Special Projects

New drinking buddy? Wasp species discovered outside of Valhalla

A new insect species, a type of cynipid gall wasp, was discovered right outside Valhalla, and subsequently described in a paper published this month in the journal of Systematic Entomology. The wasp was named Neuroterus Valhalla, after the location of its original discovery. 

Rice student businesses reopen in light of new COVID-19 policies

Student-run businesses Rice Coffeehouse, The Hoot, Rice Bikes and East-West Tea are reopening for the semester, in light of new and evolving COVID protocols. Jinhee Shin, general manager of Rice Coffeehouse, said that business had been especially high since reopening on Wednesday, Jan. 26.

Fourth Datathon held last weekend

Rice University, along with the D2K club, hosted its 4th Annual Datathon this past weekend. The directors, Caleb Huang, Gazi Fuad and Michael Kelley, said that this year’s event was the biggest yet. The Datathon is Rice’s annual data science competition, where participants have 24 hours, in teams, to design and also implement data science-related projects. 

New study spots opened up on campus

Rice expanded its study space options since Jan. 18, opening up selective rooms in Rayzor Hall, Duncan Hall and Kraft Hall on a reservation basis. Rayzor Hall rooms 106, 113 and 123, Duncan Hall room 1046 and Kraft Hall rooms 103 and 104 will be accessible for students. The Rayzor Hall lobbies will continue to be open until 1:45 a.m. via swipe access.

Pub to reopen Jan. 31, plans temporary location for coming year

Willy’s Pub will resume their normal operating hours starting Monday, Jan. 31, serving both food and alcohol, according to Elizabeth Groenewold, Pub’s general manager. 

New Year, new hobbies to explore

As we end the first month of 2022, it’s never too late to pick up new hobbies and learn new habits to set yourself up for success for the rest of the year (and maybe longer). With everything from little habits to fun new hobbies, here are some things to try that embody the “new year, new you” motto. 

Sammy the Owl’s Redesign for 2022

Women’s basketball falls to Charlotte in their longest-ever game

The Rice women’s basketball team played the longest game in program history on Saturday, falling to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in four overtimes. With Rice holding a lead in the final seconds of each of the first two overtime periods, the 49ers hit game-tying shots to keep the game alive. The deadlock was finally broken in the closing minutes of the fourth overtime, as the 49ers pulled away to an 88-83 win, dropping the Owls to 0-5 in conference play. According to head coach Lindsay Edmonds, even though the Owls didn’t get the win, they impressed her throughout the game with their grit and resolve.

Men’s basketball looks for statement win against LA Tech

The Rice men’s basketball team will play an important conference game against Louisiana Tech University on Thursday. Having won 11 and lost 7 games so far this season, the Owls will look to improve on their 4-3 Conference USA record when they play the Bulldogs, who are tied for first place in the conference, in Ruston, Louisiana. 

Swimming gets conference win against UNT on Senior Day

​​The Owls beat the University of North Texas last Saturday in their dual meet 175-119, to secure their first win of the season. In addition to the competition at the Gibbs Recreation and Wellness Center, the Owls celebrated their seven seniors during their senior day festivities. According to senior Marta Cano-Minarro, the meet is always an emotional one, but it was different this time as she was one of the swimmers being honored.

Weekly Scenes and Screens, Jan. 26

Celebrate Lunar New Year in Houston

With the Lunar New Year approaching on Feb. 1, celebrations are happening in Houston to ring in new beginnings and the Year of the Tiger. The Lunar New Year is the beginning of the lunar calendar and is commonly referred to as the Chinese New Year, but is actually celebrated by several countries and cultures globally. With celebrations happening both virtually and in person, there are plenty of opportunities to commemorate the new year across the Houston area.

Senior Spotlight: Lydia Wang embraces ephemerality of theatre

Lydia Wang’s love for acting bloomed when she was first introduced to Shakespeare in elementary school, and the Bard has inspired them ever since. She will be graduating this fall with a double major in visual and dramatic arts and mathematics and hopes to continue pursuing theatre in the future, where they can continue to bring characters to life through her own voice. 

Review: “You Don’t Know Us Negroes and Other Essays”

In “You Don’t Know Us Negroes and Other Essays,” Zora Neale Hurston powerfully establishes the immense contributions of Black culture and defends its worth. The collection, with an introduction by Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Genevieve West, was released on Jan. 18, nearly 60 years after her death. It features essays that have never been published before, as well as several essays that are being reprinted for the first time. 

Soundwaves opening at Moody

The Moody Center for the Arts is hosting their latest exhibition, “Soundwaves: Experimental Strategies in Art + Music,” to celebrate the history of artistic and musical experimentation, paying homage to visual and performing artists that blend the two together into a melting pot of visual and sonic elements. 

01-26-22 Crossword: "Elementary"

01-26-2022 Crossword Solutions

Senior Spotlight: Cynthia Chen talks making the most of an unexpected college experience

Martel College senior Cynthia Chen grew up envisioning the quintessential college life portrayed in movies and books. Having taken a semester off during her sophomore year and having spent so much time learning from home due to the pandemic, Chen said she almost felt robbed of this experience. But she has learned to accept that her college experience is turning out differently from what she originally expected.

5 clubs to check out at the Student Activities Fair

Extracurricular activities make up a major part of student life at Rice: there’s a large variety of clubs to choose from, a good number of which students may not have even heard about. Did you know that you can sign up to volunteer to teach English as a Second Language to adults or get involved in a fashion show? Many of these campus organizations will be at the virtual Student Activities Fair this Wednesday, Jan. 26. 

It’s time to sever athletic relations with BYU over its anti-LGBTQ policies

In September 2019, nearly 100 students stormed the field at Rice Stadium during the halftime show for a football game against Baylor University. Wielding pride flags, volunteers led by our iconic Marching Owl Band protested Baylor’s refusal to recognize Gamma Alpha Upsilon, the then-unofficial LGBTQ student alliance at Baylor.