Dr. Jerry Johnston: If some of these stats are right, about 80 to 90 percent of students raised in solid, biblical-teaching churches don’t continue their faith after they go to a secular university. How do you respond to that?

Dr. James Tour: Well this is part of why I’m here. We have to fill universities with people who love the Lord and are not afraid to talk about Him. I even understand and I see myself what’s happened in the last 20 years with my being here at Rice. Students used to come to me and to say, ‘Biology professor so-and-so is mocking Christians all the time.’ Is he mocking Christians? Why would they want to do that? Have they not enough biology to teach? Why don’t they come and mock me? We’ll go toe-to-toe. And they can mock me and tell me how silly I am. And we’ll put my credentials against theirs.

Each year, the editors of R&D Magazine are tasked with the responsibility of choosing candidates for its top individual award, the Scientist of the Year. For 48 years, this Award has recognized many of the world’s preeminent scientists and most accomplished researchers. Without exception, its recipients have made substantial contributions to their field of study, whether materials science, physics, biology or chemistry.

Professor James M. Tour was named the 2013 R&D Magazine “Scientist of the Year.”

The . T. and W. F. Chao Professor of Chemistry at Rice University, Tour is a synthetic organic chemist who has made numerous contributions to our fundamental understanding of chemistry and materials science, particularly at the nanoscale. His work has resulted in a wealth of practical applications for microscale and nanoscale science, and he, with the contribution of the James M. Tour Group research facility at Rice, has helped make substantial advances in the ability to manipulate small volumes of organic materials.