Lifetime Achievement for the Advancement of Renewables

Professor Jenny Nelson

Professor of Physics in the Blackett Laboratory and Head of the Climate Change Mitigation Team at the Grantham Institute - Climate Change and Environment at Imperial College London

Professor Jenny Nelson is a Royal Society Research Professor at Imperial College London, renowned for her pioneering research in the field of photovoltaic (PV) technologies, which convert sunlight into electricity. Over her distinguished career, she has made significant contributions to understanding and optimising the materials used in PV devices, focusing on their electronic, optical, and structural properties. Her work has led to the development of new physical models and diagnostic tools that have advanced the design and performance of solar energy systems.

Professor Nelson’s research spans a diverse range of materials, including inorganic compound semiconductors, nanocrystalline oxides, and organic-inorganic hybrids. She applies a combination of physical models, simulations, and experimental techniques to explore how these materialscan be harnessed for more efficient energy conversion. Since 2010, her work has increasingly focused on the potential of photovoltaic technologies to reduce carbon emissions, thereby contributing to global efforts to mitigate climate change.

Her achievements have earned her recognition as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher, placing her among the top 100 materials scientists globally based on citations per paper. She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2014, a prestigious honor that reflects her impact on the field. Professor Nelson has also been awarded numerous accolades for her research, including the Institute of Physics’ Joule Medal (2009) and Faraday Medal (2016), the Royal Society’s Armourers and Brasiers Company Prize (2012), and most recently, the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists’ Cherry Award (2023) and the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Faraday Open Prize (2023).

Beyond her research, Professor Nelson plays a vital leadership role in the scientific community. She has driven advances in quantum semiconductor heterostructures, nanocrystalline oxide materials, and organic-inorganic hybrid systems. Since 2014, she has led the mitigation team at the Grantham Institute – Climate Change and the Environment, focusing on the mitigation potential of renewable energy technologies. In 2021, she was awarded a Royal Society Research Professorship, further cementing her status as a leading expert in her field.

Professor Nelson is also the author of the influential textbook The Physics of Solar Cells, which is widely used in academia. Her long-term vision is to continue advancing the science of low-carbon energy technologies, with a particular emphasis on solar energy, to address the global challenges of climate change and sustainable development.