International Materials Institute for Solar Energy Conversion

该奖项由2009年美国复苏与再投资法案(公法111-5)资助，西北大学将根据该奖项建立太阳能转换国际材料研究所(IMI)。虽然传统的硅和其他半导体太阳能电池在太阳能转换方面取得了很高的效率，但它们的生产成本仍然很高。有机光伏电池(OPVC)可能会产生成本效益高的绿色能源，应用范围广泛。该研究所致力于理论指导的OPVC基础研究-新材料设计、加工和器件制造，以了解太阳能高效转换和储存的物理过程和限制。西北大学、路易斯安那州立大学和阿贡国家实验室以及位于中国的清华大学将组成核心合作伙伴关系，领导IMI的工作。来自美国、中国、澳大利亚、德国、日本、南非和台湾等全球35家机构的研究人员将作为常设合作伙伴参与。IMI的活动包括核心合作伙伴之间的教师、博士后学者和学生的互访，为所有合作伙伴举办的年度研讨会和研讨会，以交流研究成果，以及发展一个全球网络，用于太阳能研究的全年交流。IMI将把研究和教育结合起来，重点放在培养研究生的全球领导力、关于能源转换主题的本科课程、关于K-12的太阳能主题的教学模块，并通过博物馆和媒体演示向公众介绍太阳能转换及其在节能方面的作用。由核心伙伴机构的首席研究人员组成的领导委员会将对IMI的研究和教育计划进行监督和内部评估。指导和外部评估将由一个轮流技术咨询委员会提供，该委员会由学术界、工业界和政府实验室的代表组成。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).With this award Northwestern University will establish an International Materials Institute (IMI) for Solar Energy Conversion. Although conventional silicon and other semiconductor solar cells have achieved high efficiency for solar energy conversion, their production costs remain high. Organic photovoltaic cells (OPVC) might yield cost-effective green energy for a wide variety of applications. The efforts of this IMI are focused on theory-guided fundamental research on OPVC - new materials design, processing, and device fabrication to understand physical processes and limitations to efficient conversion and storage of solar energy. Northwestern University, Louisiana State University and Argonne National Laboratory along with Tsinghua University in China will form the core partnership to lead the efforts of the IMI. Researchers from 35 more institutions worldwide including USA, China, Australia, Germany, Japan, South Africa, and Taiwan will participate as standing partners. IMI activities include exchange visits of faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and students among core partners, annual symposia and workshops for all partners to exchange research findings and development of a global cyber-based network for year-around communication of solar energy research. The IMI will integrate research and education with a strong focus on global leadership development for graduate students, undergraduate courses on energy conversion topics, teaching modules on solar energy topics for K-12, and inform the public about solar energy conversion and its role in energy conservation via museum and media presentations. A Leadership Council consisting of the lead researchers from core partner institutions will provide oversight and internal assessment of the research and education programs of the IMI. Guidance and external evaluation will be provided by a rotating Technical Advisory Board consisting of representatives from academia, industry and government laboratories.