René van Swaaij

René van Swaaij serves as Associate Professor in the Photovoltaics Material and Devices group at TU Delft's Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, where he combines research expertise in silicon-based solar cells with educational leadership as programme director of the Master's in Sustainable Energy Technology. After earning his MSc in Physics and PhD on amorphous silicon-based photoconductors for xerography from Utrecht University, he has established himself as a leading figure in photovoltaic research and education. His research focuses on the processing and underlying physics of silicon-based solar cells, particularly in thin-film technology, with significant contributions to understanding interface properties and performance enhancement of amorphous silicon solar cells. Beyond his research contributions of over 100 journal and conference papers, he has co-authored the influential book "Solar Energy: The physics and engineering of photovoltaic conversion technologies and systems" and plays a key role in TU Delft's online education initiatives, including the Solar Energy Engineering MicroMasters program. Through his teaching of semiconductor device physics at both BSc and MSc levels, he continues to shape the next generation of sustainable energy technologists while advancing the field of photovoltaic technology.