Amanda Siedschlag worked this summer in Professor Geraldine Richmond’s chemistry lab at the University of Oregon, as part of the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supported by the National Science Foundation.
Amanda’s project involved research into developing more efficient thin-film solar cell materials. The study builds upon well-established silicon solar cell technology, but uses thin film absorbers to enhance the conversion efficiency of sunlight to electricity. During her 10 weeks in the Richmond lab, Amanda focused on fabricating thin films and developing synthetic methods to make films that work more efficiently. She made significant contributions to the project, which will be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal sometime this winter. It is anticipated that she will report her results at the 247th American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meeting in Dallas, Texas in March 2014.
Amanda is a 2010 graduate of Tri-County High School, Plainfield, Wisconsin. She is in her senior year at Viterbo University in La Crosse, WI, and will graduate in May 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and a minor in Mathematics (www.viterbo.edu). Last year Amanda interned at the chemistry lab for Trane in LaCrosse, WI.
Amanda is an FCSLA Scholarship winner from the 2011-2012 Scholarship Program and a member of S485 (Chicago) along with her mom, dad, brother, aunts and numerous cousins. Amanda is the grandniece of S485 Sr. Financial Secretary, Lydia Berry and the cousin of Chicago District President/S485-J382 Recording Secretary, Mary Therese Tylus.
