Short Bio

I have joined Northumbria University in 2020 as a Vice-Chancellor's Senior Fellow in the Department of Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering. My current research interest lies in understanding the emergence of defect-tolerance in semiconductors and using defect-tolerant semiconductors for PV and solar fuel applications. This involves materials discovery and building structural-activity relationship through a combination of atomistic computational modelling, materials processing and defect-characterization of new inorganic PV semiconductors and devices. I have developed novel methodologies to process complete solar cells using non-vacuum techniques, examining a variety of unconventional absorbers including Cu₂SnS₃, Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄, BiFeO₃, BiI₃, BiSI, BiPS₄. Recently we have been investigating these methodologies to develop PV structures for low-cost system integration (buildings, automotive, etc.) as well.

​My postdoctoral studies were undertaken at the University of Bristol in Professor David Fermin's lab as a part of an EPSRC project targeting new PV technologies based on solution-processable earth-abundant materials. Before this, I studied chemistry from Sardar Patel University, Gujarat, India (MSc 2009) and completed my PhD in 2014 investigating solution-processed Cu₂SnS₃ thin-films for solar cells at Dr K. C. Patel research and development centre (CHARUSAT, India) through a UGC-department of atomic energy (DAE) fellowship. My thesis work focused on low-temperature charge-transport measurements and photoemission experiments on semiconductor thin-films and PV devices.

My research publications can be found here:

https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=4KEwr3oAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

2 Fully-funded PhD positions

1. First one is focusses on new defect-tolerant materials for solar-energy conversion. 

"Bismuth Chalcohalides for Solar Water-Splitting​" 

https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/bismuth-chalcohalides-for-solar-water-splitting-renu21-ee-mpee-tiwari/?p127368. 

2. Second one, is on developing sustainable semi-transparent PV technology for low-cost system integration.

“Defect engineering of solution-processed semi-transparent Kesterite solar cells”

https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/defect-engineering-of-solution-processed-semi-transparent-kesterite-solar-cells-advert-reference-rdf21-ee-mpee-tiwaridevendra/?p127501

The application deadline is​ in the last week of January 2021.

Both the studentships are available to Home and International (including EU) students, and includes a full stipend, paid for three years at UKRI rates (for 2020/21, this is £15,285 pa) and full tuition fees. The starting date will be 1st October 2021.

If you are interested in any of these positions, please get in touch through my email ([email protected]​) or the link provided in FindAPhD advert.