HKUST Hosts Interdisciplinary Global Conference on Advanced Solar Tech
Prof. Yuanyuan ZHOU, Associate Professor of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at HKUST, chaired the International Conference on Perovskite Solar Cells (IC-PSC), a major global event that convened elite scientists, engineers, and industry partners from Asia, Europe, and the Americas at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) from February 24 to 27. The conference was a response to the urgent need for greater interdisciplinary collaboration to explore the latest innovations in sustainable energy research.
The event, held at the Kaisa Group Lecture Theater within HKUST’s Jockey Club Institute of Advanced Studies, underscored HKUST's pivotal role in driving innovation in perovskite photovoltaics. These cells are poised to revolutionize solar energy with higher efficiency, lower production costs, and versatile applications. The conference was co-chaired by Prof. Alex Kwan Yue JEN from City University of Hong Kong (CityU), with Prof. Xinhe BAO of Fudan University, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the former president of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), serving as the Honorary Chair.
Prof. Yike GUO, Provost of HKUST and an International Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, opened the conference, which was a key event in HKUST’s 35th anniversary celebrations. "As the world accelerates its transition toward clean energy, breakthroughs in perovskite solar cell technology represent a critical pathway to affordable, scalable, and sustainable power solutions," Prof. Guo said. "HKUST is proud to host this international collaboration, bringing together brilliant minds to turn scientific discovery into real-world impact."
Throughout the conference, attendees engaged in technical sessions and panel discussions focused on key challenges in perovskite research, such as stability enhancement, large-scale manufacturing, and environmental sustainability. Featured experts included Prof. Yongfang LI (Chinese Academy of Sciences), Prof. Nam-Gyu PARK (Sungkyunkwan University), Prof. Nitin PADTURE (Brown University), Prof. Jinsong HUANG (University of North Carolina), and Prof. Michael SALIBA (University of Stuttgart), among others.
Topics addressed ranged from wide-bandgap and tandem architectures to green processing, scalable module fabrication, and recycling strategies. Dedicated Spotlight Talk Sessions and Junior Researcher Talks also provided a platform for emerging investigators to present their cutting-edge findings.
The conference received significant support from various HKUST units, including the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, the HKUST Energy Institute, the Otto Poon Center for Climate Resilience and Sustainability, the State Key Laboratory for Displays and Optoelectronics, and the Jockey Club Institute for Advanced Studies. External partners such as the Journal of Energy Chemistry and the China Merchants Group also contributed to the event's success.
By convening this high-level dialogue, HKUST has further strengthened its position as a hub for interdisciplinary research and international partnerships in renewable energy. The insights and connections shared at IC-PSC are set to kick-start new collaborative projects and contribute meaningfully to global decarbonization goals.
(This news was originally published by the HKUST Global Engagement and Communications Office here.)
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