Florida State University (FSU) has recruited three energy-focused researchers to push innovation in solar cell-related technology. Hired as part of a new faculty initiative in energy and materials, the three researchers focus on specialized materials used for energy production, conversion, storage and utilization.
Hanwei Gao joins as assistant professor in the Department of Physics. A former postdoctoral research fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, Gao will be studying the interactions between light and solid-state materials, as well as the behaviors of electrons and photons at the atomic and molecular levels of materials.
Kenneth Hanson joins as assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. A former postdoctoral associate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Hanson's primary research focus is making new molecules and testing their behavior in solar cells.
Biwu Ma joins as associate professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineerin. A former staff scientist and principal investigator at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Ma will be developing new types of functional materials with a particular focus on materials that can improve solar energy conversion devices, energy storage devices, light emitting devices, transistors and sensors.
‘Achieving our goals as a major research institution is about investing in the right people and giving them the supportive environments they need to make the next big breakthrough,’ says Garnett S. Stokes, FSU provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. ‘Each of these individuals brings with them tremendous expertise in the materials and energy areas, and we look forward to what they will be able to accomplish in the years ahead.’
