One of the current grand challenges is meeting the global energy need in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. As a society, we will need to develop strategies that incorporate renewable energy in a sustainable fashion. Distributed lab experiments provide the perfect platform to introduce the ideas of current renewable energy technology and the idea of sustainability, while providing students with hands-on learning experiences and reinforcing topics currently being covered in class. The NSF-funded Center for Chemical Innovation Solar Fuels Outreach Program has developed real-time research experiences (SEAL and HARPOON) aimed at discovering inexpensive, stable oxide semiconductors that can efficiently photoelectrolyze water to a useable fuel, hydrogen. Students create unique metal oxide semiconductors combinations, analyze their creation to determine the potential of the material being a good light absorber or catalysts, and report their findings to a collaborative online database. These experiments have been used to establish an International Solar Army, which connects students to the larger scientific community while contributing important research to the world. Assessment of students who participated in the various experiences reported that they are 69% more likely to participate in another research project in the future.

Discovering inexpensive, effective catalysts for solar energy conversion through educational outreach

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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