News & Announcements

Attention Caltech Faculty!

April 29, 2009
Demetriades-Tsafka-Kokkalis Prize in Environmentally Benign Renewable Energy Sources The Demetriades-Tsafka-Kokkalis Prize was endowed by a generous grant from Sterge Demetriades and his wife Anna. The purpose of the prize is to recognize the best Ph.D. thesis, publication or discovery by graduating Caltech student(s) in the area of nanotechnology and related fields at the Institute in the preceding twelve months of each commencement, and the prize is to be awarded to the graduating recipient(s) at the commencement.

The Caltech Center for Sustainable Energy Research is currently accepting nominations for the academic year of 2008-2009. If you advise a graduating student whose work involves environmentally benign renewable energy sources, the student is eligible for this year's prize. Submission deadline is 5:00 pm Tuesday, May 12, 2009.

Nominations should be submitted in the form of an e-mail message to apriln@caltech.edu citing the work (thesis, publication, or discovery) to be considered and the justifications for the nomination.

In addition to the nomination letter, please attach the nominee's Ph.D. thesis abstract with pertinent information, up to three representative publications, and the student's curriculum vitae with a list of complete publications. Electronic files are preferred and may be sent to apriln@caltech.edu, whereas hard copy submissions should be sent to April Neidholdt, MC 128-95.

Solar Fuels–Thermochemical Processes & Reactor Technology


January 6, 2009
Aldo Steinfeld, ETH Zurich and Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland
Wednesday, January 14th
2:00 pm in Keck 142

$20 Million to Harry Gray


August 4, 2008
A grant of $20 million to Harry Gray, Beckman Professor of Chemistry, and colleagues has been awarded by the Chemical Bonding Center (CBC), a National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Chemistry program. The researchers will use this funding to ramp up their efforts to make solar fuels using materials made from Earth-abundant elements. Read more...

Energy Conference

February 21, 2008
View video from the Caltech energy conference.
(mov | flash)

NRG 0.1 Lecture Series

October 22, 2007
The NRG 0.1 lecture series, organized by Caltech's Energy Advisory Committee, take place in Baxter Lecture Hall on Fridays from 2-3 p.m. through mid February.

Call for Nominations

The Caltech Center for Sustainable Energy Research is pleased to solicit nominations for this year's Demetriades-Tsafka-Kokkalis Prize in Environmentally Benign Renewable Energy Sources for the academic year of 2007-2008. The Demetriades - Tsafka - Kokkalis Prize was endowed by a generous grant from Sterge Demetriades and his wife Anna. The purpose of the prize is to recognize the best Ph.D. thesis, publication, or discovery by graduating student(s) in the area of sustainable energy and related fields at the Institute in the preceding twelve months of each commencement; and the prize is to be awarded to the graduating recipient(s) at the commencement. If you advise a graduating student whose work is related sustainable and renewable energy, the student is eligible for this year's prize.

Nominations should be submitted in the form of an e-mail message or a electronic copy (pdf form) of a memo to apriln@caltech.edu citing the work (thesis, publication, or discovery) to be considered and the justifications for the nomination.

In addition to the nomination letter, please attach the nominee's Ph.D. thesis abstract with pertinent information, up to three representative publications, and the student's curriculum vitae with a list of complete publications. Electronic files are preferred and may be sent to apriln@caltech.edu, whereas hard copy submissions should be sent to April Neidholdt, MC 128-95.

Submission deadline is Friday, May 9th, 2008 5:00 pm PST. This year’s $3000 award will be announced at commencement and the recipient(s) will be asked to attend a luncheon with the donor.

Education & Outreach

October 30, 2007
On Saturday November 17, 2007 CSER and The Center for the Science and Engineering of Materials (CSEM) in partnership with the Center for Talented Youth at Johns Hopkins University co-hosted a workshop as part of their Science & Technology Series for students from grades 7 - 10 and their families. The theme for Fall 2007 was nanoscale science and engineering. The program at Caltech focused on how nanoscale science and technology is addressing our energy challenges. (View presentations)

Program description:

Thinking small may help solve one of the world's biggest challenges – the need for alternative energy sources. Breakthroughs in nanoscale science and engineering can open up the possibility of moving beyond our current energy alternatives by introducing technologies that are more efficient, inexpensive, and environmentally sound. The Center for Sustainable Energy Research (CSER) at the California Institute of Technology invites participants to explore nanotechnology, energy, and related scientific breakthroughs.

Speakers for the workshop will include CSER Directors Harry Atwater, Harry Gray, and Sossina Haile. The workshop filled to capacity in the early Fall with an expected attendance of over 200 people. For more information about the event please visit CSER's Education & Outreach Section.

Caltech News Release

October 26, 2006

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation has awarded $6.5 million to found the Center for Sustainable Energy Research at the California Institute of Technology. The center will conduct research on solar-driven renewable-energy sources. The six-year grant targets various promising technologies that could result in cheap alternatives to fossil fuels. Read More.

Research Link

October 27, 2006

Solid Acid Proton Conductors: A 'hot topic' at the latest Faraday Discussions meeting. Faraday Discussion 134: Atomic Transport and Defect Phenomena in Solids.