Explore Your Way
Saturday, March 29, 2025
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Experience firsthand the spirit of innovation that defines Rice Engineering and Computing. We welcome you behind the scenes to get an insider's look at our labs and maker spaces where groundbreaking ideas come to life.
Register (Note: You must be registered to attend the anniversary celebration to register for lab tours.)
| Lab | Location | Topic | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ajayan Diamond Laboratory | Ralph S. O'Connor Building for Engineering and Science, Room B95 | State-of-the-Art Diamond Growth by Chemical Vapor Deposition | Diamond’s extraordinary properties—including an ultra-wide bandgap, exceptional thermal conductivity, high carrier mobility, and outstanding mechanical characteristics. The Ajayan Diamond Laboratory uses state-of-the-art microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) to grow high-quality, high-purity diamond. These advanced materials are key to innovations in electronics, quantum devices, and thermal management. |
| Martin Group Lab | Ralph S. O'Connor Building for Engineering and Science, Room 140 | Advanced materials - Making, fabricating, and characterizing the materials of tomorrow | This tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at the new laboratories of Prof. Lane Martin and Prof. R. Ramesh in Materials Science and NanoEngineering (MSNE). Explore the full journey of advanced materials—from thin film synthesis using pulsed-laser deposition to characterization with X-ray diffraction and physical property measurement systems, all the way to fabrication into prototype devices that showcase their potential. These labs are part of the Rice Advanced Materials Institute (RAMI). |
| Mohite Materials Physics for Energy Management (MPEM) Lab | Space Science & Technology Building, Room 225 | A transformational technology, which produces green H2 and liquid fuels at $1/kg using sunlight as input at record efficiency | We will showcase transformative approaches that harness sunlight to create fuels, chemicals, and materials for next-generation technologies. |
| McHugh Lab | BioScience Research Collaborative, Room 430 | Developing Drug Delivery Systems for Cancer and Infectious Disease | The McHugh Lab in the Department of Bioengineering develops advanced drug and vaccine delivery systems designed to improve treatment effectiveness, reduce side effects, support patient adherence, and expand access in underserved communities. Using cutting-edge chemistry and microtechnologies like high-resolution 3D printing, the lab creates injectable systems capable of delivering drugs over days to months. Current projects target cancer, chronic diseases, and infectious diseases. |
| Mechatronics and Haptic Interfaces (MAHI) Lab | BioScience Research Collaborative, Room 980 | Touch the future: Haptics and wearable robotics | Visit the MAHI lab to see robotic exoskeletons and wearable devices that can provide force and touch feedback. Our group develops these wearable technologies to augment human performance for applications like surgical skill training, assistive robotics for rehabilitation, prosthetics, and enhancing virtual reality interactions. |
| Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT) and Rice WaTER Institute | Ryon Engineering Lab, North Part of the Basement | Efficient modular water treatment systems using nanomaterials | This tour highlights innovative water treatment technologies from the NEWT Center and the Rice WaTER Institute. Using advanced materials and renewable energy, these solutions are transforming traditional, large-scale, chemical-heavy processes into compact, energy-efficient systems. By increasing treatment capacity and reducing costs, these technologies aim to expand access to clean water and support healthier, more prosperous communities. |
| Art, Innovation, and Climate Solutions | Rice Moody Center for the Arts | Engineering Perspectives in the Moody Center for the Arts’ "Breath(e): Toward Climate and Social Justice" | Experience phenomenal art and meet innovative researchers! Civil and Environmental Engineering faculty will be at Rice's Moody Center for the Arts exhibition, "Breath(e): Toward Climate and Social Justice," sharing how their cutting-edge work tackles today’s biggest challenges—including flooding, climate change, and access to clean water. Bring your questions, enjoy a scavenger hunt with prizes, and indulge in delicious treats! |
| Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen (OEDK) | Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen (OEDK), Building 31 | Around the Kitchen Table: Rice Engineering and Computing’s 50th Anniversary Edition | Around the Kitchen Table: Rice Engineering and Computing’s 50th Anniversary Edition is an open house showcasing the innovative design work of our undergraduate students. Alumni, industry and medical professionals, faculty, staff, and guests are invited to connect with students as they present their design challenges and solutions—and share advice as seasoned engineers. |
| Ralph S. O’Connor Building for Engineering and Science | Ralph S. O’Connor Building for Engineering and Science Lobby | O’Connor Building for Engineering and Science Tour | This tour will concentrate on the building as a whole including public spaces, infrastructure, and architectural aspects. |
| Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies | BioScience Research Collaborative, Room 922 | The Rice360 Journey of Innovation for Global Health Impact |
The Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies is a leader in global health education and research, focused on problem-based learning to develop low-cost, high-impact healthcare solutions for underserved communities. Through award-winning experiential programs, we train future leaders in the design, development, and global deployment of innovative technologies. We collaborate to create sustainable solutions that address critical health needs and reduce global health inequities. Join us to explore the Rice360 "journey of an innovation" and our flagship collaborations: the Newborn Essential Solutions & Technologies (NEST360) alliance and the Center for Innovation & Translation of POC Technologies for Expanded Cancer Care Access (CITEC). |
| Robotics and Physical Interactions Lab (RobotPI Lab) | Ralph S. O’Connor Building for Engineering and Science, Room 495 | Explore cutting-edge robots designed to physically interact with the world around them. | This tour offers a glimpse into the research of the RobotPI Lab, where we develop algorithms for optimization, planning, learning, estimation, and control. Our work focuses on creating efficient, robust, and adaptable robotic manipulation systems—tackling challenges from small-scale grasping and in-hand manipulation to large-scale dual-arm, mobile, and multi-robot coordination. |