The Rice University community is invited to the opening reception of STaRT@Rice, a School of Social Sciences signature event, on October 2. The opening reception will include a Research Relay featuring new social sciences faculty. Guests participating in Rice’s Families Weekend are welcome to attend.
STaRT@Rice is the School's premier research methods and statistical training program for graduate students, held over the course of three days. The event is co-directed by Tony Brown, Distinguished Professor of Sociology, and Jing Chen, associate professor of psychological sciences. Faculty from various disciplines host workshops that appeal to all levels and interests, such as Computational Linguistics, Survival Modeling and Time-to-Event Analyses, and The Science and Art of Editing Your Own Work and Others’.
“Incorporating Research Relays into the STaRT@Rice opening reception provides participants with a front row seat to the innovative research methods employed by our faculty,” said Rachel Kimbro, dean of the School of Social Sciences. “Our hope is that the students will leave the reception feeling inspired and energized for their weekend of immersive training ahead.”
The event will begin with opening remarks from Amy Dittmar, Howard R. Hughes Provost and executive vice president for academic affairs; Seiichi Matsuda, dean of graduate and postdoctoral studies; Kimbro; and Brown. Pat DeLucia, associate dean for research for the School of Social Sciences, will introduce the five faculty presenters:
- Marco Bassetto, L. Douglas Lee Professor of Economics;
- Marc Coutanche, associate professor of psychological sciences;
- Noni Gaylord-Harden, professor of psychological sciences;
- James LeBreton, professor of psychological sciences and STaRT@Rice instructor; and
- Siyu Liang, assistant professor of linguistics and STaRT@Rice instructor.
Each speaker will have four minutes to present their research. Afterward, attendees will have the opportunity to mingle with the speakers over light bites and refreshments.
“I am honored and delighted to help usher STaRT@Rice into its sixth year,” said Brown. “It is a truly remarkable program that provides our graduate students with essential tools to enhance their academic or industry careers, to fight imposter syndrome, and to create meaningful connections with faculty and peers.”
Research Relays: New Faculty Research (II) will take place on October 2 from 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm in Kraft Hall 130. Light bites and refreshments will be served. RSVPs are requested from attendees who are not participating in STaRT@Rice. For questions about Research Relays, contact Pat.DeLucia@rice.edu. For questions about STaRT@Rice, contact start@rice.edu.
Main article photo: The October 2025 Research Relay. Photo by Jeff Fitlow.