The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) has been awarded a prestigious grant of $475,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to conduct a three-year research project focused on converting light into stored energy.

Under the leadership of Professor Kirk Schanze, the project aims to explore the potential of chemical reactions in harnessing solar energy and engage students from underrepresented backgrounds in the study.

The research project will specifically investigate the properties of charged organic radicals, molecules that possess unique characteristics conducive to utilizing solar energy in organic reactions. By studying these intermediates, the team hopes to uncover new approaches for converting light energy into stored chemical energy, a process known as solar energy conversion. The project will allocate approximately $125,000 per year to fund support personnel, including a part-time postdoctoral fellow, a full-time Ph.D. student assistant, and a summer undergraduate research assistant. The collaboration between UTSA and the University of North Georgia (UNG) will provide an opportunity for students to gain valuable hands-on training and contribute to the development of innovative methods for energy conversion through artificial photosynthesis.

Source: utsa.edu