Solar Energy Field, Thin Film Solar Energy Category

Debra Poneman, Emcee

Stanford R. Ovshinsky is the co-founder of Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD) with his late wife Iris Ovshinsky. He is primary inventor of ECD’s technology including the Ovonic thin-film photovoltaic technology and its continuous web multi-junction roll-to-roll machine, the Ovonic NiMH battery, the Ovonic hydrogen technology as well as Ovonic Universal Memory (OUM), also known as Phase Change Memory (PCM) which is receiving much positive attention from the semiconductor industry.

Stan began the field of nanostructures for a large number of applications in the early 1950s and has formed an independent new company in order to accelerate his work in energy and information that will lead to basic solutions for pollution, climate change gases and wars over oil. His current objective is to make photovoltaic and hydrogen storage competitive with fossil fuel.

Stan holds approximately 360 U.S. patents and is the author of over 300 scientific papers ranging from neurophysiology to amorphous semiconductors. He serves on various scientific, educational and civic boards and is the recipient of so many awards that we would be here all night if we listed only ½ of them.

Stan was inducted into the Michigan Chemical Engineering Hall of Fame in 1983 and named Michigan Scientist of the Year by Impression 5 Science Museum in 1987. He was profiled in a one-hour PBS program on NOVA entitled “Japan’s American Genius” also in 1987 and was named the Corporate Detroiter of the Year by Corporate Detroit Magazine in 1993.

In 1999 he was named "Hero for the Planet" by Time magazine and he and his wife, Iris, were named Heroes of Chemistry 2000 by the American Chemical Society for “advances in electrochemical, energy storage and energy generation, including the development of Ovonic nickel metal hydride rechargeable batteries, regenerative fuel cells, solid hydrogen storage system, and amorphous silicon photovoltaics" and for having "made significant and lasting contributions to global human welfare.”

Interviewed in the documentary “Who Killed the Electric Car,” his nickel metal hydride batteries enabled the creation of the electric and hybrid cars.

Stan is a fellow of the American Physical Society “for his contributions to the understanding, applications and development of amorphous electronic materials and devices” and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers; a life member of the Society of Automotive Engineers; member of the Consulting Board of the Journal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials; a member of the American Chemical Society; and is now a treasured member of the National Environmental Hall of Fame.