Cordula Schmid

Cordula Schmid serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Francis College of Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell. She holds multiple leadership roles including Director of the Photovoltaic Prototyping & Testing Lab, Associate Director of the Center for Energy Innovation, and Co-Director of the Building Energy Efficiency & Temperature Control Materials Lab.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany

Dr. Schmid specializes in photovoltaic reliability and durability analysis, with expertise spanning PV performance evaluation, prototyping, building-integrated PV (BIPV) applications, manufacturing failure analysis, and fracture mechanics. Her research bridges fundamental engineering principles with industrial applications to enhance solar cell production yield and product longevity.

Prior to UMass Lowell, she spent 15 years at the Fraunhofer organization across Germany and the U.S., where she developed thermal and mechanical load mitigation strategies for solar manufacturers. Her consultancy work with global industry leaders focused on reducing breakage losses during PV manufacturing processes.

She currently directs critical research infrastructure including the Photovoltaic Prototyping & Testing Lab and Building Energy Efficiency Lab, driving innovation in solar technology integration and energy-efficient building materials through hands-on experimental research.