Professor Jai Singh has been recognised for his work on solar cell research in his role at Charles Darwin University as a physics professor.
Professor Singh has been appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for “significant service to education, particularly in the field of physics, as an academic and researcher, and to professional scientific organisations”.
Harnessing the power of sun, Dr Singh’s primary area of research over the last decade at the School of Engineering and Information Technology has been solar cells, both organic and inorganic. This includes thin-film amorphous silicon solar cells and organic solar cells (OSC) for optimal photovoltaic performance. His focus area has been optimising the performance of OSCs by exploring new materials such as polymer-fullerene and improving cell design.
Originally from Cheoraha, a remote agrarian community in Sultanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, Professor Singh relocated to Lucknow. Even before Singh completed his doctorate in Theoretical Physics from IIT Delhi, he had research offers that took him to Germany, England and eventually Australia.
After a stint at ANU’s School of Chemistry, he moved to Darwin, his home for the last three decades. He has mentored PhD students from around the world and hopes that interest in solar cell development will outlive his tenure.
