Rice receives $1.7 million in Welch Foundation grants

CONTACT: Lia Unrau
PHONE:
(713) 348-6778
EMAIL: unrau@rice.edu

RICE RECEIVES $1.7
MILLION IN WELCH FOUNDATION GRANTS
Funds to Support Research in
Nanotechnology, Biochemistry

With the support of The
Welch Foundation, several Rice professors will advance their research in the
areas of nanotechnology and biochemistry. Projects include the development of
nanoparticles that manipulate light for uses ranging from cancer therapy to
energy-efficient materials, and the study and development of carbon nanotubes,
tiny fibers that are superstrong yet lightweight and able to conduct
electricity. Nanotubes are promising for a range of applications in electronics,
computers and new materials.

Rice is receiving 11 new
grants totaling $1,680,000 from The Welch Foundation, one of the nation’s oldest
and largest sources of private funding for basic chemistry research.

The three-year grants
each provide a minimum of $150,000 in funding, a $15,000 increase over last
year’s minimum funding level. The Welch Foundation is awarding nearly $22.5
million in grants to 135 scientists at 27 Texas institutions.

Rice researchers
receiving grants and the titles of their grant projects are Rick Barrera,
associate professor of mechanical engineering and materials science, “Highly
Integrated Nanotube Molecular Composites”; Philip Brooks, professor of
chemistry, “Studies of Electron Transfer Processes”; Naomi Halas, professor in
electrical and computer engineering and chemistry, “Chemistry and Photophysics
at Layered Nanoparticle Surfaces”; Junichiro Kono, assistant professor in
electrical and computer engineering, “Infrared Dynamics of Carbon Nanotubes”;
Kevin MacKenzie, assistant professor of biochemistry and cell biology, “Physical
Chemistry of Protein-Protein Interactions in Membrane Environments”; James
McNew, assistant professor of biochemistry and cell biology, “Isolation and
Identification of Proteins Involved in Cell-to-Cell Membrane Fusion”; Douglas
Natelson, assistant professor of physics and astronomy, “Transport Spectroscopy
of Molecular Electronic Systems”; Peter Nordlander, professor of physics and
astronomy, “Theoretical Investigation of Chemical Properties of Nanosystems”;
Qimiao Si, associate professor of physics and astronomy, “Theoretical Studies of
Electronic Transport in the Carbon Nanotubes”; Richard Smalley, the Gene and
Norman Hackerman Professor of Chemistry and professor of physics, “Fullerene
Nanostructures”; and Ken Whitmire, department chair and professor of chemistry,
“Chemistry of the Main Group Elements.”

The Welch Foundation was
established in 1954 by the estate of Robert A. Welch, an oil and minerals
entrepreneur. In addition to individual research grants, the organization hosts
an annual chemical research conference, provides grants to chemistry departments
at small and medium-sized educational institutions in Texas, underwrites 39
academic chairs in chemistry, organizes a visiting lecture series of prominent
scientists and supports programs for high school students and
teachers.

The foundation also
presents the annual Welch Award in Chemistry, a $300,000 prize given for
lifetime achievement in chemistry; and the Norman Hackerman Award in Chemical
Research, a $100,000 prize, named for the chairman of The Welch Foundation’s
Scientific Advisory Board and former Rice president, that recognizes the work of
young researchers in Texas.

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