The University of Adelaide
Research Field: Nanotechnology
Solar cells are already widely used on rooftops with great success, but rooftop space is limited. If solar cells were flexible and or transparent they could be utilised in far more domestic and industrial locations.
Dr Shearer’s research in very conductive films of carbon nanotubes may allow solar cells to be placed in many more locations, by making them flexible and transparent. By carefully altering some of the properties of the carbon nanotube films, he has made solar cells with similar efficiency to commercial solar cells, but with both reduced weight and thickness.
Cameron has chronicled his time as a researcher on the fortnightly science podcast Publish, Perish, or Podcast since 2015, and has appeared on the children’s science show Scope, as well as published in The Conversation. Dr Shearer received his PhD from Flinders University in 2011, and is currently a University Research Fellow at The University of Adelaide.