Education
He went to college at University of Scranton and attended the University of Pennsylvania, earning his master’s degree in 1949 and his doctorate in 1953.
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Joseph John Loferski
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Career
The New York Times called him "a pioneer in the development of solar cells". During his long and successful career he focused primarily on photovoltaic cells and their ability to convert the energy in light to electricity. Loferski also wrote and spoke extensively on the physics of semiconductor materials such as silicon, and methods of improving the efficiency of photovoltaic cells.
Loferski’s work and that of other early researchers proved that semiconductor devices could produce commercially viable, pollution-free electricity.
Joseph J. Loferski was born in Hudson, Pennsylvania, the son of a coal miner. In 1961, Loferski joined the division of engineering at Brown University.
He served as chairman of the division of engineering from 1968 to 1974, and as associate dean of the graduate school from 1980 to 1983. Loferski published over 150 technical papers and contributed chapters to five books
He was also the co-recipient of six patents in the semi-conductor field and was a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers.
Loferski served as counselor at the European Space Research and Technology Centre in the Netherlands from 1967-1968 and in the 1970s he was an exchange fellow at the Polish Institute of Nuclear Research. He served as a science and technology counselor at the United States. Embassy in Warsaw from 1985-1987. A native speaker of Polish, he also translated scientific and technical research originating in Eastern Europe.
He worked as a consultant for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), the Department of Defense and the United States. Navy, as well as for private companies including Radio Corporation of America and Honeywell.
In 2002 he was posthumously inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame.
