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The National Science Foundation (NSF) International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) Program supports U.S. students in gaining hands-on international research experience, developing global competencies, and building collaborations that strengthen the nation’s scientific enterprise. Through immersive training in leading research groups abroad, IRES projects prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers to thrive in an interconnected research community.

This instance of the NSF-IRES program focuses on perovskites as a solution to global energy conversion needs. Photovoltaics are central to the global transition toward sustainable energy, but silicon-based devices are now approaching their fundamental efficiency limits. To achieve the next leap in performance and lower system costs, new materials are essential. Metal-halide perovskites (MHPs) have rapidly emerged as a leading candidate due to their exceptional optoelectronic properties, defect tolerance, and compatibility with tandem silicon architectures. Their ease of solution processing further enhances their promise for low-cost, scalable manufacturing.

Critical challenges remain, however, in improving device stability and enabling scalable fabrication. Addressing these questions requires concerted international collaboration.

The IRES-Perovskites Program provides U.S. graduate and undergraduate students the opportunity to spend 10 weeks in Germany at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, conducting collaborative research in perovskite photovoltaics with leading researchers in the field. Each year, students will be selected to join active projects focused on materials synthesis, device fabrication, and characterization at the cutting edge of solar energy research.

Benefits for Graduate Students

• Immersive training in advanced techniques and instrumentation
• Opportunities to contribute to ongoing research in internationally recognized groups
• Professional development through cross-cultural research collaboration
• Strengthened publication and presentation record in a rapidly advancing field

Benefits for Faculty Advisors

• Enhanced research connections with German partners in perovskite PV
• Professional development for mentees that directly supports ongoing group research
• Contribution to building a stronger U.S.–Germany collaboration network

The program is particularly suited for students in chemistry, physics, materials science, and engineering who are motivated to advance renewable energy research and benefit from international collaboration.