Gemstone Team Research

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/9070

The Gemstone Program at the University of Maryland is a unique multidisciplinary four-year research program for selected undergraduate honors students of all majors. Under guidance of faculty mentors and Gemstone staff, teams of students design, direct and conduct significant research, often but not exclusively exploring the interdependence of science and technology with society. Gemstone students are members of a living-learning community comprised of fellow students, faculty and staff who work together to enrich the undergraduate experience. This community challenges and supports the students in the development of their research, teamwork, communication and leadership skills. In the fourth year, each team of students presents its research in the form of a thesis to experts, and the students complete the program with a citation and a tangible sense of accomplishment.

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Author: search.filters.author.Collins, SeanSubject: search.filters.subject.solar energy

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    An analysis of the efficacy of low-scale concentrated photovoltaics
    (2012) Brooks, Thomas; Collins, Sean; Edgerton, Alexander; Ford, Blaine; Gautam, Preetha; Goldfinger, Matthew; Hall, Ian; Huang, Billy; Lanzo, Michael; McGowan, Melissa; Myers, Taylor; Salata, Christopher; Zheng, Andy; Adomaitis, Ray
    The plausibility of low-concentrating flat-plate photovoltaics as a viable small-scale energy generation system was explored. A flat-plate photovoltaic panel utilizing an inexpensive parabolic reflector to increase the solar radiation incident on the panel was constructed. The concentration system's performance was compared to a solitary flat-plate photovoltaic panel with no concentration. The concentrating panel experienced a maximum of seven times and averaged three to four times the power output of the flat system. It is projected that similar systems could provide a less costly alternative to consumer scale solar panels that use expensive efficiency-increasing tracking systems.