Brian Wheelwright: 2014 Awardee
Michael Kidger Memorial Scholarship
College of Optical Sciences
University of Arizona
The 2014 winner of the Michael Kidger Memorial Scholarship is Brian Wheelwright, a third-year Ph.D. student at the College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, under Professor Roger Angel. He is a graduate research associate in the Steward Observatory Solar Lab, which performs research in the field of Concentrating PhotoVoltaics (CPV).
The 2014 Kidger scholarship award was presented to Brian at the International Optical Design Conference, 22 to 26 June 2014, Kohala Coast, Hawaii, by Kevin Thompson, Synopsys’ Optical Solutions Group. The award consists of a $5,000 cash grant supported by the Michael Kidger Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Research Highlights
Brian Wheelwright and Kevin Thompson
Kidger Scholarship Award Presentation
International Optical Design Conference
Hawaii, June 25, 2014
Brian’s research seeks to reduce the cost of solar electricity through optical innovation. He has designed and fabricated a freeform lens which intercepts the low-concentration line focus from a parabolic trough reflector to produce multiple high-concentration foci. These regions of high concentration drive triple-junction solar cells. He is currently investigating ways to reduce the cost of solar tracking by performing integrated tracking of the freeform elements. When the freeform optics are allowed this additional degree of freedom, it is possible to achieve high concentration while only tracking the parabolic trough about a single axis. Brian’s other research interests include large-optic metrology, freeform lens fabrication, and slump-molding of solar reflectors using a radiative furnace.
Brian has a B.S. in Optical Engineering from the University of Arizona in 2010, where he graduated as valedictorian. After working in industry for a year, he returned to the College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, to pursue a PhD in Optical Sciences. He has since received the Kenneth Moore Scholarship (2012) and SPIE Scholarship (2013). In April 2014, he was chosen to receive the Michael Kidger Memorial Scholarship award.
Updates
2020
Brian’s research seeks to reduce the cost of solar electricity through optical innovation. He has designed and fabricated a freeform lens which intercepts the low-concentration line focus from a parabolic trough reflector to produce multiple high-concentration foci. These regions of high concentration drive triple-junction solar cells. He is currently investigating ways to reduce the cost of solar tracking by performing integrated tracking of the freeform elements. When the freeform optics are allowed this additional degree of freedom, it is possible to achieve high concentration while only tracking the parabolic trough about a single axis. Brian’s other research interests include large-optic metrology, freeform lens fabrication, and slump-molding of solar reflectors using a radiative furnace.
Brian has a B.S. in Optical Engineering from the University of Arizona in 2010, where he graduated as valedictorian. After working in industry for a year, he returned to the College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, to pursue a PhD in Optical Sciences. He has since received the Kenneth Moore Scholarship (2012) and SPIE Scholarship (2013). In April 2014, he was chosen to receive the Michael Kidger Memorial Scholarship award.
