In addition to the four RASEI Fellows, this work includes the Ginger Group at the University of Washington, and was part of the U.S. National Science Foundation STC, IMOD. imod-stc.org

This research shows that through careful design of the ligand structure, the properties of the whole quantum dot can be changed, important in their application in different devices and technologies.

Quantum Dots, the materials found in QLED displays, and at the forefront of light driven communication, require a layer of what we call ligands – these are essentially a protective layer from their surroundings. www.colorado.edu/rasei/2026/0...

Find out more about how the team proposes that better understanding the details around these buried interfaces is key to improving these devices in the highlight here:
www.colorado.edu/rasei/2026/0...

Solar cells using this new molecule set new benchmarks, able to run under continuous bright light for nearly 3,000 hours, only losing 10% of their efficiency, a level of durability not previously seen for this class of solar cell.

This layer is just one molecule thick, and made up of a class of molecules called phosphonic acids. This collaboration designed and tested a series of different phosphonic acids and identified ones that could carry charge, and stuck tightly to the other layers.

This dropped the efficiency of the solar cell and led to significant reductions in the operational lifetime of the solar devices.

Solar cells are made up from a series of layers, all of which have specific designed roles in converting light to electricity. It was found that one of these was not bonding strongly enough, and when it came loose, was actually poisoning the other layers.

Check out our highlight of the work here: www.colorado.edu/rasei/2026/0...

In addition to the great scientific value of these studies, the videos captured are quite amazing, providing an exciting window into the precise workings of this microscopic world.

It was thought that formation of these minerals was a slow, uniform chemical reaction influenced by the environment, the ability to see in real time reveals controlled mechanisms that are dictated by cell-specific functions. This suggests we could control these processes for new applications.

This process is already a fundamental step for large-scale applications, such as oceanic buffering, soil improvement, and living building materials that can capture and sequester carbon from the air.

Led by the Cameron Group, this work used high-resolution microscopy to better understand how cyanobacteria precipitate calcium carbonate, through the aptly named Microbiologically Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation, or MICP.