James Ricardo Rice was a Native Washingtonian whose interest in engineering dated back to high school. He pursued undergraduate and graudate work in this field, earning a BS in Electrical Engineering and a Masters Degree in Instrumentation Systems. James spent his entire career, spanning some 35 years at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, where he began as a college student. At the time of his death, he worked in the Maneuvering and Control Division, where he served as the Group Leader for the Autonomus Vehicle and Instrumentation Group. He used his expertise in electral engineering and instrumentation systems to support a wide range of submarine and surface ship experimental programs. He was essential in developing new technologies and capabilities, including the design and development of state-of-the-art model scale near-field wave topology and far-field wave elevation measurement techniques, along with automatic speed control systems for NSWC towing carriages.

He contributed his many talents and expertise in instrumentation and control systems to several innovative programs in support of agencies such as the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

James was a devoted son, husband, father, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend to many, who had a thoughtful approach to even the most complex of problems. Outside of work and family pursuits, James was an avid photographer, a member of several professional societies, and was dedicated to mentoring and guiding new and aspiring engineers, volunteering his time to various outreach efforts such as the LEGO Robotics League and coaching high school and college teams in competitions.