William Vermillion Houston (pronounced 'How-stun') was called to the Rice Institute from the California Institute of Technology in 1946 to become its second president. Also a professor of physics, he remained active in teaching and research, continuing a distinguished career in spectroscopy and solid-state physics. Houston created an atmosphere conducive to growth and excellence, not only in physics, but in the university as a whole until his death in 1968. This annual lectureship is a tribute to him by his many friends and colleagues at Rice and in the physics community who wish to commemorate his insight, wisdom and compassion.
36. Watt W. WebbCornell UniversityMolecular Dynamics Underlying Life ProcessesApril 16, 2009
35. George SmootLawrence Berkley National LaboratoryThe History And Fate of the Universe or CSI RiceMarch 17, 2008
34. Frank WilczekMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyThe Universe is a Strange PlaceMarch 26, 2007
33. Eric CornellJILA, NIST, University of ColoradoStone Cold Science: Bose-Einstein Condensation and the Weird World of Physics a Millionth of a Degree from Absolute ZeroFebruary 21, 200632. Patrick A. LeeMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyUnconventional Superconductivity and MagnetismNovember 2, 200531. Steven ChuStanford UniversityHolding on to Atoms and Molecules with Lasers: From Atomic Clocks to Watching Biomolecules MoveApril 10, 200430. Michael TurnerUniversity of ChicagoIn the BeginningApril 10, 200329. Douglas D. OsheroffStanford UniversityThe Key to DiscoveryFebruary 11, 200228. William D. PhillipsNational Institute of Standards and TechnologyAlmost Absolute Zero: The Story of Laser Cooling and TrappingFebruary 6, 200127. James W. CroninUniversity of ChicagoEighty-five Years of Cosmic Ray Research: A Human and Scientific DramaJanuary 24, 200026. William HapperPrinceton UniversityMedical Imaging with Laser-Polarized Spins: an Improbable Spinoff of Basic ResearchMarch 16, 199925. Paul C. W. ChuUniversity of HoustonThe Path of Zero Resistance: From 4K to 164KMarch 3, 199824. Anthony J. LeggettUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignSuperfluids-Order Out of ChaosJanuary 27, 199723. John J. HopfieldCalifornia Institute of TechnologyNeurobiology and Network ComputationApril 15, 199622. Claude Cohen-TannoudjiCollege de FranceManipulating Atoms with LightApril 17, 199521. Denys WilkinsonOxford UniversityThe Universe: Are We Here by Chance?March 14, 199420. Mildred S. DresselhausMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyFrontiers of Materials ResearchJanuary 13, 199319. Daniel KleppnerMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyIn Pursuit of Very Cold HydrogenJanuary 20, 199218. Victor F. WeisskopfMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyThe Origin of the UniverseJanuary 14, 199117. Charles H. TownesUniversity of CaliforniaWhat's Happening at the Center of Our GalaxyApril 4, 199016. Val L. FitchPrinceton UniversitySDI and the American Physical SocietyMarch 13, 198915. Willis E. Lamb, Jr.University of ArizonaSome Philosophy of Quantum MechanicsMarch 7, 198814. Walter KohnUniversity of California, Santa BarbaraThe University and the Nuclear PredicamentMarch 23, 198713. Leon M. LedermanFermi National Laboratory & Columbia UniversityInner Space / Outer SpaceMarch 18, 198612. Chen-Ning YangState University of New York at Stony BrookSymmetry and PhysicsSeptember 28, 198311. Robert R. WilsonColumbia UniversityArt, Architecture and Physics at FermilabMarch 17, 198310. Rudolf E. PeierlsOxford UniversityRecollections of the Early Days of Quantum MechanicsMarch 10, 19819. John A. WheelerUniversity of Texas at AustinEinstein and the Mystery of the QuantumMarch 12, 19808. 1979 Norman F. Ramsey7. 1978 Arthur L. Schawlow6. 1977 William A. Fowler5. 1976 Freeman Dyson4. 1975 Edward M. Purcell3. 1974 Hans A. Bethe2. 1973 Eugene Wigner1. 1972 Felix Bloch
back to top