Lawrence L. Kazmerski, director of the U.S. Department of Energy's National Center for Photovoltaics (NCPV) at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colo., has been awarded the 2007 Karl Boer Solar Energy Medal of Merit.
The medal and a cash award of $40,000, funded by the Karl W. Boer Solar Energy Medal of Merit Trust, is given every two years to an individual who has made significant pioneering contributions to the promotion of solar energy through research, development or economic enterprise. The recipient is chosen by a panel of commissioners composed of scientists and presidents of several solar energy-related professional societies, a representative of the U.S. Secretary of Energy and a member of the Boer family.
‘We are pleased to award this year's medal to Lawrence Kazmerski who, throughout a distinguished career spanning more than 30 years, has been a pioneer and leader in the field of solar electricity,’ says Robert W. Birkmire, executive director of the Karl W. Boer trust and director of the University of Delaware's Institute of Energy Conversion.
Kazmerski, who was named director of NREL's NCPV in 1999, was the first research staff member in photovoltaics at NREL, then the Solar Energy Research Institute. He has received several recognitions for his research and technical leadership, including the AVS Peter Mark Award, the Nelson W. Taylor Award for Materials Science from Pennsylvania State University and the World Photovoltaics Award.
He will receive the medal of merit during a ceremony held on April 5 at the University of Delaware.