Dr. Kivambe is a scientist at Qatar Environment & Energy Research Institute (QEERI). His current research work and interest is on Photovoltaics (PV), focusing on addressing key challenges that limit the performance and reliability of PV cells, modules and systems, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. He has over 17 years’ research experience in PV value chain, from fabrication and characterization of materials and solar cells to indoor and outdoor PV module testing. He received his M.Sc. in Condensed Matter physics and Biophysics in 2008, and his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering in 2012 from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), in Norway. Before joining QEERI, Dr. Kivambe worked as a postdoctoral associate at the Photovoltaic Research Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), focusing on performance improvement of low-cost silicon for solar cell applications.

Performance and reliability of PV modules and PV module materials, vertical PV, PV with tracking, Indoor PV module and materials testing

Peformance and reliability of PV modules and PV-Module materials, Optimization of design of crystalline silicon (c-Si) and cast-mono-Si heterojunction  solar cells for performance improvement, Low cost back contact heterojunction solar cells on thin c-Si wafers: Integrating laser and thin film processing for improved manufacturability, Defect Engineering for crystalline silicon solar cells, Development of cheaper alternative silicon technologies for high efficiency solar cells

Postdoctoral associate at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Cambridge Massachusetts (2 years).

PhD in Materials Science and Engineering: Silicon for solar cell applications from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)

M.Sc. in Condensed Matter Physics and Biophysics from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)

B.Sc (Ed) from the University of Dar Es Salaam