Ching-Hwa Kiang, Ph.D.

Professor Ching-Hwa Kiang is a faculty member in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Rice University. She earned her Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology and completed her postdoctoral training at the Massachusetts Institution of Technology.

She is notably recognized as a co-discoverer of single-walled carbon nanotubes, a breakthrough that has greatly propelled the progress of modern nanoscience. Her current research focuses on using advanced force spectroscopy techniques to explore key issues in biology and medicine. She consistently pushes the boundaries of force spectroscopy tools, enhancing their capabilities and enabling deeper exploration in vital research areas. This includes protein and DNA mechanics, virus binding and cancer cell mechanics. She is a recipient of the 2007 Best of Small Tech, Researcher of the Year award and an elected fellow of the American Physical Society.