Dr. Naomi Halas is a distinguished scientist holding Rice University's highest academic rank as University Professor, a title reserved for only the most exceptional scholars in the institution's history. She serves as the Stanley C. Moore Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering with joint appointments across Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, and Physics & Astronomy departments. Dr. Halas earned her Ph.D. in Physics from Bryn Mawr College in 1987, conducting pioneering doctoral research as a graduate fellow at IBM Yorktown where she developed the first dark pulse soliton. Following her postdoctoral research at AT&T Bell Laboratories, she joined the Rice University faculty in 1990, rapidly establishing herself as a transformative force in interdisciplinary nanoscience research through her innovative approach to light-matter interactions at the nanoscale.
Dr. Halas pioneered the field of nanophotonics by inventing the first nanoparticle with tunable plasmonic resonances, demonstrating that nanoscale internal and external morphology controls optical properties through collective electron oscillations known as plasmons. Her groundbreaking research has resulted in over 400 refereed publications, more than 25 issued patents, and substantial citation impact with over 90,000 citations and an H-index of 148 on Web of Science. She co-founded Nanospectra Biosciences, developing photothermal therapies for cancer that are currently in multiple clinical trials, and Syzygy Plasmonics, which has created light-based chemical reactors for sustainable fuel production with over 100 employees. Her work has catalyzed the merging of chemical nanofabrication with optics, establishing the foundation for the entire field of plasmonics and enabling revolutionary advances across numerous scientific and medical applications.
As the founding director of Rice University's Laboratory for Nanophotonics and former director of the Smalley-Curl Institute, Dr. Halas has shaped the direction of nanoscale optical research worldwide while mentoring generations of scientists. She has been recognized with numerous prestigious honors including election to both the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering, becoming the only Rice faculty member elected to both academies for research conducted entirely at the university. In 2024, she received Optica's C.E.K. Mees Medal for her design and demonstration of nanoparticles with specific optical properties enabling advances in cancer therapy, water security, and light-driven chemistry. Dr. Halas continues to advance fundamental studies of coupled plasmonic systems while exploring practical applications in chemical sensing, solar steam generation, water treatment, and plasmonic photocatalysis, promising to further revolutionize how we harness light at the nanoscale for transformative technologies addressing global challenges.
