largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science. Fellows are selected for their efforts to advance science or scientific applications that are deemed distinguished. Carson, dean of Rice’s Wiess School of Natural Sciences, was elected for “distinguished contributions to the field of reproductive biology and medicine, particularly for studies of the embryo implantation process, and for the advocacy of basic science in the community.” Carson is the Schlumberger Chair of Advanced Studies and Research and a professor of biochemistry and cell biology. Ensor, professor of statistics and chair of the Department of Statistics, was chosen “for research in environmental and financial statistics, leadership in the statistics profession and for advancing statistical practice and outreach through the mentoring and education of future scientists.” Kavraki, the Noah Harding Professor of Computer Science and professor of bioengineering, was selected “for fundamental contributions to robotic motion planning and its application to computational biology.” Natelson, professor of physics and astronomy and professor of electrical and computer engineering, was chosen “for distinguished contributions to the physics of nanostructures and of molecular electronic systems.” Phillips, the Ralph and Dorothy Looney Professor of Biochemistry and Cell Biology and professor of chemistry, was recognized “for outstanding contributions to the development of crystallography and its applications in structural biology, particularly in the study of protein dynamics and structural genomics.” Vannucci, professor of statistics at Rice and an adjunct faculty member at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, was elected “for fundamental contributions to wavelet-based statistical modeling and to the theory and practice of Bayesian variable selection methods and for mentorship of young researchers.” We congratulate these distinguished faculty members. —J.B. NATURAL SCIENCES
Tiny Creature Genomes
A new report in the journal Nature unveils three of the first genomes from a vast, understudied swath of the animal kingdom that includes as many as one-quarter of Earth’s marine species. By publishing the genomes
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The genomes of the freshwater leech Helobdella robusta (pictured), the owl limpet and an ocean-dwelling worm are among the first sequenced genomes from a vast, understudied swath of the animal kingdom known as lophotrochozoans, which includes as many as one-quarter of Earth’s marine species. of a leech, an ocean-dwelling worm and a sea snail creature called a limpet, scientists from Rice University, the University of California at Berkeley and the Department of Energy’s Joint Genome Institute (JGI) have more than doubled the number of genomes from a diverse group of animals called lophotrochozoans. (Hint: It’s pronounced just like it’s spelled.) This diverse group of animals includes mollusks, such as snails, clams and octopuses, and annelids, such as leeches and earthworms. “At Rice, we work on comparative genomics,” said co-author Nicholas Putnam, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Rice. “We look for recognizable similarities across genomes, and we are interested in similarities among the genes themselves and also among the patterns of genetic organization. These structural similarities can tell us a lot about the evolution of individual genes and functional gene groups, like chromosomes.” —J.B. Read more about Nicholas Putnam’s lab and the ongoing work in genomic studies at ricemagazine.info/143. PUBLIC POLICY
Prohibition Failure
Rice sociologist William Martin traces the origins and growth of Mexican drug cartels and
the corruption, failed government policies and gruesome violence that accompanied their rise in a new paper from Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. Martin is the Baker Institute’s Harry and Hazel Chavanne Senior Fellow in Religion and Public Policy as well as a Rice professor emeritus of religion and public policy and of sociology. Martin’s analysis places a special focus on efforts and developments during former Mexican President Felipe Calderón’s term from December 2006 to November 2012. Despite Calderón’s drawing on the force of the Mexican military, his war on the cartels appeared to have exacerbated the violence, Martin said. To reverse course, Martin recommends that the Mexican government work to shift from a mindset of war to one of crime fighting and to reduce the role of the military while strengthening that of the police. In addition, Martin said both countries must work to improve educational and employment opportunities so that young people in particular do not turn to drugs and crime because they have abandoned hope of achieving a meaningful life by legal means. “Finally, both countries, in dialogue with other nations in the hemisphere, in Europe and elsewhere, should examine the drug policies and programs of other countries to consider viable alternatives to a policy of strict Photo: Ajna S. Rivera/UC-Berkeley