Direct photoelectrolysis of water has the advantage of converting solar energy directly to hydrogen, an ideal non-carbon energy carrier, by replacing both a photovoltaic array and an electrolysis unit with one potentially inexpensive device. Semiconducting metal oxides could potentially be stable under illumination in an aqueous electrolyte for many years making them the most promising materials for solar water photoelectrolysis. The problem is that no known oxide semiconductor can efficiently carry out this process. We have developed a simple, high-throughput approach to prepare and screen many complex oxides for water photoelectrolysis activity. The approach uses ink jet printing of overlapping patterns of metal oxide precursors, metal nitrate salts, onto conductive glass substrates. Subsequent firing produces metal oxide phases that are screened for photoelectrolysis activity by measuring photocurrents produced by scanning a laser over the printed patterns in aqueous electrolytes. Several promising and unexpected compositions have been identified. We are in the process of optimizing and understanding the physical structure, electronic structure and catalytic ability these new photocatalysts. In addition we have developed distributed screening approach that uses simple and inexpensive printing and screening devices and protocols designed to enlist many undergraduate student researchers into the search for the “Holy Grail” of materials.