ERIC Number: EJ941349
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-May
Pages: 6
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0031-9120
EISSN: N/A
A Photovoltaics Module for Incoming Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Undergraduates
Dark, Marta L.
Physics Education, v46 n3 p303-308 May 2011
Photovoltaic-cell-based projects have been used to train eight incoming undergraduate women who were part of a residential summer programme at a women's college. A module on renewable energy and photovoltaic cells was developed in the physics department. The module's objectives were to introduce women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors to physical phenomena, to develop quantitative literacy and communication skills, and to increase the students' interest in physics. The students investigated the performance of commercially available silicon semiconductors through experiments they designed, carried out and analysed. They fabricated and tested organic dye-based solar cells. This article describes the programme, the solar cell module, and presents some experimental results obtained by the students. (Contains 5 figures and 3 footnotes.)
Descriptors: Majors (Students), Women Scientists, Communication Skills, Undergraduate Students, Summer Programs, Womens Education, Females, Energy, Physics, STEM Education, Literacy, Student Interests, Science Experiments, Program Effectiveness, Learning Modules, College Freshmen
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A