Dr. James Tour is a distinguished synthetic organic chemist whose pioneering research has established him as a global leader in nanotechnology and advanced materials science. He currently holds the prestigious T. T. and W. F. Chao Professorship in Chemistry at Rice University, along with appointments as Professor of Computer Science and Professor of Materials Science and NanoEngineering. After earning his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Syracuse University and his Ph.D. in synthetic organic and organometallic chemistry from Purdue University, he completed postdoctoral training at the University of Wisconsin and Stanford University. Dr. Tour spent eleven formative years as a faculty member at the University of South Carolina before joining Rice University in 1999, where he has since become one of the institution's most celebrated scientists with an international reputation for innovation.
Dr. Tour's groundbreaking research spans multiple domains including nanoelectronics, graphene electronics, carbon nanovectors for medical applications, environmental remediation, and the synthesis of single-molecule nanomachines such as molecular motors and nanocars. With an impressive publication record of approximately 750 research papers and over 130 granted patents, his work has garnered more than 100,000 citations, reflecting its profound impact across scientific disciplines. His development of the NanoKids educational concept revolutionized K-12 science education, while his innovative work on carbon-based materials has led to practical applications in energy storage, medical therapeutics, and environmental technologies. The extraordinary breadth of his contributions is evidenced by his H-index of 129 and i10 index of 538, placing him among the most influential chemists of his generation.
Beyond his research achievements, Dr. Tour has demonstrated remarkable entrepreneurial vision by founding twelve active companies, two of which are now publicly traded, translating his laboratory discoveries into real-world technologies across materials, electronics, and medicine. He has received numerous prestigious honors including the Oesper Award from the American Chemical Society in 2021 and the Royal Society of Chemistry's Centenary Prize in 2020 for his innovations in materials chemistry with applications in medicine and nanotechnology. His SciRave educational program has become the most widely adopted science instruction supplement in Texas, reaching over 450 school districts and nearly 2 million students. As an inducted member of the National Academy of Inventors and recipient of the Trotter Prize in Information Complexity and Inference, Dr. Tour continues to push the boundaries of nanotechnology while inspiring the next generation of scientists through his innovative educational initiatives.
