Dec. 12, 2005 — Rice University has named James Tour as director of the Rice Carbon Nanotechnology Laboratory and Matteo Pasquali as co-director, according to Rice News, the university’s faculty and staff newspaper. They succeed the lab’s founding director, Rick Smalley, who died in October.

Tour is Chao professor of chemistry, professor of mechanical engineering and materials science and professor of computer science. Pasquali is associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering. Both worked closely with Smalley and specialize in carbon nanotube research.

The lab is currently working on more than a half-dozen efforts ranging from basic to applied research, according to the report. It also provides nanotubes to other fullerene research labs.