William Marsh Rice University, also known as Rice University, is a private research university in Houston, Texas. On September 23, 1912, the Rice Institute opened its doors with 77 students and a dozen faculty members. It has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6:1 and is the second most international university in the United States. The university has been active in research in the fields of cancers, pollutants, coral reef protection, and so on, and in 2010 the Times Higher Education (THE) placed it first in the world in materials science research. It also belongs to the Association of American Universities. Rice University is home to Fulbright Scholars, Marshall Scholars, Mellon Fellows, Rhodes Scholars, Udall Scholars, Watson Fellows, and other distinguished alumni. Rice graduates include former Halliburton CEO Thomas H. Cruikshank, billionaire and venture capitalist John Doerr, Howard Hughes, and Fred C. Koch. Larry McMurtry, Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award winner.