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ARcode (Audio Response Code), an app that permits the sending of data using sound, won its designers the $3,000 firstplace prize in the fourth annual HackRice hackathon. More than 250 caffeine-fueled coders, hackers, programmers and friends took part in the 24-hour hacking marathon, held Jan. 30–Feb. 1 at Rice. Organized by the Rice Computer Science Club, HackRice was open to all programmers and designers, including people not enrolled at Rice. Participants formed 44 teams and, starting at noon on Saturday, created assorted digital projects such as apps and other software. Criteria used to judge the projects included innovation and creativity, technical complexity, impact/potential and polish. The winners collected $8,350 in prizes. “This year we tried to maintain an atmosphere of fun,” said Aaron Roe, a senior in computer science and technical chair of the Computer Science Club. “We raffled off prizes, totaling $1,500, every hour.” Read about all the prizewinners: ricemagazine.info/259 —Patrick Kurp QUEER RESOURCE CENTER OPENS In January, more than 100 people attended a kickoff party for the new Queer Resource Center on campus, dubbed the QRC. Rainbow stickers and pamphlets, detailing the goals of the center, were handed out. Those in attendance were asked to give suggestions for speakers, movies and literary sources that would benefit members of the Rice community in relation to LGBTQA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer/Questioning, Asexual/Ally) issues. The LGBTQA+ community has had some resources in the past, including ally training sponsored by the Wellbeing Office and Queers & Allies, a long-standing club on campus. During the 2014 spring semester, a new LGBTQA+ group, Query, was founded. Starting off as a book club, which promoted an exploration and discussion of the queer identity, Query’s interests soon spread to include advocacy. “Part of that advocacy is founding the QRC. In turn, the QRC will go out and
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advocate for other things, including the projects we feel are important,” said Nicholas Hanson-Holtry, a Sid Rich College junior and founding member of the center. The QRC has two central staff advisers: Catherine E. Clack in the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Kathleen Gould in the Student Wellbeing Office. “My biggest priority for the QRC,” Hanson-Holtry said, “is that five years from now when [we’re] not here, the [QRC] is still going to be here.” —Letty Trevino ’16 KTRU-96.1 FM TO RETURN The Federal Communications Commission approved KTRU’s application for a low-power FM transmitter in February, and Rice’s student-run radio station expects to broadcast on Houston’s FM airwaves by the end of the year. “The KTRU community is incredibly excited to re-enter the FM format as a pillar of the Houston local music scene and continue
to provide its eclectic, broad range of music through the accessible means of FM radio,” said Sal Tijerina, KTRU manager. The transmitter will have a maximum power of 41 watts, which will reach a radius of about five miles around campus. KTRU has been broadcasting online since the sale of the 50,000-watt tower, frequency and license to the University of Houston was completed in 2011. Rice designated a portion of the proceeds from the sale to be used by KTRU. The station is using the majority of that funding for programming, but the funds also will cover the cost of equipment for the new signal and installation. “KTRU started out years ago as a low-wattage broadcast station in Hanszen College on the Rice campus, and this new transmitter will take KTRU back to its origins,” said Dean of Undergraduates John Hutchinson. He credited Will Robedee, KTRU general manager, with spearheading the effort to apply to the FCC for a low-power transmitter. Once the transmitter is installed later this year, KTRU will begin broadcasting on 96.1 FM; the station currently broadcasts 24 hours a day online at www.ktru.org and on HD radio at 90.1 HD2 24 as well as through TuneIn and IHeart apps and soon-to-be-added NextRadio app. Tijerina said the online and HD broadcasts will continue. —B.J. Almond
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HACKRICE DRAWS 250 CODERS