dr. desroches rises

Rice University makes historic selection for its eighth president

DesRoches is the first person of color, the first immigrant (he was born in Haiti), and first engineer to lead the school.

Photo courtesy of Rice University

An internationally renowned structural engineer and earthquake resilience expert is now leading the Ivy League of the South.

Reginald DesRoches, who currently serves as the university’s provost, has been named as the next (and only eighth in history) president of Rice University, the school announced on November 11. DesRoches (pronounced “day-ROH-sh”) will become the eighth president of Rice when he assumes his new position on July 1, 2022, per the university. This news comes after a nationwide search by Rice’s board of trustees.

His appointment comes as a series of firsts for Rice: DesRoches is the first person of color, the first immigrant (he was born in Haiti), and first engineer to lead the school.

The new president will succeed the outgoing David Leebron, who announced his retirement from the school next summer, as CultureMap previously reported.
DesRoches has been provost since Leebron appointed him as the university’s chief academic officer in 2020, per Rice. He is credited by Rice for leading the university’s academic, research, scholarly and creative activities through the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In less than two years, DesRoches increased the university’s research awards, launched several new centers and institutes, and cemented new partnerships and programs with institutions and organizations throughout the Houston area, including the Texas Medical Center.

Additionally, DesRoches established the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, which Rice notes has been instrumental in “dramatically increasing the diversity of Rice’s faculty and graduate student population.” He also is leading the first major expansion of the undergraduate student body in more than 10 years.

He joined the university in 2017, in the role of William and Stephanie Sick Dean of Engineering at the George R. Brown School of Engineering. Under his leadership, the student body grew and partnerships with local and international universities grew (including work with a research center in India).

Born in Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, DesRoches was raised in Queens in New York City. While studying at the University of California, Berkeley, DesRoches witnessed the damage wrought by the historic 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. That inspired him to focus on earthquake resiliency as he pursued his master’s and Ph.D. degrees in structural engineering at Berkeley, per his bio.

He has authored myriad papers and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. DesRoches has received the Distinguished Arnold Kerr Lecturer Award in 2019, the John A. Blume Distinguished Lecturer Award in 2018 and the 2018 Earthquake Engineering Research Institute Distinguished Lecturer Award, one of the highest honors in the field of earthquake engineering.

“I am deeply honored to be named the next president of Rice University,” DesRoches said in a statement. “The past four-and-a-half years at Rice have been among the most rewarding in my professional career and I look forward to building on the tradition of excellence established by President Leebron and those who served before him.”

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it's summertime

6 family-friendly activities that are new to Houston for summer 2026

A young boy plays simulated racing at Velocity in Houston

Photo courtesy of Velocity

From video game racing to museums, there are plenty for families to do in Houston this summer.

With school out for summer, parents are looking for things for kids to do that will keep them entertained and engaged. Here's a quick rundown of some of the fun activities opening up for the summer around the Houston area.

Hill at Sims
Located in the Sunnyside neighborhood, Houston's newest part is a $30 million, 100-acre project that's been five years in the making. It offers nearly five miles of paved and dirt trails, a fishable pier, and massive street art murals. The hill itself offers a breathtaking view of the downtown skyline.

Houston Museum of Natural Science Sugar Land
The FIFA 2026 World Cup is almost upon us, leading to rampant outbreaks of futbol fever. The only cure is a cold compress of science, thanks to the Houston Museum of Natural Science Sugar Land location. Through July 3, experts on site will teach about the physics, history, and psychology of the world's most popular game. Weekdays will feature craft stations, interactive exhibits, and group activities, while the weekends explore the countries that are participating in this year's World Cup, leading up to a final global celebration.

Lone Star Flight Museum
On Saturday, June 19, the museum will open its new exhibit Made in Texas: 116 Years of Texas Aviation History. Visitors will see items such as vintage flight attendant uniforms and fine China that was used in first class cabins. In addition, the exhibit showcases aircraft manufactured in Texas and celebrates pilots such as the Tuskegee Airmen and Texas ACES. Through January 3, 2027.

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Just because it's summer is no reason there can't be a little learning as well. The Museum of Fine Arts Houston is hosting a rare showing of masterworks by Pablo Picasso, Paul Klee, Henri Matisse, Alberto Giacometti and more. The collection comes from renowned gallerist and dealer Heinz Berggruen, who scoured Europe after World War II through 1990 to acquire many works, some directly from the artists themselves. Though you may recognize the names of the artists, you likely won't be familiar with some of the works on display, as they tend to be more obscure pieces. Open through September 13.

Time Mission
Journey from the beginning of the universe through the molten emergence of the Earth to the far future for a cyberpunk heist. Time Mission is a single room immersive experience that pits 2 - 5 player aged 6 and up through 25 possible mental and physical games to progress through the fourth dimension. Developed by the same minds behind the Museum of Illusions, Time mIssion is just the latest in high-end immersive game services in the Houston, albeit it one with a temporal travel twist.

Velocity Sim Racing Lounge
Go-kart and sim racing often leave the younger children out of the mix thanks to height requirements on the equipment. Velocity Sim Racing Lounge in the Sawyer Yards district is changing that with their new Racer 2.0 rigs. Rated for ages 5 and up, the rigs come with adjustable pedals, steering wheels, and seats, making them far more accessible to both young racers and those with disabilities. Velocity is also debuting a new virtual track, Dino Rush, that lets you race through a prehistoric park.