One
of two founding scientists, Dr. Tour is a member of
the Scientific Advisory Board for RJAC. A synthetic
organic chemist, Dr. Tour is the Chao Professor of Chemistry,
Professor of Computer Science, and Professor of Mechanical
Engineering and Materials Science at Rice University.
Dr. Tour received his Bachelor of Science degree
in chemistry from Syracuse University, his Ph.D. in
synthetic organic and organometallic chemistry from
Purdue University, and postdoctoral training in synthetic
organic chemistry at the University of Wisconsin and
Stanford University.
After spending 11 years on the faculty of the
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University
of South Carolina, he joined the Center for Nanoscale
Science and Technology at Rice University in 1999. Dr. Tour’s
scientific research areas include molecular electronics,
nanotubes for health applications, chemical self-assembly,
conjugated oligomers, electroactive polymers, combinatorial
routes to precise oligomers, polymeric sensors, flame
retarding polymer additives, carbon nanotube growth,
synthetic modifications and composite formation, hydrogen
storage on carbon nanotubes, synthesis of molecular
motors and nanocars, use of the NanoKids concept for
K-12 education in nanoscale science, and methods for
retarding chemical terrorist attacks.
Dr. Tour has more than 300 research publications and
30 patents.
He won the NASA Space Act Award in 2008 for
his development of carbon nanotube reinforced elastomers
and the Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award from the American
Chemical Society for his achievements in organic chemistry
in 2007.
Dr. Tour was the recipient of the George R. Brown
Award for Superior Teaching in 2007. He also won the
Small Times magazine’s Innovator of the Year Award in
2006, the Nanotech Briefs Nano 50 Innovator Award in
2006, the Alan Berman Research Publication Award, Department
of the Navy in 2006, the Southern Chemist of the Year
Award from the American Chemical Society in 2005, and
The Honda Innovation Award for Nanocars in 2005. Tour’s
paper on Nanocars was the most highly accessed journal
article of all American Chemical Society articles in
2005, and was listed by LiveScience as the second
most influential paper in all of science in 2005.
He has won several other national awards
including the National Science Foundation Presidential
Young Investigator Award in Polymer Chemistry and the
Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award in
Polymer Chemistry.
He is a co-founder of NanoComposites,
Inc. which specializes in nanotube-based composites.
He also is the founder and principal of NanoJtech Consultants,
LLC, performing technology assessments for the prospective
investor.
He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Ariel
Ministries, and has served as a visiting scholar at Harvard
University, the Chemical Reviews Editorial Advisory
Board, the Governor’s Mathematics and Science Advisory
Board for South Carolina, the Defense Science Study
Group through the Institute for Defense Analyses, the
Defense Science Board Chem/Nano Study Section, and the
MD Anderson Cancer Research Center’s Competitive Grant
Renewal Board. He has been active in
consulting on several national defense-related topics,
in addition to numerous other professional committees
and panels.
More on Dr. Tour can be found at www.jmtour.com.
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