Country of Residence
Discipline(s)
Institution
University College London
Institute for Materials Discovery
Professor Mojtaba Abdi-Jalebi
Institute for Materials Discovery, Faculty of Maths & Physical Sciences, Room 113, Roberts Building, Malet Place, London, WC1E 7JE, UK
Research Interests
Mojtaba’s research focuses on the optical and electronic properties of advanced functional materials, particularly emerging nanomaterials and semiconductors, which include metal halide perovskites, nanostructured metal oxides, and other organic semiconductors. He incorporates these materials into optoelectronic devices, such as solar photovoltaics (PV), photodetectors, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and energy systems that enable carbon capture and the production of solar fuels. Mojtaba investigates novel materials and device photophysics using spectroscopy as a powerful tool to understand their characteristics at different length and time scales, unveil the origin of instability, and maximize the output of energy devices. His research aims to contribute to the transition to a Net Zero future by developing green energy production systems, such as solution-processable photovoltaics, green fuel production like green hydrogen and methanol, and carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) technologies. Mojtaba is actively involved in the exploitation of academic research into actual products and bridging the gap between fundamental science and technology commercialisation. He maintains active industrial collaborations for technology transfer into multiple emerging markets, including photovoltaics, the Internet of Things (IoT), consumer electronics, green hydrogen, and CCUS technologies.
Topics to speak on:
Next-Generation Solar Photovoltaics, Energy Materials & Devices, Net-Zero & Renewable Energy Technologies, Advanced Materials for Energy Conversion & Storage, Scaling & Commercialization of Energy Technologies, Science & Technology Policy, Entrepreneurship in Energy Materials, STEM Outreach & Education
Advancing science is not just about finding answers, but about asking the right questions. Every discovery brings us one step closer to transforming our world—through sustainable energy, innovative materials, and a shared vision for a cleaner, greener future.
Biography
Dr. Mojtaba Abdi-Jalebi is an Associate Professor in Energy Materials at the Institute for Materials Discovery within the Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at University College London (UCL). He earned his BSc in Materials Science and Engineering from Sharif University of Technology in 2012 and completed his MSc in Materials Science and Engineering at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland in 2014. In 2018, Dr. Abdi-Jalebi received his PhD in Physics from the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge, where he was honored with the 2018 Semiconductor Physics Thesis Prize by the Institute of Physics. From 2018 to 2020, he served as a Junior Research Fellow at Cambridge University and Wolfson College, Cambridge. During this time, he established a spin-out company focused on developing energy harvesting devices based on emerging semiconductors. In November 2019, Mojtaba established his research group at UCL, concentrating on the material and electronic properties of emerging semiconductors such as halide perovskites, small molecules, and organic semiconductors. The group’s research is dedicated to optoelectronic and electrochemical devices for low-cost electronics applications, including solar photovoltaics and lighting, as well as energy systems supporting carbon capture and the production of solar fuels. Dr. Abdi-Jalebi’s overarching research goal is to introduce new, cost-effective materials into energy devices, ultimately reshaping the energy landscape. His work aims to contribute to the transition to a net-zero future by reducing the cost of green energy production, consumption, and storage.
Awards
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
MAPS Early Career Researchers Travel Grant
Researcher-led Initiative Award
Semiconductor Physics Thesis Prize from Institute of Physics (IOP)
Early Career Researchers Fund from Institute of Physics (IOP)
Inventions Travel Award from MDPI Publishing Institute,