Labs, Centers and Institutes

Director: José Onuchic, Co-Director: Peter Wolynes

The Center for Theoretical Biological Physics (CTBP) is one of ten Physics Frontiers Centers established by the Mathematics and Physical Sciences Directorate of the National Science Foundation. CTBP represents a collaboration between researchers at Rice University, Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Houston and is housed on the campus of Rice University.

The Earth Science Center for Computation (ESCC) promotes research in data and computationally intensive aspects of the Earth sciences in response to the data tsunami from the wide-range of Earth observing systems and the ever-growing need for computation for data processing and imaging.

Director: Zach Ball

The Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering (IBB) seeks to facilitate interdisciplinary research and education, foster ties with the Texas Medical Center, create partnerships with industry, promote the translation of research, and facilitate strong research and training programs.

Director: Lydia Kavraki, Executive Director: Angela Wilkins

The Ken Kennedy Institute for Information Technology (K2I) is dedicated to the advancement of research in the fields of computing and information technology. Their goal is to provide broad support for a strong community of research experimentation that challenges traditional disciplinary limits.

Director: Naomi Halas

The Laboratory for Nanophotonics (LANP) is a resource for research breakthroughs and advances in the broad, multidisciplinary field of nanophotonics, spanning the physical, chemical, biological and information sciences, of near and long-term societal benefit.

Lab Head: Frank Toffoletto

The Laboratory for Space and Astrophysical Plasmas (LSAP) focuses on bringing together and applying our understanding of plasma physics in the relatively well-observed solar system with increasingly sophisticated astronomical observations in order to explore common plasma-physical mechanisms.

Director: Pedro Alvarez

Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT) is an interdisciplinary, multi-institution nanosystems-engineering research center (headquartered at Rice) whose goal is to facilitate access to clean water almost anywhere in the world by developing efficient modular water treatment systems that are easy to deploy, and that can tap unconventional sources to provide humanitarian water or emergency response.

Director: Qimiao Si

Rice Center for Quantum Materials (RCQM) seeks to sustain and grow fundamental research of quantum materials on campus and develop an international network in this area with Rice at its hub. The center will incubate new research collaborations and directions by organizing scientific workshops, supporting distinguished visitors to Rice, sponsoring postdoctoral scholars and student researchers, and developing international and domestic partnerships.

Contact: Hua Guo

The Rice Electron Microscopy Center (EMC) provides electron microscopy access and education for Rice students and faculty, external academic users, and industrial collaborators. The EMC hosts a double-Cs corrected, monochromated FEI Titan Themis and a Helios 660 SEF/FIB.

Director: David Alexander

The Rice Space Institute (RSI) aspires to be a world leader in space science research and space technology development by fostering interdisciplinary research and education in collaboration with academic, business, industry and government partners.

Director: Jonathan (Joff) Silberg

The Systems, Synthetic and Physical Biology (SSPB) Ph.D. program at Rice trains students to combine principles from science, technology, engineering and mathematics in order to make transformative discoveries and advances in biological engineering. SSPB students are highly interdisciplinary, with strong foundations in the quantitative and life sciences.

Director: Naomi Halas

The Smalley-Curl Institute (SCI) assists its members in forging new, cross-cutting and interdisciplinary research areas and in seeking new means of supporting their work. Research in SCI encompasses advanced materials, quantum magnetism, plasmonics and photonics, biophysics and bioengineering, ultracold atom physics, condensed matter and chemical physics, and all aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology.

Members of the T.W. Bonner Lab are trying to understand the most elementary constituents of matter. They attempt to answer questions such as: How did the universe come to be? Are there undiscovered principles of nature? Why are there so many kinds of particles? and Do all the forces become one?