WWU’s Robert Berger named a Dreyfus Foundation Teacher-Scholar for 2024-25
WWU Professor of Chemistry Robert Berger has received one of only nine Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar awards awarded by the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation for 2024-25.
Each year, the foundation honors young faculty in the chemical sciences with outstanding bodies of scholarship and a deep commitment to undergraduate education. Each scholar is awarded a $75,000 unrestricted research grant.
Berger received the honor and the research award for his research topic and focus, “Moving Beyond Perovskites for Solar Energy Conversion Applications.”
Berger talked about his research and the work done with undergrads and grad students in his lab.
“Since arriving at Western, much of our work has focused on a group of materials called ‘perovskites,' which can absorb sunlight and convert it to electricity in solar cells. Perovskite solar cells have become a very active area of research since they were first demonstrated in 2009. They are now as efficient at converting sunlight to electricity as the silicon solar cells you see on roofs, and perovskite solar cells are starting to be seen commercially," he said.
“Our group uses computers to understand how the composition and structure of perovskites (what and where the atoms are) determine how good they are at absorbing and converting sunlight. In our calculations, we can play all sorts of games with these materials, substituting various elements and squeezing and twisting the structures. Over the years, we've made a number of predictions that aim to help experimentalists improve these materials,” he said. “With funds from the Dreyfus Award, we are excited to not only continue our work on perovskites, but also to think more broadly about how to find other types of materials that may perform similarly.”
Berger said the award was significant and meaningful because it focuses on not just the work from his lab, but from his classroom as well.
“I'm particularly excited about this award because it recognizes both teaching and research, rather than valuing one over the other. That balance of teaching and research is a major reason why I came to Western, and something I think our department does really well,” Berger said.
“I'm particularly excited about this award because it recognizes both teaching and research, rather than valuing one over the other. That balance of teaching and research is a major reason why I came to Western, and something I think our department does really well.
Robert Berger
WWU Professor of Chemistry
In order to be eligible for the Henry Dreyfus award, faculty must have had an independent academic career for more than four years, but not more than 12; work within an institution that does not grant doctoral degrees; and study within the chemical sciences. Chemical sciences include chemistry, biochemistry, materials chemistry and chemical engineering. Western has the second-highest number of Dreyfus teacher-scholars in the nation, with 10 awardees within the department since the award's creation in 1994.
“The fact that so many WWU Chemistry colleagues have won this award in past years suggests that this is as much a department award as an individual one. It speaks to how supportive our department is in helping new faculty to succeed,” Berger said. “This award was only possible because of the incredible students I've had the opportunity to work with in the research lab and in the classroom. I'm excited that this award will allow me to provide more paid research opportunities for students in the summers to come.”
WWU Professor of Chemistry and Department Chair Gregory O’Neil said Berger was deserving to be the latest in a long line of WWU Chemistry faculty to be recognized in this way by the Dreyfus Foundation; last year Tim Kowalczyk was similarly honored.
"This is a unique and special award, recognizing both the teaching and scholarly achievements of Professor Berger. The continued success of WWU Chemistry Department faculty in receiving this honor is a testament to our culture of supporting the research and educational efforts of our faculty,” said O’Neil.
Berger finished his doctorate at Cornell University in 2009 and came to Western in 2013. Besides his Dreyfus honor, he was also named a Cottrell Scholar in 2017 and was the 2024 recipient of Western’s Peter J. Elich Excellence in Teaching award.
To learn more about the Berger lab and its research, visit https://wp.wwu.edu/bergerr/.