Rice professor dies in collision with Metro train near Hermann Park

A METRO Rail hit and killed a female bicyclist at the intersection of Fannin Street and Sunset Boulevard next to Herman Park on Friday, February 3, in Houston. ( Yi-Chin Lee/ Houston Chronicle) A METRO Rail hit and killed a female bicyclist at the intersection of Fannin Street and Sunset Boulevard next to Herman Park on Friday, February 3, in Houston. ( Yi-Chin Lee/ Houston Chronicle) Photo: Yi-Chin Lee / Houston Chronicle /Houston Chronicle Photo: Yi-Chin Lee / Houston Chronicle /Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Rice professor dies in collision with Metro train near Hermann Park 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

A noted Rice University professor died Friday morning when a Metro light rail train hit her near Hermann Park.

Marjorie Corcoran was bicycling toward the campus about 8:30 a.m. when she was struck on the southbound tracks at 6300 Fannin near Sunset, according to Metro officials.

Rice President David Leebron confirmed Corcoran's death in a statement to the campus community.

"Marjorie was a much-admired longtime professor of physics and astronomy, who worked tirelessly on behalf of her students, Rice, and STEM education," Leebron said.

Corcoran was also the first speaker of the school's faculty senate when it was composed in 2005.

No other information about the collision was available.

The incident disrupted train service while crews investigated the case and cleared the scene.