Energy and Environment

Why energy and environment?

These activities are centered on the links between physics and some pivotal issues of our society, such as energy and the environment. A sound education in applied physics, including photovoltaics, renewable energy, nuclear technologies, semiconductor physics and devices, offers opportunities for the jobs of the future.

Energy and environment are two keywords for designing a sustainable future. Nowadays a large fraction of funds at governmental agencies, research institutions, start-ups and other companies are dedicated to developing a sustainable society. Young physicists will have to deal with the increasing demand of hard and soft skills required by these interdisciplinary researches.

What to expect?

This research activity has an interdisciplinary nature, laying at the border of different branches of physics and using knowledge from other scientific fields (such as management and economics). Besides the common background, the research topics are about environmental radioactivity, renewable energy sources, ionizing radiations, semiconductor materials, precision agriculture and photovoltaic systems.

The students learn physical concepts and methods for the exploitation of conventional (fossil fuels and nuclear energy) and renewable energy sources (solar radiation, wind, biomass, and geothermal energy). Insights into the physics of ionizing radiations, interaction with matter and radiation detection are offered through lectures and hands-on sessions in the laboratory or in-situ: students will have at disposal electron microscopes, high-resolution x-ray diffractometers, gamma spectrometers, drones and photovoltaic cells.

Emphasis will be given on dimensional analyses and order of magnitude estimates for approaching multidisciplinary problems.