Biography

At Washington and Lee University, I obtained a B.S. in physics, a B.A. in global politics and was part of the Shepherd Program for the Interdisciplinary Study of Poverty and Human Capability. I am interested in how communities can implement technological innovation to promote sustainability while eliminating poverty. At Cambridge, I plan to study the fundamental physics behind polymer semiconductors in order to improve the efficiency of organic solar cells. This research could lead to cheap, flexible, lightweight solar cells that would allow us to harness solar power in more convenient ways to meet the energy demands of people who live far from electric grids. After my PhD degree, I plan to continue developing sustainable energy technology and to help make that technology accessible to communities that are off the grid and economically marginalized.