Rice University has received a significant $25 million gift from university trustee James "Jim" Whitehurst '89 and his wife, Lauren Whitehurst, to establish the Sallyport Fellows Program, a comprehensive initiative designed to support first-generation and limited-income undergraduate students. The generous donation also allocates $1 million towards the university's Gateway Project.
This substantial contribution aims to enhance the Rice experience for a crucial segment of its student body. In other institutional developments, Rice University has also launched its new Center for Science Communication and Public Engagement (SCOPE), offering new courses and public programs to foster better scientific discourse.
Faculty and researchers at Rice continue to make headlines with their diverse work. English and creative writing professor Andrea Bajani's latest novel, "The Anniversary," was featured in The New York Times, while collaborative research into AI's role in healthcare settings, led by English professor Kirsten Ostherr, garnered attention. Additionally, the Kinder Institute for Urban Research released studies on Houston's LGBTQ+ and Asian American populations, and home insurance affordability in Texas.
Further scientific advancements include new semiconductor manufacturing techniques, an electrochemical ion pumping platform for wastewater treatment and metal recovery, and groundbreaking studies on magnetic materials and altermagnets by physics professors Yimo Han, Shihong Lin, Pengcheng Dai, and their teams. These efforts underscore Rice's ongoing commitment to both academic excellence and impactful research.