Administrative Staff : Smalley Institute

Nanotechnology-related research at Rice University involves 151 faculty members spanning 21 departments. The Smalley Institute actively supports the faculty members and department through several Centers and Components dedicated to advancing nanotechnology in both the scientific and societal arenas. The Administrative Staff under the direction of Dr. Wade Adams, Director, plans and executes a variety of nanotechnology initiatives, oversees the day-to-day operations, and maps the strategic plans for the Smalley Institute.

Administrative Staff

Dr. Wade Adams, Director

Adams, Wade

As Director of the Smalley Institute, Dr. Wade Adams is responsible for providing the vision and direction needed to achieve the Institute's short and long-term goals, ensuring effective execution of the Institute's intiatives, and promoting the accomplishments of the faculty, students, and components that comprise the Smalley Institute.

Dr. Wade Adams joined the Smalley Institute after he retired from the US Air Force senior executive ranks in January 2002, as the Chief Scientist of the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He was responsible for providing advice to the laboratory director and staff on the technical and scientific merit of the laboratory’s research and development programs, and he also directed the in-house research program.

Dr. Adams was educated at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Vanderbilt University, and the University of Massachusetts. He was appointed a senior scientist (ST) in the Materials Directorate of the Wright Laboratory in 1995. Prior to that he was a research leader and in-house research scientist in the directorate. For the past 39 years he has conducted research in polymer physics, concentrating on structure-property relations in high-performance organic materials. He is internationally known for his research in high-performance rigid-rod polymer fibers, X-ray scattering studies of fibers and liquid crystalline films, polymer dispersed liquid crystals, and theoretical studies of ultimate polymer properties. He has written more than 200 publications on these topics, including several review articles and three books, and has given more than 700 presentations. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and the Air Force Research Laboratory. Dr. Adams also retired from the Air Force Reserve in the rank of Colonel in 1998.

Dr. Vicki Colvin, Co-Director

Colvin, Vicki

As Co-Director of the Smalley Institute, Dr. Vicki Colvin assists the Director in the development and execution of the Institute’s objectives.

In 1996, Dr. Vicki Colvin was recruited by Rice University to expand its nanotechnology program. As a physical chemist interested in complex materials problems, her group includes a diverse range of synthetic chemists, physical chemists and applied physicists. Specific research areas include template chemistry, meso- and macroporous solids, nanocrystalline oxides, photonic band gap materials and confined glasses.

Dr. Colvin received her Bachelor's degree in chemistry and physics from Stanford University in 1988. In 1994, she obtained her Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, where she worked under the guidance of Dr. Paul Alivisatos. During her time at the UC Berkeley, Dr. Colvin was awarded the American Chemical Society's Victor K. LaMer Award for her work in colloid and surface chemistry. Dr. Colvin completed her postdoctoral work at AT&T Bell Labs. Today, Dr. Colvin serves as Professor of Chemistry 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 is also a frequent contributor to Advanced Materials, Physical Review Letters and other peer-reviewed journals, is author/co-author of over 75 articles, and holds patents to four inventions.

Carlos Garcia, Administrative Director

Garcia, Carlos

As Administrative Director, Carlos Garcia directs the administrative, financial, budgetary and human resources operations of the Smalley Institute and provides administrative support to the Director. Carlos also develops and implements metrics to monitor the financial records of all university funds budgeted to the department including the Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology, Shared Equipment Authority, NanoCarbon Center, and Consortium for Nanomaterials for Aerospace Commerce and Technology.

Carlos Garcia is a native Texan raised along the Rio Grand Valley and received his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Texas A&M. He has worked for Rice University Carlos is also involved with the International Habitat for Humanity Chapter at the Rice Community Involvement Center. Under the leadership of undergraduate students, he’s escorted groups to San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa, Honduras and Port-au-Prince, Haiti. From 2000 to 2001, served as the Chair for the Staff Advisory Committee at Rice University and the Chair for the Staff Development Subcommittee; in 1997, was awarded Rice University’s Distinguished Service Award. for the past 17 years.

John Marsh, Operations Director

Marsh, John headshot

As Special Projects Director, John Marsh assists the Smalley Institute Director and Principal Investigators with project management, grant applications, white papers, informational brochures, educational and outreach initiatives, and communications with government and private industry partners. John also works with local, regional, state, and national entities to foster economic development and employment in nanotechnology.

John Marsh received his Bachelor’s degree in History from Southern Methodist University and Master in Business Administration from University of Texas at Austin. John came to Rice University from the Information Technology industry, where he managed strategic alliances, channel sales, and product management for companies like Compaq, Trend Micro, and Secuware. John first became involved with Nanotechnology in 2001 and 2002 while volunteering with the Nanotechnology Foundation of Texas. Through this volunteer position, he connected with the Smalley Institute. John now focuses on launching several initiatives with private industry, including LANCER – the Nanotechnology Center with Lockheed Martin.