Seminars

Energy and Nanoscience A More Perfect Union
Mark Ratner – Northwestern University

• A talk on the applications of theoretical chemistry in energy supply, conservation, transportation and storage, with an example from excitons in solar cells and advanced batteries.

Energy Innovations in the 21st Century: Role of ARPA-E
Arun Majumdar – ARPA-E

• A talk on the role of ARPA-E agency on innovation in energy technologies.

Introduction of Nano Science and Technology, Nanomaterials and Devices for Solar Energy
Nick Fang, Omar N Sobh – University of Illinois

• A lecture on nanomaterials, their applications to solar cell technology, and the resulting limitations.

Limits of Thermal Processes and their Implications on Efficient Energy Utilization
Arun Majumdar – ARPA-E

• A talk on the theoretical limitations of both thermodynamics and heat transfer.

Nanoscience at Work: Creating Energy from Sunlight
A. Paul Alivisatos – University of California, Berkeley

• A talk on the “Helios” project of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and its focus on biofuels, and solar technologies.

Renewable Solar Energy: Has the Sun Finally Risen on Photovoltaics?
Mark R. Pinto – Applied Materials

• A talk on historical, techno-economical, and ecological aspects of photovoltaics.

Solar Cells
R.J. Schwartz – Purdue University

• A talk on the history, applications, cost, and future of solar cells.

Sustainable Energy Solutions for a Limited Fossil Fuel Future
Rakesh Agrawal – Purdue University

• A talk on a proposed “H₂CAR biofuel process” for sustainable energy conversion.

The Energy Problem: What the Helios Project Can Do About It
Steven Chu – University of California, Berkeley

• A talk on the “Helios” project of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

The Potential of Nanostructured Materials to Address the Challenge of a Sustainable Energy Resource
Mildred S. Dresselhaus – Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• A talk on the importance of basic research in exploring energy production, storage and conversion.

Modeling and Optimization of Polymer Based Bulk heterojunction (BH) Solar Cell
Biswajit Ray – Purdue University

• A talk on a polymer phase model to describe carrier separation and transport in disordered, phase segregated morphologies.

3D Nets in a 3D World: Bulk Heterostructure Solar Cells
Muhammad Alam – Purdue University

• A research seminar on 3D networks, with an example from 3D bulk heterostructure solar cells.

Organic Photovoltaics: Experiment and Theory

• A workshop from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (2010). It explores the progress made in organic photovoltaics.