The mission of the UCI School of Physical Sciences Center for Solar Energy is to elucidate the fundamental scientific principles governing the efficient conversion of solar energy into a usable chemical and electrical energy resource, and to educate graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the science underlying solar energy systems. The Center for Solar Energy fosters innovative research strategies across the broadly-defined fields of biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering that seek to understand the inherent obstacles in converting and utilizing the Sun's energy as an Earth-friendly power source. Long horizon research projects with the potential for both fundamental scientific impact and far-reaching practical importance are the cornerstone of the Center's activities, with an emphasis placed on the education of scientists, students, and the general public on both the need and the challenges associated with harnessing our most abundant energy resource.
