Contributors: Spring 2026
A few of the talented writers, artists and photographers who contributed to the Spring 2026 issue.
Alex Becker (“After the Storm”) is a writer and media relations specialist for Rice University in Houston. She specializes in transforming complex research into compelling feature stories with a focus on engineering, climate and global health.
Brandi Smith (“Moody Fellowship Brings Research Close to Home”) is an award-winning multimedia journalist who escaped TV news after 23 years and now covers the School of Humanities and Arts, Shepherd School of Music and Moody Center for the Arts for Rice News.
Kat Cosley Trigg (“Colombia’s Unexpected Inheritance,” “The Case, Reconsidered” and “Why Study the Brain?”) is a multimedia journalist and media relations specialist at Rice University with more than 20 years of experience in broadcast and digital media. An Emmy Award-winning television host and executive producer, she also teaches at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
Bethany Nauert (“A New Ambition, Uncorked”) is a professional photographer based in Los Angeles. Born in Seoul, South Korea, and raised mostly in San Diego, she’s always been drawn to visual storytelling. Bethany’s photography has been featured in Architectural Digest, Elle Decor and The New York Times.
Lars Leetaru (“Colombia’s Unexpected Inheritance”) is a Philadelphia-based illustrator whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker and Rolling Stone. His work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators and the American Illustration. When not in the studio he enjoys cooking, playing the banjo and drawing with his son.
Rafael Rojas (“Way, Way Beyond the Hedges,” “Now Reading” and “Fever Pitch”) is a Houston-based photographer and videographer at Rice University, crafting compelling visual stories that capture campus life, culture, and community through creativity, authenticity, and a passion for meaningful storytelling.