lecture is entitled “Doom and Dawn: A Trust Story of Slavery in Civil War Texas”.  Read more and/or register here.

Rice History Corner:
Click here for Melissa Kean's latest blog entry entitled "View From Cohen House, 1940 Plus Some Thoughts On Those Big Trees".

Smalley-Curl Institute:
'Soft' nanoparticles give plasmons new potential (Rice News)

Ray Perryman, PhD '78:
Comment: Rumors of oil's death have been greatly exaggerated (Houston Chronicle)