Katharine Shilcutt joined the Office of Research as director of communications following two years as Rice’s director of student media and nearly five years working in news and media relations for the Office of Public Affairs. In the Office of Research, Katharine is responsible for publishing the biannual Rice Research Review (R3) and bimonthly R3 newsletter.

As director of student media, Katharine served as the adviser to the Rice Thresher, Campanile and KTRU Rice Radio 96.1 FM, where she launched the popular “DUG Hour,” a show that features interviews with a Rice faculty or staff member every week. Katharine still hosts the show every Wednesday at 11 a.m. as well as KTRU’s “Cover to Cover” on Wednesdays at noon.

Prior to Rice, Katharine was the managing editor of Houstonia Magazine, which she originally joined as features editor when the magazine was first launched in 2013. Before she came to Houstonia, she was the James Beard-nominated food critic for the Houston Press. She regularly represented Houston’s dining scene on local and national television and for three years co-hosted “The Full Menu” on KUHF 88.7 FM. Katharine’s work has been republished in Best American Food Writing anthologies and honored with multiple Association of Food Journalist awards.

Katharine is a native Houstonian and seventh-generation Texan who did not graduate from Rice but loves it more than her alma mater. When she’s not cooking or eating out with friends, you can find her doing laps at the Rec Center or checking out five books at a time from Fondren Library. As of fall 2024, Katharine teaches a course on Writing About Houston for the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies and will excitedly share the syllabus and reading materials with anyone who asks.