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。这项规划赠款旨在建立和加强与马里兰州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。这个项目由科平州立大学领导，这是一所历史悠久的黑人大学，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。该项目将支持规划和初步制定创新办法，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-非营利组织合作将扩大其研究成果。马里兰州司法公司是一个致力于促进美国黑人，特别是那些被监禁的家庭的正义，公平和社会变革的组织。这项计划拨款将加强计划中的研究对提高太阳能电池效率的更广泛影响。规划补助金将提供发展研究能力的机会，良好的补助金写作技巧，以及可以有效地向更广泛的受众传播研究产品的战略，从而产生更广泛的社会影响。马里兰州司法公司有一个高中青年网络，将大大受益于太阳能电池制造研究的成果。染料敏化太阳能电池（DSSC）由于其较低的成本、灵活性和易于制造而近年来引起了极大的关注。然而，DSSC具有较低的能量转换效率相比，传统的硅太阳能电池，由于所产生的光激发电子和其他电子过程的重组。预期的项目成果包括今后编写一份完整的HBCU-EiR提案，并通过太赫兹光谱学和太赫兹反射计成像增强对电子转移的界面转移动力学的理解。该项目与马里兰州司法公司的合作将确保更广泛的影响超越学术界的墙壁，因为与采用可再生能源相关的挑战将得到显着的方式解决。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

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.