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External Affairs hosts state, federal staff and business leaders for Clean Energy & Innovation Tour

On Monday, the Office of External Affairs hosted a Clean Energy & Innovation Tour. Attendees started the day at the UW Clean Energy Institute in the Molecular Engineering & Sciences building, learning about CEI and the UW’s efforts to accelerate a clean energy future from Director Dan Schwartz. The tour included a visit to the Hugh Hillhouse Research Group lab to see the development of low-cost and high-efficiency solar cells from inks and dyes.

At the David Ginger Research Group lab, the group viewed scanning probe microscopy and optical spectroscopy for next-generation solar and learned about techniques for understanding the basic science of energy materials and application.

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Hugh Hillhouse discusses developing low-cost and high-efficiency solar cells.
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David Ginger discusses optical spectroscopy for next-generation solar.

Devin MacKenzie then discussed future testbed facilities and equipment that will be available for university researchers and industry partners. Time at CEI concluded with a lunch discussion with graduate students Sarah Vorpahl and Matthew Murbach about the opportunities they’ve had at UW and the importance of state and federal investment in clean energy research.

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Devin MacKenzie discusses future testbed facilities and equipment coming to the university.
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Graduate students Sarah Vorpahl and Matthew Murbach discuss their Husky experience.

The second half of the tour was spent at CoMotion in Fluke Hall. Vikram Jandhyala, Vice President for Innovation Strategy, and Elizabeth Scallon, Associate Director of the CoMotion Incubator, provided an overview of the university as a leader in innovation and the services provided by the incubator. Event guests also spent time in the wet labs with current incubator startups and met students in the MakerSpace.

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Event guests meet current CoMotion incubator startups.
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Event guests hear from the award winning hyperloop student team in the CoMotion MakerSpace.

 

View more photos from the Clean Energy & Innovation Tour on UWGOV’s Facebook page.