Dr. David Fenning

Professor

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Biography

David Fenning joined the Department of NanoEngineering at UC San Diego as an assistant professor in 2015. He previously worked as a postdoctoral fellow at MIT and Battelle, focusing on solar-to-fuels and photoelectrochemistry. He received his Ph.D. from MIT in 2013, where he researched defect engineering in photovoltaics, and has experience as an R&D consultant for 1366 Technologies, a startup in silicon PV wafer technology. Fenning's research emphasizes engineering materials for renewable energy conversion and storage, particularly in low-cost photovoltaics and hybrid photovoltaic-electrochemical systems. His work includes enhancing the efficiencies of silicon solar cells and understanding the kinetics of defects and reactions through advanced synchrotron-based X-ray characterization. By developing predictive models for material processing, Fenning aims to accelerate innovation in material development for energy technologies.

Research Interests

Requirements for University of California, San Diego

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Total
Required:85
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Duolingo
Overall Score
Required:120
Overall
Required:120
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in physical, biological, or earth sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Differential and integral calculus. One year of calculus-based physics with laboratory. One year of chemistry with laboratory.
Application Checklist
  • Statement of Purpose (max 2 pages)
  • Unofficial transcripts
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Application fee ($135 domestic / $155 international)
Specialization Notes

Administered by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Curricular groups include Climate-Ocean-Atmosphere (COAP), Geosciences (GEO), and Ocean Biosciences (OBP).