Wrinkles in atomically thin materials unlock ultraefficient electronics
Rice scientists have discovered that tiny creases in two-dimensional materials can control electrons’ spin with record precision, opening the path to ultracompact, energy-efficient devices.
AI can help communities prepare for, respond to climate risks during peak hurricane season
As the Gulf Coast heads into the most active stretch of the Atlantic hurricane season — August through September — forecasters warn the region could face heightened storm activity this year, fueled by warm ocean waters and a changing climate.
Rice anthropologists’ tribute to Iceland’s first lost glacier joins global preservation effort
Rice anthropologists featured in an international exhibition launched in connection with the United Nations’ International Year of Glacier Preservation.
A smarter membrane for cleaner water
A team of researchers led by Menachem Elimelech and his former postdoctoral researcher Yanghua Duan at Rice has taken a major step toward solving one of water purification’s biggest puzzles: how to best design catalytic membranes that simultaneously filter and transform contaminants in a single step.
Bats, poaching and the pulse of the forest: Rice researchers lead biodiversity study in Tanzania
Deep in the heart of Tanzania’s Udzungwa Mountains, a trio of Rice researchers embarked on an ambitious summer field study to understand how human impacts are reshaping forest ecosystems.
Vanishing shores: Coastal geologist issues urgent call to save the Gulf Coast
For John B. Anderson, the W. Maurice Ewing Professor Emeritus of Oceanography at Rice, the Gulf Coast is personal.
New coating for glass promises energy-saving windows
A new coating for glass developed by Rice researchers and collaborators could help reduce energy bills, especially during the cold season, by preventing heat-loss from leaky windows.
Thick electrodes’ chemistry matters more than structure for battery performance
Rice researchers showed that even if the materials used in thick battery electrodes have nearly identical structures, their internal chemistry impacts energy flow and performance differently.
Rice researchers develop superstrong, eco-friendly materials from bacteria
Scientists at Rice and University of Houston have developed an innovative, scalable approach to engineer bacterial cellulose into high-strength, multifunctional materials.
In an elegant fusion of art and science, researchers at Rice have achieved a major milestone in nanomaterials engineering by uncovering how boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) — touted for their strength, thermal stability and insulating properties — can be coaxed into forming ordered liquid crystalline phases in water.
Rice-led forum tackles critical water-energy nexus in Washington, D.C.
In a time of escalating climate risks, crumbling infrastructure and ballooning industrial demand, understanding how water and energy intertwine has never been more urgent. That was the resounding message from experts who convened May 19 in Washington, D.C., for “The Intersection of Water and Energy, 2025-2030,” a forum hosted by Rice and Arizona State University.
Rice’s student-led Rice Wind Energy team soared to new heights this year, clinching second place overall at the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2025 Collegiate Wind Competition.
Forging a path to a sustainable carbon economy: Inside the vision of Rice’s Carbon Hub
As the world races to address the climate crisis, a coalition headquartered at Rice is taking a radically collaborative approach to one of the toughest challenges: how to decarbonize industry while at the same time boosting manufacturing, improving infrastructure and securing the supply chains for the energy and materials we rely on every day.
‘Real change starts from an idea’: Rice’s sustainability project earns statewide honor
Rice’s Campus Services and Sustainability recently was recognized by Keep Texas Beautiful with its Beautify Texas Award in the Outstanding Program of the Year category. The department was honored for its “Give a Hoot! Donate Your Loot!” move-out collection campaign coordinated by the Office of Sustainability and Housing and Dining.
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.
