Physics colloquium-“Mines Physics and the Solar Decathlon”

Tim Ohno

Colorado School of Mines, Department of Physics

Abstract:  A year ago, the Mines Physics Department led a student team to compete in Morocco in the inaugural Solar Decathlon Africa.  The engineering and science that lead to the victory in this project will be discussed, along with the tale of the international adventure that involved two physics departments and three universities. While this may be the only time that a basic science department formed the two lead institutions, it highlights the importance and future role of science in the broader energy and building science.

Tim graduated from the University of Maryland in experimental surface science in 1993, under the direction of Prof. Ellen Williams, who served as director of ARPA-E. His work at the University of Minnesota strengthened his interest in materials science before coming to Mines in 1992. As the oldest member of the department, he has seen the growth of the department beyond its original research focus at that time, which included photovoltaics. Leading that program led to service as the director of the campus Energy Minor, and ultimately support for student organizations involved in energy topics.

All lectures are via Zoom.
If you would like to be invited to attend the colloquium via Zoom, please contact Dan Adams (daadams@mines.edu) or Serena Eley (serenaeley@mines.edu) for the link.