MENTEE Joao Mendes

Joao is a PhD student at RMIT University in Melbourne and my research focused on solar energy. He is currently working on a project to develop and evaluate novel materials and architectures for thin film solar cells, i.e., cells like the ones used in commercial CdTe panels.

His master’s thesis was completed at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) in Brazil with project focused on energy storage where he studied new materials for insertion batteries, i.e., batteries that work like the Li-ion ones. His undergraduate studies were also completed at the UFMG with an exchange period at UNSW in Sydney and he studied a mix of Chemistry and Materials Science. He also acquired experience with R&D working as an intern for a pharmaceutical company in Brazil.

Through these projects Joao worked with various electrochemical, structural and other basic and advanced materials and device characterisation techniques. He also enjoyed the challenges and rewards of working in culturally diverse and interdisciplinary environments.

Personally, he is interested in the challenges of reducing cost of new and alternative technologies for energy generation and storage, making them commercially viable.