March 18, 2023
2023 SVC Foundation Scholarship awarded to Julie Liu at St. John’s University
Julie writes, “The SVC Foundation has given me the greatest sense of gratitude for the award of their SVCF Scholarship. I am pursuing an M.S. in chemistry at St. John’s University as a research assistant under the laboratory of Charles Fortmann. My research looks to continue the contributions spin coating has made to society, enabling almost all of the wonderful technologies that enrich our lives.”
“The objective of my research is to develop more sustainable alternatives to conventional solar cells based on bio-inspired molecular charge transport. In particular, these new cells are based on chlorophyll, thin film vacuum-deposited tin oxide, contact layers, and spin-coated titanium oxide layers. Thus far, we have demonstrated that these cells work albeit poorly; however, our understanding of the underlying physics improves every day. More importantly, we are learning to appreciate the remarkable and complicated engineering found in nature. I am motivated to close the standard of living gaps worldwide by developing more affordable energy sources.”
“As I transition my study towards chemical engineering, I thank the SVC Foundation and its members for providing me with the funds, the technological platform from which my generation will launch our careers, and the technologies needed to sustain the excellence that the Society of Vacuum Coaters represents.”
