“It’s very fulfilling to have a career in physics.” – Interview with Prof. Safa Shoaee

Physicist Prof. Safa Shoaee is one of the world’s most renowned researchers in the field of organic solar cells. After studying in London and Queensland, she received the Sofja Kovalevskaja Prize in 2016 when she began her work at the University of Potsdam and has since been conducting research in the Potsdam Science Park. With Dieter Neher, professor of soft matter physics, she was able to produce the world’s most efficient 1 cm² organic solar cells here. In this conversation, we talk about green technologies and the way to make a career in physics as a woman.

Prof. Shoaee, you have been working on organic materials for solar cells for about 13 years. What drove you to devote yourself to this research topic?

What drove me to start this is actually something I watched on TV when I was very young. It was about an architect who had an impressive house somewhere very sunny and they emphasised that almost everything there was powered by solar cells. When I saw that I thought: I definitely want that house and then I can run everything with solar technology (laughs).