Fiona Beck

Interests

A/Prof Fiona J Beck’s research is focused on advancing the global transition to clean energy in two distinct ways: by developing new technologies to convert sunlight into other forms of energy; and by collaboratively tackling whole-of-system level, interdisciplinary problems that the energy sector is facing on its road to decarbonisation. Specifically:

 Nanophotonic approaches to photochemistry

• Hot electron science and applications
• Solar (photoelectrochemical) hydrogen generation
• The hydrogen economy and the energy transition

Updates on Fiona’s research and activities can be found on LinkedIn at Fiona J Beck, and her publications can be found on Web of Science.

Research

2023: HILT.RP2.006 - Hydrogen Supply within HILT Regional Hubs H2 Cost and Synergistic Opportunities (Secondary Investigator)

2022: HILT.RP2.001 - Green hydrogen supply modelling for industry (Secondary Investigator)

2021: Semiconductor Metatsurfaces for Energy Applications: Active Tuning of Photon Absorption and Hot Electron Generation part of META-ACTIVE - International Research Training Group on Tailored Metasurfaces – Generating, Programming and Detecting Light between ANU and Friedrich Schiller University Jena

2018:Australian Renewable Energy Agency Research and Development Program Round 4: Renewable Hydrogen for Export, Low-Cost Perovskite/Silicon Semiconductors Integrated with Earth Abundant Catalysts for Efficient Solar Hydrogen Generation.

2018: ZCEAP - Zero-Carbon Energy for the Asia-Pacific, ANU Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions, ANU Grand Challenge.

2018: Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) from the Australian Research Council for Plasmonic hot-electron technologies for nanoscale energy conversion

2016: ANU Major Equipment Committee Grant (MEC) for a Photo-electrochemical Characterisation Facility.

Biography

A/Prof Beck leads a research group at the School of Engineering, working to leverage a deeper understanding of light-matter interactions on the nanoscale for application in renewable energy, carbon dioxide reduction, and solar fuel applications. Her technical work has been published in high impact journals and cited >3000 times.

She is also the Convenor of the Hydrogen Fuels project for ZCEAP - ANU’s Zero-Carbon Energy for the Asia-Pacific, Grand Challenge, working with a transdisciplinary team from across ANU to help transform Australia into a leading exporter of renewable fuels in our region. In this role she has contributed significantly to the national conversation on new, zero-carbon industries and exports for Australia, through outreach, academic publications, submissions to government, and contributions in national and international media.

A/Prof Beck has a background in applied physics (MSci 2006, University of Glasgow) and engineering (PhD 2011, ANU), and has previously held prestigious international fellowships including a Marie Curie Fellowship from the European Commission (IIF, 2012), and a Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA, 2018) from the Australian Research Council.

Activities & Awards

• 2022: Vice Chancellors Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning
• 2018: CECS Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence
• 2018: CECS Dean’s Award for contributions to Programs that Enhance Student Learning
• 2018: Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
• 2018: World Economic Forum (WEF) Young Scientist. Each year, the World Economic Forum honours 50 extraordinary scientists under the age of 40 for their contributions to advancing the frontiers of science, engineering and technology.
• 2014: Future Engineering Research Leader Fellowship (FERL) from the Research School of Engineering at ANU for Nanostructured Optoelectronic Devices
• 2011: Marie Curie Incoming International Fellowship (IIF) under the European FP7 People Framework for Plasmonically enhanced colloidal quantum dot photovoltaics (FP7-299517-PECQDPV).