Mariana Bertoni

Mariana Bertoni is a Professor at Arizona State University's School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering and a Senior Global Futures Scientist. She directs the DEfECT Lab, pioneering sustainable energy technologies using earth-abundant materials. Her research bridges defect engineering, semiconductor characterization, and photovoltaic innovation.

Education:

• Ph.D. Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University (2007)
• Diploma in Chemical Engineering, Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires (2000)
• B.E. Chemical Engineering, Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires (1999)

Research Focus: Dr. Bertoni specializes in defect kinetics in solar materials, transparent oxides, semiconductor synthesis, and advanced characterization techniques including X-ray microscopy. Her work targets terawatt-scale deployment of environmentally benign photovoltaics.

Scientific Recognition:

• Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship (2007-2008)

Leadership & Grants: She leads multi-institutional projects like NSF's QESST Engineering Research Center and DOE-funded initiatives on thin silicon cells and X-ray nanocharacterization. Current grants focus on substrate reuse, reactive metallization, and degradation physics.

Infrastructure: Heads the DEfECT Lab developing platforms for next-generation energy materials. Actively chairs IEEE committees and evaluates proposals for Argonne National Laboratory.