HOUSTON, Texas, April 9, 1998 -- Neal Lane, director of the National Science Foundation and Clinton nominee to the White House Science Adviser post, will participate in dedication ceremonies April 29-30 of E. Dell Butcher Hall, the new home to Rice University's Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology and the Department of Chemistry.

Lane will present a lecture on April 29 at 4 p.m. in Doré Commons, Baker Hall.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for April 30 at 6:30 p.m. in the outdoor amphitheater of the building, which was designed by architect Antoine Predock. The ceremony will officially open the 83,000 square-foot research and teaching facility to faculty, staff, students and administrators involved in chemistry and nanoscale science and technology&emdash;one of the nation's fastest-growing areas of research. The ceremony schedule follows:

Wednesday, April 29

4 p.m. Lecture by Neal Lane, director of the National Science Foundation and nominated by President Clinton to serve as White House Science Adviser

Thursday, April 30

6 p.m. Seating in the outdoor amphitheater begins (Rain venue: Lecture Hall 180)

6:30 p.m. Dedication ceremony of E. Dell Butcher Hall

Participants to include:

Bill Barnett, chair of the Board of Governors
Kent Anderson, chair, building and grounds committee
Harry Reasoner, Board of Governors
Malcolm Gillis, president
James Kinsey, dean of the School of Natural Sciences
Michael Carroll, dean of the School of Engineering
Robert Curl, Wiess Professor of Natural Sciences
Richard Smalley, Hackerman Professor of Chemistry and of physics
Mrs. Lorain Butcher, wife of the late E. Dell Butcher

7 p.m. Reception begins in courtyard and foyer; self-guided tours of building