Professor Meng Tao’s current research covers a wide range of topics in terawatt solar photovoltaics including, 1) earth-abundant semiconducting chalcogenides and transparent conducting oxides for thin-film photovoltaics, 2) substitution of silver electrode in silicon solar cells with low-cost earth-abundant aluminum, 3) energy-efficient electrorefining for solar-grade silicon directly from metallurgical-grade silicon, 4) value-added recycling of silicon solar cells and modules and 5) solar-powered electrolysis for solar electricity storage with a metal/metal oxide loop.

He joined Arizona State University's School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering in 2011 as a professor of electrical engineering, and now heads the Laboratory for Terawatt Photovoltaics. Tao also played a critical role in the establishment of the U.S. Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium under SEMATECH.