Cristian Heredia in his lab

Cristian Heredia

What matters to Cristian?

Quick Summary

  • Exploring the intersection of technology and social responsibility.

With bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physics, Cristian Heredia was attracted to UC Davis in large part due to the university’s relationship with government labs, such as Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, as well as its proximity to Silicon Valley. As a Ph.D. student in electrical engineering, he is developing a hybrid solar cell that uses photovoltaic technology for electrical and thermal energy.

Cristian preparing to show school children how solar ovens work
Cristian preparing to show school children how solar ovens work.

The National Academy of Engineering recently called out the making of more affordable solar energy as one of the Grand Challenges for the 21st century. As part of the Woodall Research Group at the UC Davis College of Engineering, Heredia is helping investigate earth-abundant and sustainable materials for electrical power generation to provide a solution to the academy’s challenge. His work involves depositing a transparent and conductive thin film on a glass substrate. The conductive film serves as the first layer in a multi-junction solar cell, a device with multiple solar cells stacked in series. This type of solar cell absorbs a large portion of the solar spectrum. Using earth abundant materials and low deposition temperatures reduces the cost of manufacturing.

It is Heredia’s interest in the intersection between technology and social responsibility that drives him. “My long-term vision of this research project would be to deploy low-cost solar harvesting technology in developing communities that could benefit from locally generated clean electricity, improving quality of life,” he explains. “There will come a time when fossil fuels no longer make economical sense. When that happens, a technology such as ours could help alleviate the need for power.”

Support for his work has come from multiple sources, starting with the Woodall Research Group. “Professor Woodall has encouraged me to lead my own project and pursue any research avenues that I feel might yield results. In the process, I’ve become more self-sufficient and strengthened my skills as an independent researcher,” says Heredia.

Heredia was awarded the Business Development Fellowship, sponsored by the Graduate School of Management, which enables him to further explore the use of technology to improve lives. He has gained insights into careers in industry and opportunities to develop new business ventures “Prior to this fellowship, I figured you had to package a product in such a way that a corporation would want to pick it up,” he says. “However, I’ve learned there are many for-profit models that do not require being part of a large corporation.”

Cristian teaching chemistry to a class of elementary students
Cristian teaching chemistry to a class of elementary students.

Heredia’s inclination toward social responsibility extends beyond his own academic stage. He has volunteered at Frances Harper Junior High School in the city of Davis, mentoring underserved Latino males in need of translation services and math tutoring. His recent UC Davis National Science Foundation Research Fellowship allowed him to mentor and teach science to fifth- and sixth-graders at Rio Linda Preparatory Academy in Rio Linda. In addition, he’s taught renewable energy science — conservation of energy, heat flow, and electricity — at Herman Leimbach Elementary School in Sacramento. Heredia’s contributions earned him the honor of being the graduate student selected for the 2014 Chancellor’s Achievement Award for Diversity and Community.

Cristian receiving the 2014 Chancellor’s Achievement Award for Diversity and Community from Dr. Rahim Reed and Chancellor Katehi
Cristian receiving the Chancellor’s Achievement Award for Diversity and Community from Dr. Rahim Reed and  Chancellor Katehi.

In terms of personal and professional growth, GradPathways’ speaker events and writing workshops were instrumental in helping Heredia find his voice in presenting and writing. He is also grateful to programs such as the UC Davis Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate, funded by Graduate Studies, which helped introduce him to like-minded grad students and form a close-knit, supportive community.

“Through their selfless acts, my parents instilled in me the importance of altruism,” Heredia says. “This is something I still carry with me. Because of the great opportunities at UC Davis, I have been able to explore the scientist, artist and humanist in me." 

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