Harnessing solar energy with Grätzel cells

Three years ago we applied to the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Partnerships for Public Engagement (EPSRC PPE) scheme for funding to get GCSE and AS/A2 students involved in a contemporary science research topic. We chose an area of research - Grätzel electrochemical solar cells - that is not only active in our own department of chemistry at Loughborough but is also multidisciplinary. Research in this area involves electrochemistry, material science, biological analogues, the fundamental physics of charge transfer, the synthesis of new dye molecules, and the socio-economic impacts of solar power. 

Through this project, we reasoned, students would learn how the development of new commercial devices requires a broad science background. Further, we believed that if school students could engage in relevant, contemporary research and meet the researchers, they would go on to study science post-16 and eventually choose a science-based career. We teamed up with colleagues in the University of Bristol because we wanted to get as many schools as possible from the surrounding areas involved in the project.