Areas of Expertise:

Clean Energy, Climate Change, Fuel Cells, Hydrogen, Innovation, R&D, Renewables, Solar

Professor Fatima Toor is an Assistant Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department with secondary appointments at the Physics and Astronomy department, the Informatics Initiative Cluster, and the Optical Science and Technology Center at the University of Iowa. She is also an affiliate member of the University of Iowa Holden Cancer Center - Experimental Therapeutics program. Dr. Toor is the Vice President of Laser Technology Development at an Iowa-based startup Firefly Photonics LLC, which is developing mid-infrared lasers and LEDs for medical and security applications. Her current research involves the design, fabrication, and testing of cutting edge photonics devices for applications in the health, environment, and energy industries. Prior to UIowa, she was a Research Analyst at Lux Research, a multinational technical advisory firm, where she helped global clients – Innovation 1000 corporations, leading institutional investors, utilities, and public policy makers – make better strategic decisions and monitor the ever changing global solar market. Before joining Lux, Dr. Toor was a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Silicon Materials and Devices group at the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL). While at NREL, Dr. Toor improved on the previous best efficiency of nanoporous black crystalline silicon solar cells, a technology that was patented. During her undergraduate years, Dr. Toor interned for two summers at the IBM T. J. Watson Research Laboratory working in a Class 100 cleanroom on process optimization of crystalline silicon microelectronics fabrication and nanoimprint lithography.

Dr. Toor obtained her Ph.D. and M.A. in electrical engineering from Princeton University where she developed spectrally high performing (4-wavelength; time and wavelength multiplexed; single mode) InGaAs/InAlAs/InP based mid-infrared wavelength quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). While at Princeton, she also minored in physics and Science Technology and Environmental Policy (STEP) from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. She received her B.S. degree with a double major in engineering sciences and physics from Smith College. Dr. Toor is a member of American Physical Society (APS), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Optical Society of America (OSA), American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS), and Sigma Xi Research Honors Society. Dr. Toor has published in many peer-reviewed scientific journals, presented at various scientific conferences and received several awards for academic excellence.

Recent Comments by Fatima Toor

• "In response to the duties that the U.S. Department of Commerce announced on Chinese manufactured solar cells in 2012, China imposed duties on U.S. man"
  Tariffs Threaten the U.S. Solar Industry