NASA Collaboration

NASA Collaboration

RICE NEWS OFFICE
June 25, 1998

Sam Venneri, chief technologist at NASA, visited Rice on
May 28 to meet with Rice officials and researchers and congressional representatives.
The group met to explore the possibility of a collaboration between NASA and
Rice on a substantive research program to develop aerospace applications of
carbon nanotubes. President Malcolm Gillis welcomed the group and chemist Richard
Smalley, director of the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST),
discussed current research in carbon nanotubes. "It is time to get serious
about research and development with this material," Smalley said. "If
it’s going to happen, it will have a broad-reaching effect." Rep. Nick
Lampson, far left, and Rep. Ken Bentsen, second from left, also addressed the
group, as did George Abbey of the Johnson Space Center. Also pictured are Sidney
Burrus, future dean of engineering, center; Richard Tapia, professor and National
Science Board member, far right; Israel Galvan, member of the CNST Scientific
Advisory Board, standing, left; and congressional aide Joe Arnold.