Meet the Institutes
Rice’s portfolio of research hubs creates new opportunities for collaboration and discovery.
As part of a ramp-up in Rice’s strategic research aspirations in health care sciences and technologies, data science and machine learning, and energy, environment and sustainability, the Office of Research, led by Vice President Ramamoorthy Ramesh, recently launched several new institutes. Meet the distinguished scholars leading these dynamic institutes and learn more about their goals in this roundup of Rice’s growing research portfolio.
![Caroline Ajo-Franklin](/sites/g/files/bxs4576/files/inline-images/200Ajo-Franklin-StarghillL.jpg)
An Interdisciplinary Powerhouse
Rice’s Synthetic Biology Institute will create new tools for living systems.
![Kirste Osterr](/sites/g/files/bxs4576/files/inline-images/200Osterr_starghill.jpg)
The Medical Experience, Humanized
Rice’s new Medical Humanities Research Institute expands the conversation around health care and disease.
![Alvaraz](/sites/g/files/bxs4576/files/inline-images/200Alvaraz-StarghillL.jpg)
The new Clean Water Technologies Entrepreneurship and Research Institute (WaTER) focuses on the intersection of water and public health, energy transitions and resilient infrastructure.
![Lane Martin](/sites/g/files/bxs4576/files/inline-images/200Martin-Starghill.jpg)
A Vibrant Landscape for Exchange
The Rice Advanced Materials Institute builds collaborations on energy, electronics and the environment.
![Masiello](/sites/g/files/bxs4576/files/inline-images/200Masiello-Starghill.jpg)
“Think global, act local” drives the new Rice Sustainability Institute.
![RRK](/sites/g/files/bxs4576/files/inline-images/200Khortum-Starghill.jpg)
Rice360 is helping improve newborn care across Africa.
![David Alexander](/sites/g/files/bxs4576/files/inline-images/200Alexander-Starghill.jpg)
The Rice Space Institute extends its reach.
![David Satterfield](/sites/g/files/bxs4576/files/inline-images/200Satterfield-Starghill.jpg)
Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy delivers data-driven research and independent, nonpartisan discourse on critical foreign and domestic issues.
![Lydia](/sites/g/files/bxs4576/files/inline-images/200Kavroki_Starghill.jpg)
Rice’s Ken Kennedy Institute takes on challenges within artificial intelligence.
![Jun Kono](/sites/g/files/bxs4576/files/inline-images/200Kono-Starghill.jpg)
Nanoscience Branches Out at Rice
The Smalley-Curl Institute has expanded to include quantum science, physics, advanced materials and more.
![Ruth López Turley](/sites/g/files/bxs4576/files/inline-images/200Turley.jpg)
Local Impact, National Reputation
The Kinder Institute for Urban Research develops solutions to help all Houstonians prosper.
![Elaine Howard Ecklund](/sites/g/files/bxs4576/files/inline-images/200Ecklund_starghill.jpg)
The Boniuk Institute fosters religious literacy through research and education.
![Bernie Banks](/sites/g/files/bxs4576/files/inline-images/200Banks-stqarghill.jpg)
The Doerr Institute for New Leaders looks forward to a new era.