Rice engineers tackle sunlight intermittency in solar desalination
A team of Rice engineers has developed a system that could transform desalination practices, making the process more adaptable, resilient and cheaper. The new system is powered by sunlight and uses a creative approach to heat recovery for extended water production ⎯ with and without sunshine.
ENRICH Office’s Health Innovations Symposium showcases Rice-TMC biomedical collaboration ecosystem
Rice’s ENRICH Office hosted a two-day symposium April 24-25 at Helix Park highlighting the encompassing range of biomedical research at the university and the network of collaborations with institutions across the Texas Medical Center.
Spotlight from The Franklin Institute Awards Ceremony: Celebrating Naomi Halas
Rice scientist and engineer Naomi Halas was awarded the 2025 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Chemistry May 1 at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.
Machine learning powers new approach to detecting soil contaminants
A team of researchers at Rice and Baylor College of Medicine has developed a new strategy for identifying hazardous pollutants in soil ⎯ even ones that have never been isolated or studied in a lab.
Powered by play: Engineering students blend circuits, code and imagination
Everywhere you turned at the final showcase for Design of Mechatronic Systems, something moved, danced, blinked or spun.
National Academy of Sciences elects Lydia Kavraki as a member
Lydia Kavraki, a leading researcher in robotics, computational biomedicine and artificial intelligence at Rice, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the world’s foremost professional societies dedicated to honoring achievement in science and outstanding original research.
Rice’s César A. Uribe has won a National Science Foundation CAREER Award to advance the mathematical foundations of decentralized learning, a critical area for the future of artificial intelligence, data science and distributed systems.
Rice deepens global roots with new educational and research collaborations in India
As India’s influence grows in fields such as climate change, biotechnology and artificial intelligence, Rice is positioning itself to be a key collaborator.
Light-based data made clearer with new machine learning method
Rice researchers have developed a new machine learning algorithm that excels at interpreting optical spectra, potentially enabling faster and more precise medical diagnoses and sample analysis.
A team of Rice researchers has developed a new way to control light interactions using a specially engineered structure called a 3D photonic-crystal cavity that could enable transformative advancements in quantum computing, quantum communication and other quantum-based technologies.
Scientists observe exotic quantum phase once thought impossible
A team of Rice researchers reported the first direct observation of a surprising quantum phenomenon predicted over half a century ago known as a superradiant phase transition, which occurs when two groups of quantum particles begin to fluctuate in a coordinated, collective way without any external trigger, forming a new state of matter.
Rice graduate programs excel in US News rankings
Rice continues to stand out for its academic excellence with several graduate programs earning high marks in the latest edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Graduate Schools” rankings.
Energy-efficient power amplifier could speed up wireless networks for 5G and beyond, cut energy use
A team of Rice electrical engineers led by Taiyun Chi developed a new kind of power amplifier that combines cutting-edge design in both circuitry and electromagnetics, delivering unprecedented efficiency even under demanding, high-speed conditions.
Revolutionizing touch: Researchers explore the future of wearable multisensory haptic technology
Recently, a team of experts, including Rice’s Marcia O’Malley and Daniel Preston, published an in-depth review in Nature Reviews Bioengineering analyzing the current state of wearable multisensory haptic technology, outlining its challenges, advancements and real-world applications.
Rice’s Kaiyuan Yang and his team recently unveiled a first-of-its-kind authentication protocol for wireless, battery-free, ultraminiaturized implants that ensures these devices remain protected while still allowing emergency access.
