With experience in the fundamentals of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals, Brian Wieliczka joined NREL in 2019 to work with Joseph Luther to develop applications of these materials to address the need for renewable energy, particularly through quantum dot solar cells.

He received his bachelor's degree in chemistry from St. Olaf College in 2012, where he synthesized new organometallic complexes under the mentorship of Professor Gary Miessler. He then moved to Washington University in St. Louis to pursue a doctorate in chemistry under the direction of Professors William Buhro and Richard Loomis. There he developed the synthesis of CdSe/PbS core/shell nanocrystals and used optical spectroscopy and charge carrier calculations to characterize the nanocrystals’ optoelectronic properties.

Research Interests

Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals

Quantum dot solar cells

Quantum dot surface chemistry

Semiconductor heterostructures,

Charge carrier wave function engineering

Education

Ph.D., Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis

B.A., Chemistry, St. Olaf College

Associations and Memberships

Member, American Chemical Society

Reviewer, Chemistry of Materials

Featured Work

Wave Function Engineering in CdSe/PbS Core/Shell Quantum Dots, ACS Nano (2018)

Cadmium Bis(phenyldithiocarbamate) as a Nanocrystal Shell-Growth Precursor, Inorganic Chemistry (2017)

Awards and Honors

Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence, Washington University in St. Louis

STEM Teaching as Research, Washington University in St. Louis

Undergraduate Inorganic Chemistry Award, American Chemical Society


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