Nicholas Rolston

Nicholas Rolston is an Assistant Professor in the School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering at Arizona State University and holds a joint faculty appointment at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. He holds graduate faculty appointments in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, and Physics, indicating interdisciplinary expertise.

• Ph.D. in Applied Physics (Stanford University, 2020)
• B.S. in Physics and Mathematics (University of Iowa, 2014)

His research focuses on understanding mechanical and material properties of thin-film energy devices, developing scalable open-air deposition methods for perovskite photovoltaics and lithium batteries. Key areas include stress engineering, reliability characterization, and AI-driven optimization of energy systems.

Recent publications demonstrate expertise in perovskite stability, ion migration control, and scalable fabrication techniques across journals like Advanced Energy Materials and ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

Scientific Honors

• NSF CAREER Award (2024)
• Scialog Fellow: Sustainable Minerals, Metals and Materials (2024)
• Inorganics Young Investigator Award (2023)
• Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Award (2022)

His group has produced award-winning students including SEMTE Outstanding Thesis recipients Kay Bakshi and Adianne Alamban. Research spans from atomic-scale characterization to meter-scale device manufacturing, emphasizing 'design for reliability' principles in renewable energy technology.