Rafael Verduzco
A. J. Hartsook Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Associate Department Chair of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Rafael Verduzco is an A.J. Hartsook Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Associate Department Chair of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. He leads a prolific research program in polymer science, soft materials, and bioelectronics. After earning his B.S. from Rice and completing his M.S. and Ph.D. at Caltech, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, he returned to Rice as faculty in 2009. His interdisciplinary work spans the development of covalent organic frameworks, conjugated polymers, polymer networks, and next-generation materials for energy, water purification, and health monitoring. He has been recognized with numerous honors, including the NSF CAREER Award, ACS Stanley C. Israel Award, and election as a Fellow of the American Physical Society. His academic service includes leadership roles in AIChE, ACS PMSE, and APS DPOLY divisions.
Services:
- Associate Department Chair
- Graduate Studies Committee Chair
- DPOLY Program Chair, American Physical Society (APS) (2025-6)
- Co-director for the Masters in Chemical Engineering program
Research Areas
Dr. Verduzco’s research is at the forefront of materials innovation and sustainable technologies. The Verduzco laboratory uses a combination of polymer chemistry and multi-scale characterization tools to broadly address challenges in polymer science, and current areas of research include the development of polymeric membranes for water treatment, the preparation and characterization of bottlebrush polymers, covalent organic frameworks, and materials and devices for microbial bioelectronics.
Education
B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Rice University, 2001
M.S. in Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 2003
Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 2007
Postdoc in Nanoscience, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 2009
Honors & Awards
CTE Faculty Fellow, 2022-25
American Physical Society Fellow, Division of Polymer Physics, July 2024
ACS Stanley C. Israel Regional Award, August 2024
George R. Brown Superior Teaching Award, April 2021
Rice Research + Teaching University Award, May 2020
Europhys Lett. Young Investigator Prize, ILCEC, October 2015
HENAAC Great Minds in STEM award, September 2015
NSF CAREER Award, December 2013
