The University of Toronto and the King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST) hosted international research leaders at the Nanomaterials for Energy International Symposium.

Held September 29 and 30 at the Royal Ontario Museum, the symposium was an opportunity to learn about the latest developments in utilizing nanomaterials to harness and store energy.

Organized by Professor Ted Sargent (ECE), the event was intended to bring together leading university researchers and thought leaders from relevant commercial sectors, including venture capital investors and leading solar and battery companies.

The event was also an opportunity to celebrate the partnership between U of T and KAUST in advancing nanomaterials research.

“This remarkable event brought together research leaders from MIT, Stanford, EPFL, Columbia, KAUST, Penn State, Berkeley, U of T, Chicago, UIUC and IBM Research,” said Professor Sargent, “One of the many U of T graduate students in attendance called it an All-Star event – nothing could be more true. It was a stimulating event – and a privilege to have the world’s leaders in nanomaterials for energy research converge on U of T.”

Professor Sargent, along with researchers at KAUST and Pennsylvania State University, recently reported a breakthrough in the development of colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells in Nature Materials. Quantum dots are nanoscale semiconductors that capture light and convert it into electrical energy.