Dr John RODRIGUEZ

Employment experience:

2023 – Now: ACDC Group Manager (UNSW)

2021 – 2022: Senior Research Associate (UNSW)

2019 – 2021: Passivated Contacts Team Leader (Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore, Singapore)

2017 – 2019: Project Manager (Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore, Singapore)

2014 – 2015: Technology Analyst and Content Writer (Solar Choice, Australia)

2013 – 2015: Energy Efficiency Engineer (Carbon Reduction Institute, Australia)

Education:

2019 – 2020: Master of Business Administration (Quantic School of Business and Technology, USA)

2010 – 2016: Doctor of Philosophy in Photovoltaic Engineering (UNSW)

2005 – 2009: Bachelor of Photovoltaics Engineering (UNSW)

Research interests:

• Loss analysis and device modelling, from cells to solar farms

• Automated solar farm fault detection

• Electric vehicles and battery storage

• Passivated contacts for crystalline silicon solar cells

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Why is your research important? 

Crystalline silicon solar cells with passivated contacts will be one of the most dominant and widely produced solar cell technologies in the coming decades. The development of high-efficiency passivated contact devices – and the next-generation materials needed for them – will drive the levelized cost of electricity to new lows and further cement photovoltaic energy’s place as the most cost-effective form of electricity generation we have available.

What do you like about research? 

The aspect of solar energy research I enjoy the most is seeing our ideas being applied in practice and come to life. It’s exciting to see something evolve from an idea to proof-of-concept to commercial product.

What do you like to do when you are not saving the world?

I enjoy running with family and friends, playing tennis, and I am always on the hunt for a good cup of coffee.