Two University of Chicago scientists have been selected for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Early Career Research Program. Winners will receive a five-year grant to develop new light-harvesting techniques and develop new insights into cosmological questions.
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering Assistant Professor Alison Squires explores new tricks from nature that can be used to improve artificial light-harvesting technologies such as solar cells. Astronomy and Astrophysics Assistant. Professor Austin Joyce uses cosmological field theory to understand how the universe evolved and acquired its structure.
They are two of 91 early career award winners announced on September 10th. Established in 2010, the DOE Office of Science Early Career Research Program provides annual funding opportunities to “outstanding early career scientists” from universities and DOE national laboratories.
“I am really happy and honored to have been selected for the DOE Early Career Award,” said Squires, Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of Molecular Engineering. “DOE program officials work hard to connect scientists within their programs to form the core of new research collaborations, so I have a lot of people working on similar problems from different angles. I look forward to meeting the rest of the program.”
Joyce agreed: The Department of Energy’s support for early career researchers, especially theoretical research, through this program is important. I am delighted to be working on this research at an exciting time for cosmology. ”
Cyanobacteria and cosmology
Rather than exploring photosynthesis in plants, Squires’ team will study how cyanobacteria, commonly called blue-green algae, efficiently convert light into energy in a variety of environments, seasons, and weather events. It’s planned.
“Wouldn’t it be great to have solar cells that functioned similarly to photosynthesis?” Squires said. “Nature has evolved highly efficient, sophisticated and adaptive mechanisms to harvest energy from sunlight.”
Meanwhile, Joyce plans to improve our understanding of the mechanics of the universe by studying how it has evolved over time.
“In this project, we study quantum field theory in a cosmological spacetime similar to ours to help advance important questions in cosmology. In particular, the early history of the universe is is encoded in subtle correlations of large-scale structure measured in the universe,” Joyce said. “This project will further develop the tools needed to decipher these signals and learn about the universe’s earliest moments.”
—Partially adapted from an article originally published on the Pritzker Molecular Engineering website.
