Forum Details:

9:00 AM Jay Slough, K4ZLE

“Your 8^th Area QSL Bureau”

10:00 AM Jim Weaver, K8JE Director, ARRL Great Lakes Division

“Promoting Amateur Radio Through International Treaty”

11:00 AM Steve Michalski, KB9UPS “A.R.I.S.S., Amateur Radio on the International Space Station”

12:00 Noon Dr. Alvin Compaan, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo

“Solar Power for Living & Driving in Toledo”

            Dr. Alvin Compaan is Distinguished University Professor in the Physics and Astronomy Department at The University of Toledo.  During his 21 years at UT, he and his colleagues have built a world-class research effort focused on thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solar cells.  While at UT, Dr. Compaan has been funded by the National Renewable Energy Lab, the U.S. Dept. of Energy, the NSF, Air Force, and the Ohio Department of Development.  He has done collaborative research with many industrial groups in PV, including Pilkington, Solar Cells Inc, First Solar, Xunlight, and Calyxo USA.

Dr. Compaan also has been very active in educating the public through many presentations across the State of Ohio and to the Ohio legislature.  Dr. Compaan holds four patents in the area of thin-film PV and has authored more than 230 publications in professional journals.  Recently he has joined with Xunlight Corp. to form the daughter company Xunlight 26 Solar which is working to commercialize flexible cadmium-telluride-based PV.

Al and his wife, Mary, have practical experience with PV applications by powering their new home with electricity generated from a grid-connected rooftop array of photovoltaic panels manufactured in Perrysburg, OH, by First Solar.  Their 4.3 kW system generates nearly all the electricity needed for their home as well as for Al’s battery-operated electric truck used for daily commuting to UT.