Professor Jenny Nelson stands as a preeminent authority in photovoltaic materials science with over three decades of pioneering research at the forefront of renewable energy innovation. She currently serves as a Royal Society Research Professor in the Department of Physics at Imperial College London, a position she has held since joining the institution in 1989 following her doctoral studies. Educated at the University of Cambridge where she earned her undergraduate degree, she completed her PhD at the University of Bristol under Professor Michael Berry's supervision in 1988, focusing on the optics of fractal clusters. Alongside her primary appointment at Imperial, Professor Nelson holds the distinguished position of Sêr Cymru Joint Chair at SPECIFIC, Swansea University, reflecting her significant contributions to advancing solar research capabilities across the United Kingdom.
Professor Nelson's groundbreaking research has fundamentally transformed the understanding and development of novel electronic materials for solar energy conversion, establishing critical principles at the interface of physics and chemistry. Her seminal investigations into molecular semiconductor materials have pioneered optimization strategies for photovoltaic efficiency through comprehensive electrical, spectroscopic, and structural studies combined with sophisticated computational modeling of optoelectronic properties. The publication of her authoritative text "The Physics of Solar Cells" in 2003 has become a standard reference in the field, educating generations of researchers and practitioners worldwide. With an impressive scholarly record exceeding 300 peer-reviewed publications and over 69,000 citations, her contributions have directly advanced the practical implementation of renewable energy technologies, making significant strides toward sustainable energy solutions.
Beyond her research achievements, Professor Nelson plays a vital leadership role in climate change mitigation as Head of the Climate Change Mitigation Team at Imperial's Grantham Institute, where she assesses the potential of renewable technologies to address global environmental challenges. Her commitment to mentoring has earned her the Imperial College Union Student Choice Award for Best Supervision, recognizing her exceptional dedication to developing the next generation of scientific talent. As a Fellow of the Royal Society since 2014 and recipient of numerous prestigious awards including the Faraday Lectureship Prize, she continues to shape the global research agenda in sustainable energy. Professor Nelson's current work exploring parallels between artificial photovoltaic systems and natural photosynthesis promises to unlock new frontiers in energy conversion efficiency, positioning her at the forefront of efforts to develop next-generation solar technologies that could revolutionize clean energy production.
