Dorota graduated her PhD at Monash University in March 2020. She worked within the Monash Energy Institute under the supervision of Professor Udo Bach. Her research was financially supported by CSIRO, ACAP, ARENA and ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science.

Dorota has extensive research experience in photovoltaics. During her bachelor’s degree, she worked on improving light management in silicon solar panels, cooperating with Poland’s leading solar company ML System. Subsequently, she wrote her master’s thesis on novel deposition methods of thin-film CdS/CdTe solar devices, working in the Protective Coatings Laboratory, at the University of Rzeszow in Poland.

Dorota’s PhD research was focussed on novel back-contact perovskite photovoltaic devices. She worked in the Advanced Photovoltaics Laboratory at Monash University, CSIRO's Flexible Electronics Laboratory, and the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication. She delivered a range of research projects that allowed to boost the efficiency and durability of the perovskite material. She has also developed a procedure for fabricating flexible back-contact perovskite solar cells and worked on antireflective coatings for these devices. Her scientific achievements can be found in the following literature:

• APR 2022 - Off-campus but hands-on: Mail out practicals with synchronous online activities during COVID-19, C.D.F. Honig, C.C.R. Sutton, D.M. Bacal, Education for Chemical Engineers 39, 84-93
• APR 2020 - Solution-processed antireflective coating for back-contact perovskite solar cells, D.M. Bacal, N.N Lal, A.N. Jumabekov, Q. Hou, Y. Hu, J. Lu, A.S.R. Chesman, U. Bach., Optics Express 28 (9), 12650-12660
• FEB 2020 - Back-Contact Perovskite Solar Cells, D.M. Bacal, Monash University
• AUG 2018 - Back-contact perovskite solar cells with honeycomb-like charge collecting electrodes, Q. Hou, D.M. Bacal, A.N. Jumabekov, W. Li, Z. Wang, X. Lin, S.H. Ng, B. Tan, A.S.R. Chesman, U. Bach, Nano energy 50, 710-716
• FEB 2019 - Fabrication of back-contact electrodes using modified natural lithography, A.N. Jumabekov, J.A. Lloyd, D.M. Bacal, U. Bach, A.S.R. Chesman, ACS Applied Energy Materials 1 (3), 1077-1082
• JUL 2015 - Growth conditions and properties of photovoltaic structures made by PVD methods, D.M. Bacal, The University of Rzeszow
• FEB 2014 - The effect of the optical properties of textured solar glass on the efficiency of photovoltaic modules, D.M. Bacal, The University of Rzeszow

Dorota is passionate about sustainability, decarbonisation, and energy efficiency solutions. She is actively engaged in the public debate on emissions accounting and reduction. In December 2018, Dorota represented Monash University at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change COP24. In May 2020, she obtained a postgraduate certificate in Sustainability Business Management from the University of Cambridge.

More recently, Dorota works with Australian largest energy users and greenhouse gas emitters. She leverages her expertise in renewable energy to support businesses reduce their emissions. She has worked across many different sectors of the Australian economy, including transport, infrastructure, government, food chain, entertainment, and finance. She is a registered Climate Active consultant, helping organisations achieve carbon neutrality.

More than anything, Dorota loves learning about new technologies and talking to other passionate people. She can be contacted via LinkedIn or her website.