Rice and IIT Madras announce recipients of Strategic Partnership Collaboration Awards
Rice University and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT) have announced the recipients of the inaugural IIT Madras & Rice University Strategic Partnership Collaboration Awards. These awards are designed to support multidisciplinary research collaborations between the two prestigious institutions.
Background of the Initiative
The Strategic Partnership Collaboration Awards are part of the Rice-IITM Strategic Collaboration Initiative, which was launched following the signing of a strategic collaboration agreement in November 2024. This agreement was signed during a visit to India by Amy Dittmar, the Howard R. Hughes Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at Rice University.
The initiative aims to deepen partnerships in research and education while fostering projects that address complex global challenges. The collaboration between Rice University and IIT Madras represents a commitment to advancing innovative research with global impact.
Selected Projects
Three faculty-led projects have been selected for funding through the Strategic Partnership Collaboration Awards. These projects bring together expertise from both universities in various fields, including sustainable materials, entrepreneurship research, nuclear physics, and detector technology.
1. AI-Guided Upcycling of Industrial Wastes for Cement Decarbonization
This project is led by Kai Gong, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rice, and Piyush Chaunsali, an associate professor in the building technology of construction management at IIT Madras. The research team will explore the potential of artificial intelligence and advanced materials science to transform industrial byproducts into new cement binders.
By analyzing materials such as red mud and employing machine-learning models to optimize performance, cost, and carbon reduction, the project aims to develop sustainable pathways for cement production. This initiative seeks to reduce industrial waste and greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to environmental sustainability.
2. Does CSR Legitimize or Stigmatize? CSR Support and Perceptions of Women-Led Ventures in India
This project is led by Diana Jue-Rajasingh, an assistant professor of strategic management at Rice, and Rupashree Baral, a professor of organizational behavior and human resources at IIT Madras. The research will investigate the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs on the perceptions of women entrepreneurs in India.
Through field experiments, interviews with entrepreneurship ecosystem actors, and large-scale online studies, the team aims to understand how funding and support programs shape credibility, stigma, and access to resources for women-led ventures. The findings are expected to provide valuable insights for both academic research and practical recommendations for organizations supporting entrepreneurship.
3. Next-Generation Nuclear Physics and Detector Innovation for the LHC and EIC
This project is led by Wei Li, a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice, and Prabhat Pujahari, an associate professor of physics at IIT Madras. The collaboration focuses on advancing detector technologies and data analysis methods used in high-energy nuclear physics experiments, including those at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and the upcoming Electron-Ion Collider (EIC).
Planned activities for this project include joint workshops, collaborative physics analyses, and training researchers in advanced silicon detector instrumentation. Additionally, the project aims to establish a permanent silicon sensor testing laboratory at IIT Madras, thereby enhancing the capacity of both institutions to contribute to global physics collaborations.
Significance of the Collaboration
The selected projects highlight the breadth of the partnership between Rice University and IIT Madras, showcasing a shared commitment to advancing research that has a significant global impact. The collaboration is part of a broader initiative to support collaborative research between Rice and leading institutions across India.
Rice Global India, announced in 2024, aims to expand Rice’s academic partnerships, research collaboration, and student mobility across the region. By investing in faculty teams working across disciplines and continents, the Strategic Partnership Collaboration Awards help create new pathways for discovery, training, and long-term institutional collaboration.
Conclusion
The collaboration between Rice University and IIT Madras through the Strategic Partnership Collaboration Awards represents a significant step forward in fostering innovative research that addresses pressing global challenges. By supporting multidisciplinary projects, both institutions are poised to make meaningful contributions to their respective fields and to society at large.
Note: This article is based on the announcement made on March 13, 2026, regarding the Strategic Partnership Collaboration Awards between Rice University and IIT Madras.
