Dr. Vicki Colvin

Dr. Vicki Colvin was recruited by Rice University in 1996, to expand its nanotechnology program. Today, she serves as Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Rice University as well as Director of its Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology (CBEN). CBEN was one of the nation's first Nanoscience and Engineering Centers funded by the National Science Foundation. One of CBEN's primary areas of interest is the application of nanotechnology to the environment. Dr. Colvin has received numerous accolades for her teaching abilities, including Phi Beta Kappa's Teaching Prize for 1998-1999 and the Camille Dreyfus Teacher Scholar Award in 2002. In 2002, she was also named one of Discover Magazine's "Top 20 Scientists to Watch" and received an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship. Dr. Colvin received her Bachelor's degree in chemistry and physics from Stanford University, and obtained her Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley. She is a frequent contributor to Advanced Materials, Physical Review Letters and other peer-reviewed journals, and holds patents to four inventions.