Rice University Events

Michael P. Hammond Preparatory Program

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:00 CST

Shepherd School of Music
Saturday, November 7, 2009
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM

Duncan Recital Hall - Alice Pratt Brown Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Michael P. Hammond Preparatory Program
Recital of pre-college students.
2:00 p.m., Duncan Recital Hall

Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:00 CST

Shepherd School of Music
Saturday, November 7, 2009
8:00 PM to 9:30 PM

Stude Concert Hall - Alice Pratt Brown Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Larry Rachleff, music director

Tchaikovsky: Marche Slave, Op. 31
Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47 - Ying Fu, soloist; Cristian Macelaru, conductor
Stravinsky: Petrushka (1947 version)

Free admission, no tickets required.

Junior Flute Recital

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:00 CST

Shepherd School of Music
Sunday, November 8, 2009
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

Duncan Recital Hall - Alice Pratt Brown Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Natalie Zeldin, flute
Music of Poulenc, Schulhoff, Vivaldi, Piazzolla, and Schumann.
12:00 p.m., Duncan Recital Hall

Junior Bassoon Recital

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:30 CST

Shepherd School of Music
Sunday, November 8, 2009
5:30 PM to 6:30 PM

Duncan Recital Hall - Alice Pratt Brown Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Briana Lehman, bassoon
Music of Vivaldi, Mignone, Pierné, and Larsen.
5:30 p.m., Duncan Recital Hall

Senior Bassoon Recital

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:00 CST

Shepherd School of Music
Sunday, November 8, 2009
8:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Duncan Recital Hall - Alice Pratt Brown Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Tracy Jacobson, bassoon
Music of Hummel, Villa-Lobos, Libby Larsen, and Telemann.
8:00 p.m., Duncan Recital Hall

Field Fest: An Afternoon with Linguists Documenting Endangered Languages

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:00 CST

Linguistics
Linguistics and The UN Traveling Film Festival
Sunday, November 8, 2009
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Rice Media Center
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

1-2 P.M. The documentary "The Linguist" shown at Rice Cinema 2-3 P.M. Panel of Rice's linguistic fieldworkers 3-4 P.M. Reception General Admission : $8.00 Graduates: Free (sponsored by GSA TG Fund) Undergraduates: $2.00 (sponsored by Dean of Undergraduates) Contact Vica Papp at vica@rice.edu

Shepherd School Opera

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:00 CST

Shepherd School of Music
Sunday, November 8, 2009
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Wortham Opera Theater Alice Pratt Brown Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Admission Charge

The Shepherd School Opera presents the first performances of the season. Join us for a double bill including the Prologue from Strauss's Aridne auf Naxos and Donizetti's Viva la Mamma. Richard Bado conducts the Shepherd School Chamber Orchestra for both performances. Tickets costs are $12, students and seniors pay $10. To reserve a ticket, please call 713-348-8000.
2:00 p.m., Wortham Opera Theater

Next Generation X - Aptamers for Diagnostics and Therapeutics

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00 CST

Biochemistry and Cell Biology

Speaker: David G. Gorenstein, PhD
Monday, November 9, 2009
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

102 Keck Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Class Recital

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:15 CST

Shepherd School of Music
Monday, November 9, 2009
12:15 PM to 2:00 PM

Duncan Recital Hall - Alice Pratt Brown Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Freshman students of the Shepherd School.
12:15 p.m., Duncan Recital Hall

Chamber Music for Brass

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:00 CST

Shepherd School of Music
Monday, November 9, 2009
8:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Duncan Recital Hall - Alice Pratt Brown Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

featuring students of the Shepherd School.
Music of Gabrieli, Shostakovich, Villa-Lobos, Stravinsky, and Ewald.
8:00 p.m., Duncan Recital Hall

Evaluating the Role of Overdiagnosis in Lung Cancer Screening

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:00 CST

Statistics

Speaker: Deborah Goldwasser
Monday, November 9, 2009
2:00 PM to 3:15 PM

1070 Duncan Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Lung cancer has the second highest cancer incidence for both genders, second only to prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women. There is a continued need for effective secondary prevention in the form of early detection and early treatment. However, screening trials have produced ambiguous results as to their effectiveness and in particular have failed to show a mortality benefit due to screening in the context of a randomized clinical trial (RCT). It has been suggested that it is the nature of tumor progression in lung cancer that limits the effectiveness of early detection methods. There may be very aggressive cancers that metastasize rapidly at a small size and there may be very slow-growing tumors that can be detected on screening scans but which are unlikely to shorten a patient’s life expectancy. This latter phenomenon is commonly referred to as “over-diagnosis”. We evaluate data on tumor size and stage from two data-sets on lung cancer screening, namely the Mayo Lung Project (MLP) and the Mayo CT study, in order to examine the evidence for over-diagnosis directly. In contrast to classical estimation methodology used to evaluate screening data (i.e. Walter and Day) from a single screening study, data from different screening modalities (CT and chest x-ray) allows for clustering of cancers with respect to tumor progression dynamics. An initial homogeneity analysis of the two data-sets suggests the presence of two or more clusters having distinct expected size at stage transitions. We use a model that parameterizes tumor growth and stage transition by the evolutionary parameters of branching fraction (f) and the cell mutation rate (u) in order to simulate likelihoods for cancers from both the MLP and the Mayo CT study. Clustering of MLP cancers based on a likelihood similarity matrix indicates the presence of two distinct clusters (A and B) having expected mean size at stage transition of 94 mm (CI: 64,100) and 6.1 mm (CI: 5,20) respectively. The tumor stage and size distribution evident in the Mayo CT results are consistent with a reduction in representation of Cluster A cancers due to higher sensitivity of the prevalence CT screen and detection of Cluster B cancers at smaller sizes than previously observed. These results indicate that in order to achieve a reduction in lung cancer mortality by CT screening may require a lower detection threshold than current estimates suggest.

* Join us for light refreshments and meet our guest from 2:00 to 2:10 in the lobby of Duncan Hall. The colloquium begins at 2:10 and ends at 3:10. Open to the general public.

On the Mathematical Theory for the Boltzmann Equation

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:00 CST

Department of Computational and Applied Mathematics

Speaker: Ricardo Alonso
Monday, November 9, 2009
3:00 PM to 4:00 PM

1064 Duncan Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

In this talk I will offer a general view of the mathematical theory for the Boltzmann equation. I will cover important mathematical advances developed in the last 30 years regarding existence, uniqueness and regularity of solutions for this equation and give recent fascinating developments. I will finish the talk addressing briefly advances in deterministic numerical simulation a possible future research.

Deterministic and Stochastic Responses of Smart Variable Stiffness and Damping Systems and Smart Tuned Mass Dampers

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:00 CST

Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Civil and Environmental Engineering

Speaker: Ertan Sonmez
Monday, November 9, 2009
3:00 PM to 5:00 PM

RL-112 Ryon Engineering Building

Semi-active control algorithms are developed and examined for a variety of civil engineering applications subjected to a wide range of excitations. Except two control algorithms based on continuous variable structure control and Lyapunov control, the semi-active controllers developed in this study are based on real-time estimation of instantaneous (dominant) frequency and the evolutionary power spectral density by time-frequency analysis of either the excitation or the response of the structure. Time-frequency analyses are performed by either short-time Fourier transform or wavelet transform. The semi-active strategies are applied to three categories of structures: (1) single- and multi- degree-of-freedom (sSDOF/sMDOF) systems subjected to pulse-type and random ground excitations, (2) single/multiple smart tuned mass dampers (sTMD/sMTMD) subjected to random wind and ground excitations, and (3) smart tuned liquid column dampers subjected to random wind and ground excitations (sTLCD). For sSDOF/sMDOF systems, nonlinear control algorithms developed to independently vary stiffness (continuous variable structure control) and damping (Lyapunov control) are examined against near-fault earthquakes and pulse type of excitations fitted to them. Another semi-active (time-frequency) controller is developed based on minimizing the instantaneous H2 norm of the response of the structure. Two time-frequency controllers (feedforward and feedback) are developed for single/multiple smart tuned mass dampers (sTMD/sMTMD) subjected to either force or base excitation. In the feedforward control, the smart tuned mass damper stiffness and damping are varied based on the instantaneous (dominant) frequency of the excitation, whereas in the feedback control the smart tuned mass damper stiffness is varied based on the instantaneous (dominant) frequency of the response. The developed algorithms are also extended to semi-active smart tuned liquid column dampers (sTLCD) subjected to either force or base excitation. The performance of the control algorithms are evaluated by studying the deterministic and stochastic responses of the examined semi-active structures. Stochastic responses are computed from Monte Carlo simulations of various target evolutionary spectra. It is shown that smart variable stiffness and variable damping systems and smart tuned mass/liquid column dampers lead to significant response reduction over a broad frequency range and under a wide set of excitations.

"Sleeping in a society: Mapping sleep in a hive of honey bees & Vigilance in the context of INVASION"

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:00 CST

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Speaker: Barrett Klein-hosted by Dave Queller
Monday, November 9, 2009
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM

BL 123 Anderson Biological Laboratories
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Condensed Matter - EMERGENT SUPERSYMMETRY AND STRING IN CONDENSED MATTER SYSTEMS

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:00 CST

Physics & Astronomy

Speaker: Sung-Sik Lee
Monday, November 9, 2009
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM

116 Herzstein Hall (Physics Lab)
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Quantum field theories arise as low energy effective descriptions for gapless states in condensed matter systems. Although strongly coupled quantum field theories are rather common, currently there is no systematic way of understanding those theories. In this talk, I will discuss about two condensed matter systems where non-perturbative tools may shed some light on the strongly coupled low energy physics. In the first part, I will talk about a 2+1 dimensional lattice model where emergent superconformal symmetry enables one to understand a strongly interacting critical point non-perturbatively. In the second part, a 2+1 dimensional non-Fermi liquid state will be discussed where a matrix/string theory emerges in the low energy limit.

Senior Violin Recital

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:30 CST

Shepherd School of Music
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
5:30 PM to 6:30 PM

Duncan Recital Hall - Academic Quadrangle
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Jeff Taylor, violin
Music of Bach and Berg.
5:30 p.m., Duncan Recital Hall

Towards Large Scale Production and Separation of Carbon Nanotubes

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:00 CST

Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Chemistry

Speaker: Noe Alvarez
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

1055 Duncan Hall

Since their discovery, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have boosted the research and applications of nanotechnology; however, many applications of CNTs are inaccessible because they depend upon large-scale CNT production and separations. Type, chirality and diameter control of CNTs determine many of their physical properties, and such control is still not accesible. This thesis studies the early phase routes to an inexpensive approach for large-scale CNT production and the fundamentals for scalable selective reaction of HiPCo CNT separations. At the growth stage, the thesis covers a complete wet-chemistry process of catalyst and catalyst support deposition for growth of vertically aligned (VA) CNTs. A wet-chemistry preparation process has significant importance for CNT synthesis through chemical vapor deposition (CVD). CVD is by far, the most suitable and inexpensive process for large-scale CNT production when compared to other common processes such as laser ablation and arc discharge; however, its potential has been limited by low-yielding and difficult preparation processes, therefore its competitiveness has been reduced. The wet-chemistry process takes advantage of current nanoparticle technology to deposit the catalyst and the catalyst support as a thin film of nanoparticles, making the protocol simple compared to electron beam evaporation and sputtering processes. Also, an innovative simple catalyst deposition through abrasion is demonstrated. Simple friction between the catalyst and the suited substrates deposit a high enough density of metal catalyst particles for successful CNT growth. This simple approach has potential for metal catalyst deposition to grow vertical array CNTs on large surface substrates as well as to develop nano- and micro-patterns of catalyst and CNT growth. The CNTs produced from abraded catalyst have similar qualities to CNTs synthesized from evaporated catalyst. Towards separation of CNTs, UV irradiation on individually dispersed HiPCo CNTs generates auto-selective reactions in liquid phase with good control over their diameter, therefore their chirality. This technique is ideal for large-scale and continuous-process of separations of CNTs by diameter and type.

IBB NIH Biotechnology Seminar Series: Michael Cuchiara, Associate at AlphaDev and Rice Doctoral Candidate

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:00 CST

Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

BRC 282
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Algebraic Geometry Seminar: Orbit Parametrizations of Curves

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:00 CST

Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics
Scientia

Speaker: Wei Ho
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM

227 Herman Brown Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

We discuss parametrizations of geometric data, such as curves with specified line bundles, by orbits of representations of reductive algebraic groups. This point of view also allows us to recover several classical constructions relating different moduli spaces of curves. Moreover, such explicit realizations of these moduli spaces lend themselves to computations, arithmetic applications, and (uni)rationality results.

Reflexiones sobre el cine español actual

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:30 CST

Hispanic Studies
The Spanish Resource Center of Rice University
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
4:30 PM to 6:30 PM

123 Rayzor Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

La profesora Beatriz Leal Riesco (Universidad de Salamanca) y el profesor Luis Duno-Gottberg (Rice University) harán un repaso del panorama del cine español de hoy.

Scientia Institute: Networks and the Architecture of Complexity: From the WWW to the Cell

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:00 CST

Scientia
Scientia

Speaker: Albert-László Barabási
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM

McMurtry Auditorium Duncan Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Highly interconnected networks with amazingly complex structure describe systems as diverse as the World Wide Web, our cells, social systems or the economy. Recent studies indicate that these networks are the result of self-organizing processes governed by simple but generic laws, resulting in architectural features that makes them much more similar to each other than one would have expected by chance. I will discuss the amazing order characterizing our interconnected world and its implications to network robustness and spreading processes, with applications to marketing, social organizations, trade patterns or the spreading of rumors and ideas in the society.

Shepherd School Opera

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:30 CST

Shepherd School of Music
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
7:30 PM to 9:30 PM

Wortham Opera Theater Alice Pratt Brown Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Admission Charge

The Shepherd School Opera presents the first performances of the season. Join us for a double bill including the Prologue from Strauss's Aridne auf Naxos and Donizetti's Viva la Mamma. Richard Bado conducts the Shepherd School Chamber Orchestra for both performances. Tickets costs are $12, students and seniors pay $10. To reserve a ticket, please call 713-348-8000.
7:30 p.m., Wortham Opera Theater

Property and Fixed Asset Management...It's No Big Deal, Until It's a Big Deal

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:00 CST

Human Resources
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM

HR Training Room - IBC Bank Building
5615 Kirby Drive, Suite 300
Houston,Texas,USA

Registration Required

Have you ever noticed the Property Police out on their rounds, but didn’t know what they were looking for? Do you have a clue why it is essential that all property used in labs and other areas is located where it is supposed to be at all times? Do you quiver with the thought of whether an item is equipment or not? Does just the thought of disposing of property give you an Excedrin headache? Well…this is your opportunity to learn all property accounting processes from acquisition to disposal, and see how it can help make your job of purchasing equipment at Rice user-friendly.

At the completion of this session, you will have the tools to:(1)properly code purchase orders according to different types of equipment; (2) accurately determine the various types of equipment and dollar amounts associated with each; (3) obtain appropriate, official university tags and tag university equipment correctly; (4) complete the required form associated with establishing a fabrication fund; (5) properly prepare for the biennial inventories; and (6) dispose of university property appropriately.

Click here to register for the session.

THE QUEST TO UNDERSTAND PHYSICS IN THE MICROWORLD: Physics at Hadron Colliders

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:00 CST

Physics & Astronomy

Speaker: Yuri Gershtein
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM

210 Herzstein Hall (Physics Lab)
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Hadron colliders have been essential in our quest to understand the physics of the micro-world. I will talk about the recent progress of the experimental program to address one of the fundamental questions of Physics: "what is the Nature of the Electroweak Symmetry breaking?". I will present results from the Tevatron collider at Fermilab and prospects for the Large Hadron Collider at CERN.

Faculty Recital

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:00 CST

Shepherd School of Music
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
8:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Duncan Recital Hall - Alice Pratt Brown Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Michael Webster, clarinet
Benjamin Kamins, bassoon
William VerMeulen, horn
Robert Moeling, piano
Program: Muczynski - Fantasy Trio for Clarinet, Bassoon, and Piano; Berwald - Quartet in E-flat Major for Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, and Piano; and Mozart - Quintet in E-flat Major for Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, and Piano, K. 452.
8:00 p.m., Duncan Recital Hall

RPC Presents Homecoming Comedian: Eddie Ifft

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:00 CST

Student Center (RMC)
Recreation Center
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
8:00 PM to 9:00 AM

Grand Hall RMC/Ley Student Center
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

As part of Homecoming Week 2009, Rice Program Council brings you EDDIE IFFT. It’s safe to say that Eddie is one of the most traveled comedians in show business. This year alone, he has headlined not only all over the United States and the UK, but also in 15 other countries including South Africa, Australia, China and the United Arab Emirates. His travels were chronicled for an upcoming feature length, documentary film, entitled "America the Punchline." It all started for Eddie, while working at his father’s insurance firm. http://www.myspace.com/eddieifft

Advantage Way High Impact Learning Managers' Booster Session

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:30 CST

Human Resources
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
10:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Meyer Conference Room RMC/Ley Student Center
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Registration Required

This High Impact Learning Managers' Booster Session is offered to supervisors and managers who have staff registered to attend training. It will provide you with tools and skills to ensure the training your staff receives is closely aligned with the specific goals of your department.

Click here to register for the session.

Veterans Day 2009 Ceremony

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:00 CST

Human Resources
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Courtyard RMC/Ley Student Center
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

A Veterans Day ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. Nov. 11 in the Rice Memorial Center Courtyard. Keynote speaker is Col. Daniel Ragsdale, a Presidential Visiting Fellow. A university employee who has served in the armed forces will be recognized and all veterans will be honored.

Power Hour Conversations to Develop Great Managers

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:00 CST

Human Resources
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

Meyer Conference Room RMC/Ley Student Center
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Registration Required

Managers are the engines for Rice - you play a key role in ensuring the work of the university gets done. You also are very busy. If you can spare an hour, you can engage in a meaningful conversation with your peers, then take that back to your office and apply it immediately! Bring your lunch and be a part of this new "salon approach" to learning. Register for as few or as many topics as your interests and schedules dictate.

Click here to register for the session.

Welding Development for the World's Strongests Pipeline: X120

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:00 CST

Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Dean of Engineering

Speaker: Mario Macia
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM

128 Mechanical Engineering Building
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Meeting the world’s energy demand increasing requires the development of remote gas resources. Long distance gas transmission pipelines traversing challenging environments are needed to bring new gas supplies to the markets where they are needed. These pipelines can cost billions to tens of billions of dollars. ExxonMobil has developed high strength pipeline steels with yield strength of 120 ksi (X120) to reduce the cost of long-distance gas pipelines by 5 - 15%. To enable construction of these high strength pipelines, welding technology capable of producing high strength and toughness needed to be developed. This presentation describes the girth welding development program.

Geometry-Analysis Seminar: Exponential Decay of Green's Function for Discrete Alloy-Type Models on Z with (Sign-Changing) Single Site Potential of Finite Support

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:00 CST

Mathematics
Mathematics
Scientia

Speaker: Martin Tautenhahn
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM

227 Herman Brown Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

The discrete alloy-type model is given by the random Schrödinger operator H_ω = -Δ + V_ω on l²(Z^d), where Δ denotes the discrete Laplacian and V_ω is a random potential given by the function V_ω(x) =∑_{k∈Z_d}ω_ku( x - k). Here ω = {ω_k}_k∈Z^d is a sequence of independent identically distributed random variables and u : Z^d → R is assumed to have compact support. We also assume that the distribution of ω₀ has a density p ∈ L^∞(R). Note that the single-site potential u may change its sign. In this talk we show exponential decay of Green's function in the one dimensional situation via the fractional moment method. We also discuss localization properties and partial results in higher dimension.

Franklin Lecture - Excitation Transfer in Light Harvesting Complexes

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:00 CST

Chemistry

Speaker: Robert Silbey
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM

180 Dell Butcher Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

The light harvesting complexes of photosynthetic bacteria whose large number (~25-20) of Chlorophyll molecules are arranged in highly symmetric arrays have been studied by a variety of spectroscopic methods, including single molecule spectroscopy and hole burning at low temperatures. We describe these systems and the spectroscopic results with a model that includes the coherent interactions among the Chlorophylls and the decoherence due to dynamic and static disorder that is inherent in the protein surrounding the complex.

Managing Sensor Networks Resource Usage and Monitoring Active Volcanoes - Geoffrey Werner Challen

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:00 CST

Computer Science
Dean of Engineering

Speaker: Geoffrey W. Challen
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM

1070 Duncan Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Abstract: Sensor networks composed of large numbers of self organizing embedded devices are an increasingly valuable tool for understanding our world. Deployed networks allow scientists to observe phenomena at a scale and resolution that challenge existing instrumentation. Some call this new instrument the macroscope. My project uses sensor networks to monitor active volcanoes. Due to the high data rates and stringent fidelity requirements of this application, providing output suitable for scientific analysis requires carefully directing the limited resources available at each node. In this talk I will present Lance, a general approach to bandwidth and energy management targeting reliable data collection for sensor networks. By combining an application-level determination of value with a system-level estimation of cost, Lance maximizes the value of the data returned to the application by optimally allocating bandwidth and energy devoted to signal collection. Lance's design decouples data collection policy from mechanism, allowing its optimization metrics to be customized to suit a variety of application goals. I will motivate and describe the Lance architecture, present results from the lab and the field, and discuss continuing efforts in this area, including single-node and network-wide architectures for distributed energy management.

Increasing Interpersonal Effectiveness: Communicating with Diplomacy and Tact

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:00 CST

Human Resources
Thursday, November 12, 2009
9:00 AM to 12:30 PM

HR Training Room - IBC Bank Building
5615 Kirby Drive, Suite 300
Houston,Texas,USA

Registration Required

The ability to communicate well with others and to be able to develop rapport and persuade is a key skill in getting things done. Good interpersonal skills are a complement to technical knowledge and are important and necessary in today's workplace.

The course will contain information on: (1) the three choices in communication: assertive, aggressive, passive; (2) using questions for positive communication; (3) formal and informal delegation skills; (4) the five levels and six steps to successful delegation; and (5) avoiding “firestarter” words and phrases.

At the end of this course, you will be able to: (1) use more tactful words and phrases in your communication with others; (2) ask more tactfully for changes in others; (3) negotiate with others on their priorities; and (4) discern between assertive, aggressive, and passive communication styles.

Click here to register for the session.

Doctoral Lecture Recital

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:15 CST

Shepherd School of Music
Thursday, November 12, 2009
12:15 PM to 1:15 PM

Duncan Recital Hall - Alice Pratt Brown Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Christine Kim, cello
“Texture and Momentum in the Sonatas of Claude Debussy and Vivian Fine”
12:15 p.m., Duncan Recital Hall

Cleft sentences in Indonesian and Kimaragang

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:00 CST

Linguistics

Speaker: Paul Kroeger
Thursday, November 12, 2009
4:00 PM to 5:30 PM

125 Herring Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Junior Double Bass Recital

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

Shepherd School of Music
Thursday, November 12, 2009
6:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Duncan Recital Hall - Alice Pratt Brown Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Nicholas Cathcart, double bass
Music of Hindemith, Schubert, and Schulhoff.
6:00 p.m., Duncan Recital Hall

Greater Houston Amazing Faiths Dinner Dialogues

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:30 CST

Boniuk Center for Religious Tolerance
Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston
Greater Houston Amazing Faiths Project
Thursday, November 12, 2009
6:30 PM to 9:30 PM

Various Homes around Houston Area
Houston,Texas,USA

Registration Required

The Greater Houston Amazing Faiths Dinner Dialogues The Dinner Dialogues provide an opportunity for people to meet people of other faith traditions, to share their experiences and listen to the sharing of others, and to converse about matters of faith and spirituality in a safe, controlled environment. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Dinner Dialogue is the cornerstone event of the Greater Houston Amazing Faiths Project. In this annual event, people gather in groups of 8-10 in private homes to share a meal and engage in a moderated discussion about the role of faith or spirituality in their lives. Dinner guests register to be placed into a host home for the evening of the dialogue. Hosts also register and agree to open their home and prepare a simple, nutritious meal for themselves and the guests. Hosts are trained in what kind of foods are appropriate for this event. The Project organizers provide support for them in meeting any dietary restrictions for guests, i.e. vegetarian, kosher, halal, etc. For more information, visit: http://www.amazingfaithshouston.org/dinner_dialogues.php

Houston Friends of Music - Pavel Haas Quartet

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:00 CST

Shepherd School of Music
Thursday, November 12, 2009
8:00 PM to 9:30 PM

Stude Concert Hall - Alice Pratt Brown Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Admission Charge

Pavel Haas Quartet

Program: Schubert - String Quartet No. 12 in C Minor, D. 703; Haydn - String Quartet No. 61 in D Minor, Op. 76 No. 2; Britten - Three Divertimenti for String Quartet; and Pavel Haas - String Quartet No. 2, Op. 7 “From the Monkey Mountains.”

8:00 p.m., Stude Concert Hall Admission (reserved seating): $19–$65. For tickets call 713-348-5400. Limited number of complimentary tickets for Rice faculty, staff and students.

Bassoon Class Recital

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:00 CST

Shepherd School of Music
Thursday, November 12, 2009
8:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Duncan Recital Hall - Alice Pratt Brown Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Bassoon students of Benjamin Kamins.
8:00 p.m., Duncan Recital Hall

Teaching With Technology - Collaboration Tools

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:00 CST

Information Technology
Fondren Library's Digital Media Center
Educational Technology

Speaker: Angela Rabuck
Thursday, November 12, 2009
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

129 Herring Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

What tools are available for researchers and other collaborators? There are several options for Rice community members to use and share with their colleagues inside Rice and beyond. OWL-Space wizard Angela Rabuck discusses both blogs and wikis, which can be used instead of or in addition to OWL-Space. Graduate students and faculty alike benefit from learning how to incorporate new and changing technologies into their teaching styles.

Each academic year, Fondren Library’s Digital Media Center and Educational Technologies (part of the division of Information Technology) sponsor a series of workshops that focus on the use of technology in teaching and collaborative learning. These informal, practical workshops, open to all faculty, instructors, staff, and graduate students, will introduce how and why to use educational technologies.

Dining with the Dean: CS undergrads

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:00 CST

Dean of Engineering
Computer Science
Thursday, November 12, 2009
12:00 PM to 1:30 PM

1049 Duncan Hall

Bring your questions to lunch with Dean Sallie. RSVP to jburch@rice.edu by Tuesday, November 10.

"Collecting Field Data"

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:15 CST

Anthropology

Speaker: Lina DibSpeaker: Anthony PotoczniakSpeaker: Laura JonesSpeaker: Elise McCarthySpeaker: Elitza Ranova
Thursday, November 12, 2009
12:15 PM to 1:00 AM

570 Sewall Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Rice Earth Science Seminar- "Thermal and Chemical Evolution of Earth's Deep Interior: The New Paradigm"

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:00 CST

Earth Science

Speaker: Dr. John Hernlund
Thursday, November 12, 2009
4:00 PM to 5:00 AM

Room 100 Keith-Wiess Geological Laboratories
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

An entirely new dynamic picture of Earth's deep interior is emerging that is primarily the result of significant advances in high pressure experimentation and theoretical mineral physics, but which also brings together decades of progress in seismic imaging, mass spectrometry, and geomagnetic research. Zeroeth-order questions such as the depth extent of subduction of oceanic lithosphere and the location of large chemically distinct deep reservoirs have now been solved. Rapid progress is now being made in understanding the formation of the Earth, the rate of heat and mass flow from the core, the composition and origin of chemically distinct reservoirs, the dynamics of convection in the core which generate Earth's magnetic field, and thermal evolution of Earth's interior. While the primary sources of uncertainty still remain with physical and chemical properties of materials at high pressures and temperatures, we are now able to identify the most critical missing links, and have spawned dramatic new integrated research efforts spanning the globe to address these remaining problems. The emerging picture is astonishing, and contains more surprises than could possibly have been imagined only a decade ago. First, temperature variations are being revealed in the deepest mantle in unprecedented (and unexpected) detail via the discovery of a post-perovskite phase transition and its association with remarkable seismic structures in the D" region. Perovskite->Post-perovskite isn't like your grandfather's phase transitions, instead it is embedded in an active thermal boundary layer above the core (where the mantle cools the core, giving rise to core convection and a geodynamo), and the high pressure phase can appear and disappear in surprising ways, forming lens-like structures floating above the CMB. The post-perovskite evidence points to high core-mantle heat flow, and therefore to high core temperatures in the past. Second, theoretical and experimental work on the physics of molten rocks at pressures of the deep mantle now provide ample evidence for a cross-over in liquid-solid density at some pressure in the mid-lower mantle (~80 GPa), such that melts in the deepest mantle will settle downwards instead of rising upward. Hints that melt might be stable at the base of the mantle were first discovered over a decade ago by seismologists probing the core-mantle boundary, and the finding of ultralow-velocity zones that seemed to bear the hallmarks of a partially molten mush. The inevitable conclusion of these findings is that the deepest mantle must have been more extensively molten in the Earth's hotter past, once forming a vast gravitationally stable basal magma ocean that formed very early in Earth's history. This synthesis is motivating an entire re-appraisal of the evolution of Earth's deep interior, and involves gradual cooling and fractional crystallization of this giant basal magma chamber, with solid cumulates forming chemically distinct regions in the deep mantle (formerly known as "super-plumes") and ultralow-velocity zones containing the residual liquid. This molten body reacted with the metallic core to produce a buoyant slag which influences the geodynamo and the observed geomagnetic secular variation.

BIOE 698 Graduate Seminar

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:00 CST

Bioengineering

Speaker: Cathy Ambrose
Thursday, November 12, 2009
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM

BRC 282
BioScience Research Collaborative
6500 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Colloquium: Eigenvalue Statistics for Ergodic Localization

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:00 CST

Mathematics
Mathematics
Scientia

Speaker: Svetlana Jitomirskaya
Thursday, November 12, 2009
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM

227 Herman Brown Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

So far eigenvalue statistics for Schrodinger operators with pure point spectrum have been studied and proved only in case of random potentials. In the talk I will describe and sketch a proof of the first deterministic result in this direction and discuss some numerical evidence towards a conjecture on what the distribution is in general ergodic situation. The talk should be accessible to anyone with basic (passive) knowledge of random processes. It is based on joint work with A. Avila and V. Mandelshtam.

ULTRACOLD POLAR MOLECULES

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:00 CST

Physics & Astronomy

Speaker: Deborah S. Jin
Thursday, November 12, 2009
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM

210 Herzstein Hall (Physics Lab)
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Polar molecules offer exciting new possibilities for studies of ultracold quantum gases, however it has been extremely challenging to extend ultracold atom cooling techniques to ground-state molecules. I will discuss our recent success in creating a near quantum degenerate gas of KRb polar molecules in their lowest energy ground state, and present some initial studies of chemical reactions at temperatures below 1 microKelvin.

“Hindutva in Transnational Alignments”

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:00 CST

Chao Center for Asian Studies

Speaker: Deepa Reddy
Thursday, November 12, 2009
4:00 PM to 6:00 PM

119 Humanities Building
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

ABSTRACT: Her presentation is part of a longer work entitled “Hindutva: Genealogies and Logics”: a review-style essay that (1) surveys the literature on hindutva to date, but also (2) tracks the phenomenon of Hindu nationalism from its initial conception in Savarkar’s ideological manifesto Hindutva to contemporary politics in India and in diaspora. By focusing on the shifting ways in which hindutva is articulated and arguments about it made over time, she shows that it is neither a stable nor an easily bounded phenomenon—although arguments about hindutva (its own and those of its critics) do come into alignment and stabilize in particular contexts, around particular issues.

Undergraduate Advising Meeting

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:00 CST

Dean of Engineering
Bioengineering
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Computational and Applied Mathematics
Computer Science
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Statistics
Thursday, November 12, 2009
4:00 PM to 5:30 PM

McMurtry Auditorium Duncan Hall

This meeting will be especially valuable to freshman and sophomore engineering students, and any students curious about potential majors in engineering. Faculty provide an invaluable resource: they can help you pick the best courses for next semester and tell you about the many other interesting activities that enrich your education.

After a brief general introduction, students will be able to attend advising sessions with departmental major advisors for more specific information.

Biophysics - TBA

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:00 CST

Physics & Astronomy

Speaker: Kathryn Mayer
Friday, November 13, 2009
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM

116 Herzstein Hall (Physics Lab)
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

TBA

Natural Sciences Alumni Open House

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:00 CST

Dean of Natural Sciences
Friday, November 13, 2009
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Dell Butcher Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Natural Sciences Alumni Open House

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:00 CST

Chemistry
Friday, November 13, 2009
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Dell Butcher Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Hosted by the Dean of Natural Sciences

Distributed Energy Resources, Transportation Futures, and Air Quality in the Urban Environment

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:45 CST

Civil and Environmental Engineering
Dean of Engineering

Speaker: Donald Dabdub
Friday, November 13, 2009
3:45 PM to 5:00 PM

201 Ryon Engineering Building
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Electricity generation is a major contributor to air pollutant emissions. Distributed energy resources (DER) provide an alternative means for electricity production or storage. DER is generally defined as the operation of many small stationary power generators throughout an urban air basin. Although DG has the potential to supply a significant portion of the increased power demands in California and the rest of the United States, it may lead to increased levels of in-basin pollutants and adversely impact urban air quality. This study focuses on two main objectives: (1) the systematic characterization of DG installation in urban air basins, and (2) the simulation of potential air quality impacts using a state-of-the-art three-dimensional computational model. This talk quantifies the potential benefits to air quality due to DER deployment in the South Coast Air Basin of California, which is likely to be one of the first areas of the country to meet a significant portion of its electricity production by using DER. Results focus on gas-phase air pollutants as well as atmospheric particulate matter.

Social Sciences Homecoming Alumni and Faculty Reception

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:00 CST

Dean of Social Sciences
Friday, November 13, 2009
4:00 PM to 6:00 PM

180 Baker Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Master's Flute Recital

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:00 CST

Shepherd School of Music
Friday, November 13, 2009
5:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Duncan Recital Hall - Alice Pratt Brown Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Heather Zinninger, flute
Music of C.P.E. Bach, Ichiyanagi, Gieseking, Prokofiev, and Daugherty.
5:00 p.m., Duncan Recital Hall

Master's Viola Recital

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:30 CST

Shepherd School of Music
Friday, November 13, 2009
7:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Room 1133 Alice Pratt Brown Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Lynsey Anderson, viola
Music of J.S. Bach, Reger, Penderecki, and Garth Knox.
7:30 p.m., Room 1133

Rice Homecoming & Reunion 2009 - Novemver 13 to 15

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:01 CST

University Events
Friday, November 13, 2009
All Day

Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

Registration Required

Friday, November 13 to Sunday, November 15 http://www.rice.edu/homecoming

Keck Seminar: Nano-Optofluidic Detection of Single Viruses and Proteins

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:00 CST

Gulf Coast Consortia
Keck Center for Interdisciplinary Bioscience Training
W.M. Keck Center for Virus Imaging Training Program
Gulf Coast Consortia Research Programs
Pharmacoinformatics Training Program (Keck Center)
Keck Computational Biology Program
Houston Area Molecular Biophysics Program
Computational Biology and Medicine Program (Keck Center)
Nanobiology Training Program (Keck Center)
Computational and Structural Biology in Biodefense Training Program

Speaker: Lucas Novotny
Friday, November 13, 2009
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM

102 Keck Hall
Rice University
6100 Main St
Houston,Texas,USA

The reliable detection, sizing and sorting of viruses and nanoparticles is important for biosensing, environmental monitoring, and quality control. Here we introduce a label-free optical detection scheme for the real-time detection and recognition of single viruses and larger proteins. The method makes use of nanofluidic channels in combination with optical interferometry. Elastically scattered light from single viruses traversing a stationary laser focus is detected with a differential heterodyne interferometer and the resulting signal allows single viruses to be characterized individually. Heterodyne detection eliminates phase variations due to different particle trajectories, thus improving the recognition accuracy as compared to standard optical interferometry. We demonstrate the practicality of our approach by resolving nanoparticles of various sizes, and detecting and recognizing different species of human viruses from a mixture. The detection system can be readily integrated into larger nanofluidic architectures for practical applications.