Vivian E Ferry

Vivian E Ferry is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Minnesota's College of Science and Engineering. Her research focuses on advanced materials for energy applications, particularly in solar energy conversion and nanophotonic phenomena. She maintains an active research program with numerous ongoing projects and substantial publication output spanning over 15 years.

Her research interests center on Solar Energy, Photovoltaics, Plasmonics, and Nanomaterials, with particular expertise in quantum dots, thin film technology, and metamaterials. Dr. Ferry's work bridges fundamental materials science with practical applications in renewable energy technologies, exploring light-matter interactions at the nanoscale to enhance solar energy harvesting and conversion efficiency.

Analysis of her recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a strong focus on chiral optical phenomena, luminescent solar concentrators, metal-insulator transitions in oxide materials, and machine learning applications for spectroscopic analysis. Her work demonstrates a consistent trajectory toward increasingly sophisticated nanoscale optical engineering with practical applications in sustainable energy systems.

Dr. Ferry has secured significant research funding from diverse sources including the National Science Foundation, Microsoft Corporation, and industry partners like First Solar. Her current projects include:

• OLED Cavity Tuning in Commercial Devices for Display Applications (2023-2025)
• Chiroptical properties of patterned nanocrystal solids (2021-2026)
• IRG-2: Mesoscale Network Materials (2020-2026)
• Modeling CdTe solar cells (2021-2022)

She actively collaborates with researchers across disciplines, as evidenced by her participation in multi-investigator projects and numerous co-authored publications. Her research group produces both fundamental scientific insights and practical technological advancements in materials for renewable energy applications.