Meng Tao

Meng’s research at ASU focuses on innovations to sustain the production and deployment of solar technologies. It covers from materials and devices to systems and applications, with the objective of pushing solar energy into a mainstream energy source and making a tangible impact on our energy mix and carbon emission. Examples of his research include recycling technologies for solar panels, green hydrogen production by solar and wind power, charging electric vehicles by solar power, among others. 

As a Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Alternative Energy Technology, Meng established connections with Swedish and European researchers. The collaborations continued after his Fulbright. In 2020, he pulled together a team of nine experts from four countries and published a critical analysis about challenges and opportunities in solar panel recycling. The work generated intense public attention. Meng has been interviewed with CNBC, MIT Technology Review, Chemical & Engineering News, Chemistry World, and about two dozen of social media sites. He also delivered a webinar to the U.S. Environmental Protection. Currently, he is leading a team of seven organizations from four countries to compete for an international coalition on circular solar technologies through National Science Foundation Partnerships for International Research and Education. 

Ask Me About:

• Life as an expat for an extended period in Sweden
• My experience to the Nobel Award Ceremony
• Natural and historical places to visit while in Sweden
• Representing the U.S. as a non-white American in Sweden