2019 Spring Meeting of the EMRS, Symposium E: Earth-abundant next generation materials for solar energy – III

2019 Spring Meeting of the European Materials Research Society (27-31 May, 2019. Nice, France).

The published scope of the symposium [1] was to “address fundamental and applied aspects of materials suitable for earth abundant solar energy production. Relevant technologies include photovoltaics, thermal solar, water splitting and solar fuel production. Recent developments in both experimental and theoretical/computational approaches will be addressed making this symposium an ideal platform for researchers working on all stages of development of earth abundant and newly emerging materials for thin film solar materials.”

It was organized by Alex Redinger of the University of Luxembourg, Geoffroy Hautier of Université Catholique de Louvain, and Robert Palgrave of the University College London. By all accounts, it was highly successful, drawing a number of highly respected invited and contributing presenters from around the world to a truly noteworthy conference venue. The modest number of papers which form this Special Issue is, in some respects, reflective of the realities of the tragic COVID-19 global pandemic, which contributed to a number of delays.

I would like to sincerely thank all of the authors who submitted to this issue, as well as the professional staff at Elsevier who provided timely and helpful assistance throughout the process, and the Symposium E organizers, who agreed to allow the project to proceed.

In Memoriam.

Dr. Patrice Miska, a highly capable and internationally-respected researcher and faculty member affiliated with the Institut Jean Lamour and the Université de Lorraine, was one of the original members of the symposium organizing committee. Sadly, he passed away unexpectedly on 28 November, 2018, before the symposium was held. Patrice was a good friend and a valued collaborator. His enthusiasm for building international research partnerships was contagious and highly effective. This special issue exists in large part because of his initial efforts to ensure that attendees of the symposium had a pathway to publishing their presentations. He is sorely missed.