On 28 August, at the awards ceremony of the 2026 President's Science & Technology Awards (PSTA), Assistant Professor Hou Yi, Presidential Young Professor and Assistant Professor at the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore (NUS), and Principal Investigator (PI) at the NUS (Guangzhou) Research Translation and Innovation Institute (NUS GRTII), was presented with the 2026 Young Scientist Award.
Organised and presented annually by the National Research Foundation (NRF), the Young Scientist Award is awarded to researchers aged 40 or under who are actively engaged in R&D in Singapore and who have shown great potential to be world-class researchers in their fields of expertise. It is one of Singapore's highest honours for scientists and engineers. This year's ceremony was held at Nanyang Technological University, where the award was presented by NRF Chairman Mr Heng Swee Keat.
Focusing on tandem solar cells, setting world records time and again
Asst Prof Hou specialises in tandem solar cells, which stack two light-absorbing layers, often using perovskite materials, to capture more of the sun's energy than conventional single-layer silicon cells. His research spans the full chain from fundamental materials innovation to device engineering and scalable manufacturing, and has produced multiple world-record efficiencies in perovskite solar cells and modules.
Tackling stability and mass-production challenges to advance commercialisation
Beyond setting new efficiency records, Asst Prof Hou's research is dedicated to tackling key challenges in stability and large-scale deployment, enabling lightweight and energy-efficient power systems for AI infrastructure, wearable electronics, space platforms and sustainable energy applications.
Through breakthroughs in perovskite-based tandem solar cells, Asst Prof Hou has helped push photovoltaic technologies beyond the limits of conventional silicon, opening new pathways for lightweight, energy-efficient power generation. He has deepened understanding of two critical factors: how the material interfaces where the different layers of a cell meet interact, and the degradation mechanisms that shorten a cell's working life. This has made next-generation solar technologies more durable, more efficient and more commercially viable.
Beyond his laboratory achievements, Asst Prof Hou is actively translating scientific discoveries into real-world applications.
Singfilm Solar is a technology company spun off from research at the National University of Singapore, dedicated to advancing perovskite photovoltaic technology from laboratory R&D to large-scale production and commercial application. As the founder of Singfilm Solar, Asst Prof Hou has helped bridge the gap between academic research and industrial deployment. His innovations have enabled emerging energy solutions for AI infrastructure, wearable electronics and next-generation space power systems, among other fields where lightweight, high-efficiency power generation is critical.
"One of the biggest challenges in our research has been translating high-performance perovskite solar cells from laboratory-scale devices into technologies that are stable, scalable, and relevant to real-world applications. We have addressed this by working across disciplines and continuously connecting fundamental materials science with device engineering and manufacturing."
— Asst Prof Hou Yi
Stay curious and focus on important problems
Asked what advice he would give to young researchers, Asst Prof Hou said: "to stay curious, focus on important problems, and not be afraid of taking on challenges that may initially seem difficult or unconventional."
The official PSTA citation for Asst Prof Hou's award states: "For his contributions to the development of high-performance perovskite solar technologies, from record-setting devices to scalable manufacturing, enabling lightweight and energy-efficient power systems for AI infrastructure, wearable electronics, space platforms and sustainable energy applications."
NUS GRTII warmly congratulates Asst Prof Hou Yi on receiving the 2026 Singapore President's Science and Technology Young Scientist Award! From perovskite cells that keep setting new records to bringing the technology to mass production, he has shown just how close frontier research can be to real-world application. We look forward to him carrying this honour forward and delivering many more solid achievements in the field of solar energy.
Sources
https://cde.nus.edu.sg/news/nus-cdes-asst-prof-hou-yi-receives-young-scientist-award/
