Frank Tittel, Rice professor who advanced laser spectroscopy, dies at 92
Frank Klaus Tittel, a physicist whose career paralleled the rise of modern laser technology and who helped build Rice’s reputation in laser spectroscopy and trace-gas sensing over nearly six decades, died Feb. 17. He was 92.
Metabolic clues emerge from new molecular map of Alzheimer’s
Rice scientists have developed the first complete, label-free molecular atlas of the Alzheimer’s brain in an animal model.
Researchers reinventing household water and sanitation one modular system at a time
Researchers at Rice’s WaTER Institute are leading an ambitious new effort to transform the way the world manages water and sanitation at the household scale.
Researchers led by Guido Pagano used a specialized quantum device to simulate a vibrating molecule and track how energy moves within it.
Scientists uncover new quantum state that could power future technologies
Scientists have discovered a new quantum state of matter that connects two significant areas of physics.
Rice computer scientists reach finals in global XPRIZE Quantum Applications competition
Rice quantum computing researchers have introduced a novel algorithm that earned the team a place in the global XPRIZE Quantum Applications competition.
Rice researchers uncover the hidden physics of knot formation in fluids
A team of researchers at Rice, Georgetown University and the University of Trento in Italy has uncovered a surprising physical mechanism that explains how a single filament can form a knot while sinking through a fluid under strong gravitational forces.
A molecular ‘reset button’ for reading the brain through a blood test
Rice bioengineers have designed an erasable serum marker that could enable clinicians to detect problems or measure any changes in how a patient responds to treatment with greater precision, using simple, minimally-invasive testing.
Rice convenes global researchers to advance understanding of quantum geometry in materials
The Rice Center for Quantum Materials hosted a Workshop on Quantum Geometry and Winter School on Quantum Materials Synthesis, bringing together more than 100 researchers, students and scientific leaders from around the world.
Rice engineers show lab-grown diamond films can stop costly mineral buildup in pipes
A new study by Rice engineers shows that lab-grown diamond coatings could help diminish mineral scaling in industrial piping, providing an alternative to chemical additives and mechanical cleaning, both of which offer only temporary relief and carry environmental or operational downsides.
Nonsurgical treatment shows promise for targeted seizure control
Rice bioengineers have demonstrated a nonsurgical way to quiet a seizure-relevant brain circuit using a method that merges ultrasound, gene therapy and chemogenetics.
Rice researchers weigh in on graphite’s rise to critical mineral status, mapping out trajectories toward more resilient, clean and efficient supply practices and systems.
Kono awarded American Physical Society’s Isakson Prize
Rice applied physicist Junichiro Kono has been awarded the American Physical Society’s 2026 Frank Isakson Prize for Optical Effects in Solids.
Study shows light can reshape atom-thin semiconductors for next-generation optical devices
Rice researchers studying a class of atom-thin semiconductors known as transition metal dichalcogenides have discovered that light can trigger a physical shift in their atomic lattice, creating a tunable way to adjust the materials’ behavior and properties.
Researchers gather at Rice to bridge quantum materials and quantum information
The Extreme Quantum Materials Alliance (eQMA) in collaboration with Rice’s Smalley-Curl Institute hosted the eQMA Workshop on Hidden Orders and Quantum Entanglement, part of the UNESCO 2025 International Year of Quantum Science and Technology celebration.
