Aron Walsh - Postdoc

phone: 303-384-6833
email: Aron.Walsh@nrel.gov
At NREL since 2007

Dr. Aron Walsh joined NREL in February 2007 as a postdoctoral researcher in the Computational Materials Science group. He received his B.A. in chemistry from the University of Dublin, Trinity College, Ireland, and gained his Ph.D. in 2006 under the supervision of Prof. Graeme W. Watson. His thesis, entitled “The origin of structural distortions in metal ceramics,” earned him the Royal Irish Academy Young Chemist prize 2006. Dr. Walsh has experience in modeling complex oxide systems using a variety of first-principles methods.

Research Interests

• Materials for improved efficiency in solid state lighting.
• Ceramic catalysts for photoelectrolysis of water.
• The electronic and structural effects of defects in semiconductors.
• Lone pair distortions produced by ns² configuration cations in the solid state.

Selected Publications

1. A. Walsh, G. W. Watson, D. J. Payne, G. Atkinson and R. G. Edgell, “A theoretical and experimental study of the distorted pyrochlore Bi₂Sn₂O₇," Journal of Materials Chemistry 16, 3452 (2006).
2. D. J. Payne, R. G. Egdell, A. Walsh, G. W. Watson, J. Guo, P. A. Glans, T. Learmonth, and K. E. Smith, “Electronic origins of structural distortions in metal oxides: experimental and theoretical evidence for a revision of the lone pair model,” Physical Review Letters 96, 157403 (2006).
3. A. Walsh, G. W. Watson, D. J. Payne, R. G. Egdell, J. Guo, P. A. Glans, T. Learmonth, and K. E. Smith, “The electronic structure of the α and δ phases of Bi₂O₃," Physical Review B  73, 235104 (2006).
4. D. J. Payne, R. G. Egdell, W. Ho, J. S. Ford, A. Walsh, and G. W. Watson, “Why is lead dioxide metallic?,” Chemical Physical Letters 411, 181 (2005).
5. A. Walsh and G. W. Watson, “Influence of the anion on lone pair formation in Sn(II) monochalcogenides: A DFT study,” Journal of Physical Chemistry B 109, 18868 (2005).

Other Team Members

Printable Version