Achievement

IGERT Fellow, Toan Pho, reports: I have synthesized a group of water-soluble, electron-transporting small molecules. These water-soluble materials may facilitate the fabrication of multi-layered organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) via solution processing. Collaboration with Professor Quyen Nguyen’s group in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department at UCSB has resulted in the fabrication of working OLEDs utilizing these materials, and work is currently underway at optimizing their performance. Finally, based on these promising results, I have begun the synthesis of water-soluble, hole-transporting materials.

In an environmental policy class at UCSB, I have learned about the various externalities that result in inadequate protection of the environment in a free market. Causes of market failure as well as the pros and cons of possible solutions (government regulations and taxes) were discussed. I would not have taken the course had I not been part of the IGERT program.