The existing infrastructure for managing the flow of information along the photonic pathways and in our computers is in most segments based on electrically encoded information and the transport of electric charges using the electric force. This process is limiting the speed of signal propagation and is costly in terms of energy dissipation. The predicted worldwide energy consumption of data centers for 2050 is approaching the electric energy generated in the European Union in 2010! It is...

As lithium-ion battery technologies mature, the size and energy of these systems continues to increase for emerging applications in transportation, grid storage, military use and aerospace. In fact, broadening the application space for lithium-ion batteries from the consumer electronics industries to these emerging markets increases their size from 1-50 Wh batteries for smart phones and laptops to >50 kWh for electric vehicles (EVs) and MWh scale for utility storage systems. As these...

Carrier multiplication (CM) or multiexciton generation (MEG) is a process whereby absorption of a single photon produces multiple electron-hole pairs (excitons). CM could benefit a number of solar-energy conversion technologies, most notably photocatalysis and photovoltaics. This presentation overviews recent progress in understanding of the CM process in semiconductor nanocrystals, motivated by an outstanding challenge in this field - the lack of capability to quickly discern between...

We now possess the ability to read and write DNA. These tools are not only revolutionizing biotechnology but also the basic life sciences as well. The challenge is that we are still learning the grammar. In other words, we often do not know which genetic perturbations to make in order to alter the behavior of an organism. As a result, synthetic biology still involves much trial and error. Moreover, we are still far from the point where we can engineer new organisms from scratch – rather,...

Summary: Energy storage in the electrochemical form is attractive because of its high efficiency and fast response time. New and improved materials for energy storage are urgently required to make more efficient use of our finite supply of fossil fuels, and to enable the effective use of renewable energy sources. In this seminar, I will discuss a few new perspectives for energy storage materials including new Li intercalation compounds, new Na intercalation compounds and new...

Summary: Spherical colloids with isotropic properties have been used as building blocks to assemble a variety of 2D and 3D structures in past, such as FCC, HCP, and BCT crystals. Anisotropic particles are, however, more faithful mimics of molecules and atoms because of the anisotropic interactions. Current synthetic methods are versatile and accurate enough to create and tune the anisotropic properties in geometry, chemical composition, surface functionality, and physical properties. In the...

Summary: Renewable energy sources have been regarded as the most promising means to solve the energy and environmental issues we face nowadays. How to integrate renewable energy into smart grids presents many challenging problems in control and power electronics. A well-integrated smart grid provides the backbone for the high-level functions of smart grids, such as wide-area control, communication, information, marketing and security. In this talk, an overview of the enabling technologies...

Summary: More than 30% of US energy and 90% of oil consumption are used for roadway transportation. Hybridization and electrification of vehicles on roadways are considered as major strategies for reducing dependence on oil and greenhouse gas and meeting the aggressive fuel economy standards. Hybridization of conventional internal combustion engine vehicles with motors run on electricity from batteries can significantly improve fuel efficiency while electrocution allows switch of the fuel to...

Summary: Due to growing populace and standard of living, many terawatts of energy will be needed in the near future. The sun is the largest source of carbon-neutral and renewable energy that we have available and it is the only source that can provide terawatts of energy without depleting rapidly or causing major environmental and climate concerns. To fulfill this role, revolutionary approaches to solar energy conversion are needed that provide energy at very high efficiency at very low...

Summary: The wind turbine drive‐train is an integral part of the turbine that converts rotational kinetic energy from the wind to electrical energy. Ensuring reliable and robust operation of the drive‐train necessitates developing an accurate dynamic response model that includes its aero‐dynamic interaction with the wind, torsional and translational responses of its mechanical components, as well as electro‐mechanical interaction at the generator. This presentation will describe a...