Planning: Exploration of a Collaborative University-Non-Profit Relationship to Enhance Solar Energy Research

太阳能电池是一类非常重要的可再生能源，因为它们具有成本效益、灵活性和集成到各种应用中的潜力。这项计划拨款旨在建立和加强与马里兰司法公司的合作伙伴关系，并制定战略，使大巴尔的摩地区的黑人青年参与可再生能源的实践培训。该项目由Coppin州立大学（一所历史悠久的黑人大学）领导，有可能提高这些学生对科学相关职业的欣赏、参与和代表性。在全国范围内，黑人在科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）领域的代表性不足。该项目旨在对基于太阳能的可再生能源技术及其在STEM中代表性不足的社区的接受程度产生深远影响。该项目将支持创新方法的规划和初步发展，以确保太阳能研究成果有效地传达给不同群体。项目成果有可能成为利用社会科学和社区参与促进技术科学研究的典范。该项目的大学与非营利组织的合作将扩大其研究成果。马里兰司法公司是一个致力于促进美国黑人，特别是那些被监禁者的家庭的正义、公平和社会变革的组织。这项计划拨款将增强计划研究在提高太阳能电池效率方面的广泛影响。计划资助将提供发展研究能力、良好的资助写作技巧和策略的机会，从而有效地将研究成果传播给更广泛的受众，从而产生更广泛的社会影响。马里兰司法公司拥有一个由高中生组成的网络，他们将从太阳能电池制造的研究成果中受益匪浅。染料敏化太阳能电池（DSSCs）由于其低成本、柔韧性和易于制造，近年来引起了人们的广泛关注。然而，由于产生的光激发电子和其他电子过程的复合，DSSC与传统硅太阳能电池相比具有较低的能量转换效率。预期的项目成果包括未来准备一个完整的HBCU-EiR提案，并通过太赫兹光谱和太赫兹反射成像增强对电子转移的界面转移动力学的理解。该项目与马里兰司法公司的合作将确保在学术界之外产生更广泛的影响，因为与采用可再生能源相关的挑战将以一种重要的方式得到解决。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Solar cells are a very important class of renewable energy due to their cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and potential for integration into various applications. This planning grant seeks to establish and strengthen a collaborative partnership with Maryland Justice, Incorporated and develop strategies to engage black youth in the greater Baltimore area in hands-on training in renewable energy. This project, led by Coppin State University --- a historically black university, has potential to increase these students’ appreciation of, participation in, and, consequently, representation in science-related careers. Nationally, Blacks are underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The project seeks to have a profound impact on solar-based renewable energy technologies and its acceptance in communities underrepresented in STEM. The project will support the planning and initial development of innovative approaches that will ensure that the outcome of research in solar energy is effectively communicated to diverse groups of people. Project outcomes have potential to serve as a model for using social science and community involvement to promote research in technical science. The project’s university-nonprofit collaboration will amplify its research findings. Maryland Justice Inc is an organization focused on promoting justice, equity, and social change among Black Americans, especially the families of those who have been incarcerated.This planning grant will enhance the broader impacts of the planned research on improving the efficiency solar cells. The planning grant will offer the opportunity to develop research capacity, good grant writing skills, and strategies that can effectively disseminate products of the research to a wider audience and consequently generate a broader societal impact. Maryland Justice, Incorporated has a network of youth in high schools that will greatly benefit from the outcome of the research on the fabrication of solar cells. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted significant attention in recent years due to their lower cost, flexibility, and ease of fabrication. However, DSSC has a lower energy conversion efficiency compared to conventional silicon solar cells due to the recombination of the generated photoexcited electron and other electron processes. Intended project outcomes include future preparation a full HBCU-EiR proposal and enhancement of the understanding of the interfacial transfer dynamics of electron transfer through Terahertz spectroscopy and Terahertz reflectometry imaging. The project's collaboration with Maryland Justice Inc will ensure a broader impact beyond the walls of the academic world, as challenges associated with the adoption of renewable energy will be addressed in a significant way.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.