In 2018, Martin Springer joined NREL as a postdoctoral researcher in the Photovoltaic Performance and Reliability group. His current research interests focus on the durability and reliability assessment of emerging photovoltaic cell interconnect technologies. Motivated by his industrial background and various business collaborations throughout his academic career, he pursued a master’s degree in business administration with emphasis on innovation management from the University of Colorado and is expected to complete his studies at the end of 2020.

He received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) in 2013. He continued his studies at TU Wien to earn a master’s degree in 2014, where he specialized in mechatronic systems, automation technology, and numerical simulations. While working on his degrees, he started his career as a design and computational engineer at Waagner Biro Stage Systems AG. After working in industry, he returned to academia and earned his doctoral degree in mechanical engineering from TU Wien in 2017. In his thesis, he focused on enhancing the understanding of fatigue damage accumulation in power semiconductors and developed numerical simulation techniques to assess the robustness, and reliability of power electronic devices.

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Research Interests

Photovoltaic module design and interconnect technologies

Reliability and lifetime assessments

Numerical modeling and simulation techniques

Education

MBA, Innovation Management, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs

Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Vienna University of Technology

M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Vienna University of Technology

B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Vienna University of Technology 

Professional Experience

Postdoctoral researcher, NREL (2018–present)

Ph.D. candidate, Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics, TU Wien (2014–2018)

Design and computational engineer, Waagner-Biro Austria Stage Systems AG (2009–2014)

Featured Work

Linear Viscoelastic Characterization of Electrically Conductive Adhesives Used as Interconnect in Photovoltaic Modules, Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications (2020)

A Thermo–Mechanical Cyclic Cohesive Zone Model for Variable Amplitude Loading and Mixed–Mode Behavior, International Journal of Solids and Structures (2019)

Fatigue Life Predictions of Metal Structures Based on a Low–Cycle, Multiaxial Fatigue Damage Model, International Journal of Fatigue (2018)

A Thermo–Mechanical Fatigue Damage Modeling Methodology for Power Semiconductor Robustness Validation Studies, 19th International Conference on Thermal, Mechanical and Multi–Physics Simulation and Experiments in Microelectronics and Microsystems (2018)