Planning Grant: I/UCRC for Next Generation Photovoltaics

田纳西大学诺克斯维尔分校（UTK）Duscher田纳西大学诺克斯维尔分校正计划加入名为下一代光化学中心的工业/大学合作研究中心（I/UCRC），该中心是由德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校（UTA）和科罗拉多州立大学（CSU）组成的多所大学中心。现有的中心专注于CdTe CIGS薄膜，热过程建模，成像和光刻系统的进步。该提案的目标是寻求NSF资助，以召开规划会议，使田纳西大学诺克斯维尔能够获得行业支持，使其能够加入现有的I/UCRC中心，专注于下一代光化学（NGP）。UTK的参与将扩大现有的I/UCRC的范围，包括有机材料，薄膜硅材料和人工光合作用的研究。低成本、可靠的光生物学将导致广泛采用太阳能作为可再生能源。太阳能利用对地球的未来至关重要。它也是未来科学家和工程师的绝佳培训竞技场，因为它是高度跨学科的，需要跨学科的沟通和互动。I/UCRC的工作还将与UTK、CSU和UTA的关键教育计划相结合，并利用橡树岭国家实验室的能力。I/UCRC的工业伙伴关系对该计划的成功至关重要。该中心将拥有一支性别、种族和民族多样化的教师和学生团队。

PROGRAM DIRECTOR'S RECOMMENDATION IIP 1238288 University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK) Duscher The University of Tennessee Knoxville is planning to join the Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) entitled Center for Next Generation Photovoltaics which is a multi-university center comprised of the University of Texas-Austin (UTA) and the Colorado State University (CSU). The existing Center focuses on the advancement of CdTe & CIGS thin films, thermal process modeling, imaging, and nanocrystal systems. The goal of this proposal is to seek NSF funding to for a planning meeting to allow the University of Tennessee Knoxville to recruit industry support to allow it to join an existing I/UCRC Center focused on Next-Generation Photovoltaics (NGP). Participation by UTK will expand the scope of the existing I/UCRC to include research on organic materials, thin-film silicon materials and artificial photosynthesis. Low-cost, reliable photovoltaics would lead to widespread adoption of solar energy as a renewable energy source. Solar energy utilization is critically important to the future of the planet. It is also an excellent training arena for future scientists and engineers because it is highly interdisciplinary, necessitating communication and interaction across disciplines. The I/UCRC efforts will also be interfaced with key educational programs at UTK, CSU, and UTA, as well as leveraging capabilities at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The industrial partnerships in the I/UCRC will be vital to the success of this program. The Center will have a team of faculty and students that is diverse in gender, race and ethnicity.