November 16, 2015
Two Physics graduate students, Melissa Ricketts and Benaz Colabewala have been named Dan David Solar Fellows through the University of California Advanced Solar Technologies Institute (UC Solar), headquartered at UC Merced.
The fellowship began in 2007 through a generous gift from Sarah R. Kurtz, principal scientist in the National Center for Photovoltaics at theU.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL). Kurtz established the fellowship in the name of the Dan David Foundation, which awarded her and NREL colleague Jerry Olson that year’s prestigious Dan David Prize for their groundbreaking work in concentrating solar power systems using multi-junction solar cells.
The Dan David Solar Fellowship, which exists in perpetuity, supports undergraduate and graduate students working in the area of solar energy and concentrating photovoltaic devices and systems. Applicants had to apply for the fellowship, and the applications were reviewed by a panel of solar energy experts. For the 2015-16 academic year, each of the awardees will receive $2,000.
This year’s recipients are:
- Melissa Ricketts is a graduate student who studies physics. She received her undergraduate degree at UC Merced and is continuing her graduate studies with the UC Solar group. She is interested in the optical design of LED illumination systems and concentrating photovoltaic systems. Part of her LEDresearch takes place in Yosemite National Park. This fellowship will enable her to further study free-form and nonimaging optical design to develop more efficient and cost-effective concentrating solar panels.
- Benaz Colabewala is a graduate student who studies physics and has a background in the study of organic solar cells. She is interested in fabricating solar cells and devices. The fellowship allows her to continue her work on novel designs in concentrated photovoltaics and concentrator selective coatings.
- Christine Hoffman, is a graduate student who studies applied mathematics.
- Graduate student, Bennett Widyolar, from the School of Engineering, also earned a fellowship.
