St. Mary’s College of Maryland Assistant Professor of Chemistry Troy Townsend ’07 will be one of the featured speakers during the “Creating Change Locally” TEDxLeonardtown event taking place on Saturday, Sept. 9 from 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at Leonardtown High School, 23995 Point Lookout Road. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tedxleonardtown-tickets-34524292087
Townsend is one of nine speakers of the Technology Entertainment Design (TED) (x for local) presentations. The one-day event will feature speakers who have created change within their community or field of expertise and perform their 15-minute talk for a live audience as well as recording for the TEDx Channel. Lunch will be served.
Townsend’s research investigates the design, synthesis, and device applications for inorganic nanocrystals with a focus on energy and power systems. He has investigated solar fuel generation from water and sunlight using inorganic nanoscale photocatalysts and implementation of nanomaterials into photovoltaics, LEDs, and batteries.
Recently, Townsend was awarded a $100,000 technology product development grant through the Maryland Industrial Partnerships Program. He is currently working with Solar Tech Inc., a Maryland-based startup company, to develop a proof-of-concept process to print low-cost and lightweight solarmodules. When that process is in place, Solar Tech Inc. will be able to produce solar panels faster and at a fraction of the cost of traditional silicon-based photovoltaics.
The Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) program promotes the development and commercialization of products and processes through industry/university research partnerships. MIPS provides matching funds to help Maryland companies pay for the university research.
St. Mary’s College of Maryland is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education through 2024-2025. St. Mary’s College, designated the Maryland state honors college in 1992, is ranked one of the best public liberal arts schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Approximately 1,700 students attend the college, nestled on the St. Mary’s River in Southern Maryland.