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Troy Hayes, PhD, Director of Quality, Tesla
Dr. Troy Hayes has over 19 years of experience in Li-ion battery failure analysis and manufacturing, investigating thousands of battery failures of batteries of all shapes and sizes ranging from implantable medical devices to grid scale storage prior to joining Tesla. He is now serving as the Director of Quality for Tesla窶冱 4680 battery program, where Tesla is leading the efforts to produce fully dry electrode-based Li-ion batteries.
Katherine He, Investor, TDK Ventures Inc.
Katherine He is an investor at TDK Ventures, spearheading extensive research and landscape development in energy-storage materials and battery technologies. With a broad spectrum of expertise, she delves into battery startups developing next-gen battery materials, advanced manufacturing, recycling and mining, and electrification solutions across various applications. Katherine plays a pivotal role in supporting investments in AM Batteries, Ascend Elements, Novalith, and Peak Energy. Prior to TDK Ventures, she was a senior battery engineer at Nanoramic focusing on high energy density lithium-ion battery materials and electrode processing. Before that, Katherine led several research projects funded by DOE and NSF to commercialize lab scale innovations. Katherine holds a Ph.D. in materials science, boasts 12 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, and is the Managing Editor and co-founder of the Volta Foundation, the world's largest community of battery professionals.
Dexter He, Senior Hardware Engineer, Battery Accelerator Team, McKinsey & Co.
Dexter is an engagement manager in our Southern California office, and co-leads the Firm's work across the electrification value chain in North America while serving clients across the firm窶冱 Automotive & Assembly, Advanced Industries, and Chemicals Practices. He also specializes in our manufacturing and supply chain as well as capital excellence practices. Having served both disruptors and industry leaders in electric vehicles (EV), battery technology, and advanced electronics, Dexter brings first-hand experience in manufacturing and supply chain, CAPEX, and product costing and has served clients across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific.
Allison Hinckley, Senior Principal, Overture Ventures
Ms. Allison Hinckley serves as a Senior Principal at Overture Ventures, a climate tech fund that helps startups win government support and navigate regulatory complexity. Prior to joining Overture, Allison was the climate tech and materials lead at F-Prime/Fine Structure Ventures, a deep tech fund backed by FMR LLC, the parent of Fidelity Investments. She holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Stanford, where her research focused on next-generation electronic materials and electrochemical and thermoelectric devices. Before FSV, she founded and ran a deep tech consultancy, helping early-stage startups with thermal and electrical systems design and materials selection to accelerate their time to market. She also holds an M.Phil. in Micro- and Nanotechnology Enterprise from the University of Cambridge where she was a Gates-Cambridge Scholar and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from MIT.
David Howell, Vice President, Strategic Marketing Innovations (SMI)
Dave Howell is the Acting Director of the U.S. Department of Energy窶冱 Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) with responsibility for the Department窶冱 $400 million advanced vehicle R&D portfolio. He has over 35 years of experience planning and executing complex, multi-disciplined R&D activities that includes hybrid and electric vehicle R&D, advanced battery research and manufacturing, and advanced structural materials research. Dave serves as DOE窶冱 representative to the United States Advanced Battery Consortium Management Committee, the Executive Committee for the Battery500 Research Consortium, and various international and inter-government forums. He is the Chair of the recently chartered Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries (FCAB). FCAB brings Federal agencies having a stake in establishing a domestic supply of lithium batteries together to accelerate the development of a robust secure domestic industrial base and ecosystem for advanced batteries.
Kevin Howlette, Director of Projects, IFE Fire Command and Control, Safety, EHS International
I窶况e been in the firefighter world for over 40 years, including Fire Brigade in Ireland. I窶况e worked in complex industries including power, maritime, military, aviation and hospitals. A MiFE in Fire Science, Operations, Safety and Management. Currently I work with large corporations on Lithium Ion Battery de-energising BESS, fire suppression and on-site battery de-commissioning. EHSI are an International organisation which is a leader in this field.
Luke Hu, Co Founder & GM, Global Business, Electroder Ltd.
Mr. Luke Hu co-founded Electroder, a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer focuses on battery cell design and development. He is currently focusing on building the company's global business and advising Electroder's clients in planning and executing electrode and cell assembly development projects. Mr. Hu has been leading his team completing various cell R&D projects, developing advanced design tools, and building new cell development process. Under his leadership, Electroder joined the Global Battery Alliance as its first member focusing on battery design and development in 2022. Before co-founding Electroder, Mr. Hu had a decade of experience in manufacturing and technology and held a variety of management roles globally. Mr. Hu graduated with an MBA degree from Cornell University and a bachelor窶冱 degree of engineering from Beijing University of Technology.
Erik Huemiller, PhD, Senior Researcher, R&D, General Motors
Erik Huemiller, PhD, is a Senior Researcher in the Materials and Manufacturing Systems Research lab at General Motors R&D. His work focuses on testing and quality systems applied to battery cell manufacturing for automotive applications. Prior to that, his work focused on advancing the state-of-the-art in the manufacture of mechanically ruled X-Ray diffraction grating for synchrotron light sources. Erik earned his PhD in Physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Iola Hughes, Research Manager, Rho Motion
Iola is the Research Manager at Rho Motion working on electric vehicle, energy stationary storage and battery market analysis, as well as modelling energy and commodity demand associated with the energy transition, and has been with the company since its inception. Rho Motion, headquartered in London, offers the most comprehensive and well-informed forecasts and analysis for the energy transition.
Erez Ichilov, Founder, Cedrus Arbor LLC
Erez Ichilov is a New York City based Critical Minerals expert. He is a seasoned mining, metals and physical commodities executive - former Managing Director of Traxys Projects and Traxys Battery Holdings, Former Executive director at Pallinghurst-Traxys Battery Materials and former Deputy CEO of the Nickel group Cunico Resources N.V, director 窶・both Executive and NED in listed and private companies for upstream and for Mining Tech, advisor and investor, with a legal and financial background. As of 2024, he is acting through his newly formed Cedrus Arbor LLC.
Viktor Irle, Co-Founder & Market Analyst, EV Volumes
Viktor Irle has a M.Sc. in Management & Economics of Innovation from Chalmers University of Technology, where he learnt analyzing emerging markets and market disruptions from new innovations. Being passionate about automobiles and especially electric engines and clean technology, EV-volumes.com is the natural outcome of his set of skills. Viktor is convinced the future automotive history is both electric and autonomous.
Rakesh Krishnamoorth Iyer, PhD, Energy Systems Analyst, Energy Systems & Infrastructure Analysis Division, Argonne National Lab
Rakesh Krishnamoorthy Iyer is Energy Systems Analyst in the Systems Assessment Center at Argonne National Laboratory, USA. Rakesh works on life cycle analysis (LCA) of critical materials to understand the environmental impacts of their entire production life cycle (from mining to final material production) as a function of material supply chains. His LCA work informs Argonne's R&D GREET model窶蚤 leading LCA model used by academicians, companies, and researchers. Rakesh has also conducted detailed LCA and impact analysis of technologies that employ such critical materials, including batteries, electrolyzers, and freight trucks. Rakesh's educational background comprises a Ph.D. in Automotive Engineering from Clemson University and an integrated masters' in metallurgy and materials sciences from IIT Madras in India.
Sam Jaffe, Principal, 1019 Technologies
Sam Jaffe is the principal at 1019 Technologies. He has been in the battery industry for two decades as an analyst, a consultant, and an executive. He was previously the founder and managing director of Cairn ERA, a company acquired by E Source in 2021. Prior to that he worked at Navigant and before that at IDC Energy Insights. He was also the founder and CEO of Panea Energy and Cygnus Energy. He is the author of two books, Jewish Wisdom for Business Success and The New Korea, and lives in Boulder, Colorado.
Meng Jiang, PhD, Staff Researcher, R&D, General Motors Company
Dr. Meng Jiang is a staff researcher at GM R&D and the chair of the technical advisory committee at USABC. She received her Ph.D in chemistry from Stony Brook University and has 20 years of experience in lithium ion battery research and development.
Ibrahim Jilani, Global Director, Consumer Technology, UL Solutions
Ibrahim Jilani has been with UL Solutions for over 18 years and serves as the Global Director & Industry Leader for Consumer Technology. His role includes leading and developing UL in new technology and innovation for AR/VR/MR equipment, Audio/Video, Batteries, Consumer Electronics, Consumer/Commercial Robots, Data Centers, Electronic Controls, Information Technology, Laser/LED, Micromobility, & Printed Circuits. Mr. Jilani serves UL窶冱 mission and the market窶冱 needs by addressing global industry matters, such as mitigating risk through product evaluation, testing and certification. He represents UL in a variety of industry trade groups and a key contact for manufacturers, regulators, retailers and other product safety and regulatory stakeholders within the United States as well as around the world. Ibrahim is a six-time winner of UL窶冱 Mark of Excellence award given to UL employees who have addressed global industry challenges. He has a master窶冱 degree in computer engineering from University of Illinois and is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.
Jeff Johnson, General Partner, B Capital
Jeff Johnson has nearly 25 years of investment, entrepreneurship and corporate experience across climate and technology. Jeff is a General Partner at the global multi-stage investment firm B Capital where he leads the firm窶冱 growing climate investment team. He most recently served as a Managing Director at Temasek leading the sustainable investing team for the global investment firm. Prior to Temasek, Jeff ran a boutique advisory business focused on scaling of sustainable businesses. He also co-founded and was on the Board of Xpansiv, the world's leading provider of market infrastructure for environmental commodities. Jeff worked in innovation business development at ABB between 2012 to 2014, leading growth initiatives for new sustainable products and services. Earlier in his career, he held several leadership and business development roles at various companies, including Better Place, Vendavo, and Intel Corporation. Jeff holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from University of Florida and a Master of Science in Engineering Systems from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Hirokazu Kamine, Asahi Kasei Corporation
Mr. Hirokazu Kamine is a Battery Specialist at the Corporate Research & Development of Asahi Kasei Corporation, a diversified chemical company. He has studied chemistry at Kobe University in Japan and obtained his MSc in the field of conductive polymers. He started working for Hitachi Maxell in 2009, where he was in charge of developing lithium-ion batteries for mobile IT, home energy management system (HEMS), and 12 V batteries. Since 2017 he has focused his career on developing materials for advanced lithium-ion batteries in Asahi Kasei. Mr. Hirokazu Kamine is now responsible for developing advanced electrolyte.
Genyo Kaneko, Chief Engineer, Energy Products OEM Battery Grp, Maxell Corp of America
In 2007, Genyo Kaneko joined Hitachi Maxell, Ltd. (Maxell, Ltd.), as a member of Design of Primary batteries. From 2016 to 2017, he was transferred to the development department, engaged in the design and development of Lithium-free Safety button-type rechargeable batteries, and improve their pretreatment process. Since 2022, he joined Maxell Corporation of America, as a Chief Engineer, Energy Products Division OEM Battery Group.
James Kaschmitter, CEO, SpectraPower LLC
James Kaschmitter is the CEO of SpectraPower, which he founded in 2002. SpectraPower operates a battery research facility in Livermore, CA that performs contract energy storage research, consulting and expert witness services for government, private companies, law firms, startups and investors. Jim has founded, or co-founded, several companies in the energy storage field. He began research in Li-ion batteries in 1989 at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). He was co-founder and CEO of PolyStor Corporation starting in 1993. PolyStor is the only U.S. company to have commercially manufactured in high volume in the U.S. all form factors of lithium-ion cells, including cylindrical, prismatic and polymer. In 1997 Jim founded PowerStor Corporation to commercialize the carbon aerogel supercapacitor that he co-invented at LLNL. PowerStor supercapacitors are now manufactured and sold in high volume by Eaton Bussman. He founded UltraCell in 2002, which successfully developed the world窶冱 first reformed methanol micro fuel cell. UltraCell窶冱 micro fuel cells are currently manufactured and sold by Brentronics and are deployed with U.S military and intelligence units, and are in use in combat in the Middle East. Jim holds a master窶冱 degree in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and has a bachelor窶冱 degree in the Physics Honors Program from the University of Utah. He holds more than 20 patents in the alternative energy field. He owns, maintains and operates an experimental aircraft and holds instrument and multi-engine ratings.
Brandon Kelly, PhD, Vice President, Cell Engineering, Peak Energy
Brandon Kelly is the Vice President of Cell at Peak Energy, where he leads the development and scaling of advanced battery technologies. With a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and a specialization in energy storage from Colorado State University, Brandon has extensive experience in battery material science, characterization, and product development. Prior to joining Peak Energy, he played a key role at Solid Power, where he spearheaded multi-million-dollar efforts to scale solid-state battery production for automotive applications. Brandon窶冱 work is driven by a passion for building effective development teams and a deep understanding of battery technologies. His expertise includes launching new products, managing large-scale projects, and fostering collaborative, innovative work environments to accelerate the development of hard tech solutions.
George A. Kerchner, Executive Director, PRBA - The Rechargeable Battery Association
Mr. Kerchner has served as the Executive Director of PRBA 窶・The Rechargeable Battery Association since 2006. He represents PRBA and its members in the United States and internationally on issues associated with the safe manufacturing, handling, transport, storage, recycling, and disposal of lithium batteries. He also represents PRBA at international transportation forums such as the United Nations Subcommittee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, International Civil Aviation Organization Dangerous Goods Panel, and International Maritime Organization Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers. Mr. Kerchner has also worked as a Senior Regulatory Analyst with the law firm of Wiley Rein LLP in Washington, DC since 2005 with expertise on the domestic and international transportation of new and waste lithium batteries, electric vehicles, and portable electronic equipment.
Nikolaus Keuth, PhD, Head of Product and Solution Management, IODP XI Data Analytics Solutions, AVL List GmbH
After the studies of mechanical engineering with the focus on automotive engineering as well as automation and control theory at the Technical University in Vienna, Dr. Nikolaus Keuth did his PhD in automation and control with the focus on data driven modelling in 2004, at the Technical University in Vienna. Since 2005, he is working at AVL List GmbH in different roles starting from project manager, product manager, department manager for data analysis and modeling products. Currently, Dr. Nikolaus is product manager for data analytics products in the area of battery, cell development in the automotive market.
Dong-Su Kim, CEO, LG Technology Ventures
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Dong-Su Kim is the CEO and board member of LG Technology Ventures. He has over twenty-five years of investment, strategy, planning, and technology experience. As the founding CEO, Dong-Su established the fund structure, hired key people, and initiated investment operations. Under his guidance, LG Technology Ventures manages over $400 million of fund assets and invests in early-stage information technology, automotive, manufacturing, life-sciences, energy, and advanced materials companies. Portfolio companies include AmazeVR, Lygos, May Mobility, and Ridecell. Previously, Dong-Su was Vice President and GM of Samsung Ventures America where he managed offices in Menlo Park, Boston, London, and Tel Aviv. He has led the investment of over thirty companies in diverse sectors including semiconductors (Soft Machines, Verisilicon, Wave Computing), equipment (DCG Systems, IMS, Reno Subsystems), materials (Nanosys, NexPlanar, Voltaix), and storage systems (Pure Storage). Prior to joining Samsung Ventures, he was a Director at Asia Evolution, an investment bank in Korea covering mid-market financing, private placement, and M&As. Before that, he was a Director at the Technology Strategy Office of Samsung Electronics. As the CTO窶冱 staff, he was responsible for strategic venture investments and technology alliances. He also worked in technology planning for Samsung窶冱 Telecom R&D center, responsible for discovering new research topics. Dong-Su started his professional career as a Technical Leader at Samsung Fiber Optics Business Unit in development of fiber optic components. His past Board Director appointments include Datera, Digital Specialty Chemicals, Femtometrix, Inpria, Reno Subsystems, SBA Materials, SVXR, D2S, DCG Systems (acquired by FEI), NexPlanar (acquired by Cabot), Voltaix (acquired by Air Liquide), Panasas, and Pixtronix (acquired by Qualcomm). Dong-Su also served on the Investment Advisory Committee for Sierra Ventures. Dong-Su has earned an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Princeton University, and a B.S. with Honors in Applied Physics from California Institute of Technology
Hansol Kim, Managing Partner, Bricks Capital Management
Bricks Capital Management is a private equity firm focused primarily on electrification and battery industry leaders in North America. The Bricks team harnesses the core values learned from direct battery industry experiences and the best practices working in leading financial institutions. Hansol Kim is a co-founder and a managing partner of Bricks Capital Management. Prior to Bricks, Hansol spent most of his career in the battery and electrification sector working at leading companies such as Apple, LG Energy Solution, and VW's Electrify America. Hansol focuses on identifying growth opportunities and necessary partnerships in the commercialization of key battery technologies. He combines his extensive network, wealth of industry experiences, and a creative mindset to support high-potential technologies into production.
Saewon Kim, Senior Battery Cell Engineer, Lucid Motors
SaeWon Kim has been part of the battery cell engineering team at Lucid Motors since 2023. She leads battery lifetime research, focusing on the development of the next-generation full-size SUV, 窶賂ravity.窶・She is passionate about using data-driven approaches to create insightful battery testing methods. SaeWon holds a BE in Education of Chemical Engineering and a ME in Advanced Energy Materials Engineering from Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea, and a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire. Her PhD research explored the structural evolution of amorphous cathode materials in aqueous zinc-ion batteries, using in operando X-ray diffraction and pair distribution function methods to reveal how electrolyte additives extend battery lifespan.
Sarah King, Policy Principal, Advanced Energy United
Sarah King brings over seven years of strategic leadership and expertise in clean energy policy, government affairs, and regulatory engagement. She has spearheaded sustainability programs, advocated for crucial policies and regulations, and built influential partnerships to drive legislative and regulatory progress. Sarah has held senior policy and sustainability program management roles spanning EV charging and fleet energy delivery startups, local governments, and environmental organizations. At United, Sarah focuses on engaging with public utility commissions, RTOs/ISOs, governors, and state regulators, providing them with the knowledge and resources needed to advance the clean energy transition.
Kevin Konecky, Vice President, Battery Systems Engineering, Ola Electric
Mr. Konecky brings over 20 years of xEV experience to his work, having worked on multiple complex designs for battery system development, charging system integration, and high-voltage powertrain integration. He is skilled in new product design and development, product testing, product safety, integration of multiple sub-systems for vehicles, new product launches and has expanded his skillset beyond batteries into power electronics. His experience in batteries includes multiple technologies (Li-ion, NiMH, UltraCapacitors, Lead-Acid). Mr. Konecky has worked for multiple OEM and Tier 1 battery suppliers (GM, Fisker, Byton, Cobasys, EnerDel, Lockheed Martin) and has a BS in Electrical Engineering from Clarkson University (Potsdam, NY) and MS from Purdue (IUPUI - Indianapolis, IN).
Rajan Kumar, CEO & Founder, Ateios
Dr. Rajan Kumar is a distinguished nanoengineering expert with a degree. in polymer-particle composites from the top Nanoengineering programs in the country at UC San Diego and SUNY Albany. He has successfully led several multi-million-dollar projects funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship, ARPA-E, and Fortune 500 companies. His doctoral thesis focused on developing advanced thin films for energy harvesting, storage, and sensors. As the founder of multiple deep-tech startups, including Glauconix and the world窶冱 first printed stretchable battery company, Dr. Kumar has consistently pushed the boundaries of innovation.
As the CEO of Ateios Systems, the industry leader in solvent-free electrode manufacturing, Dr. Kumar has established a groundbreaking model that enabled Ateios to become the first battery startup to ship production-grade batteries with under $3M in venture capital funding. Under his leadership, the company has secured over $4M in grants from the NSF, DOE, and DOD. Dr. Kumar窶冱 visionary approach has earned him recognition from prestigious platforms such as Forbes Next 1000 and the DOE LEEP program through Innovation Crossroads.
Emmanuel Lagarrigue, Partner & Global Co-Head of Climate, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.
Emmanuel Lagarrigue (New York) joined KKR in 2022. He leads the firm's global investments in climate. Mr. Lagarrigue has a wealth of experience in sustainability, the energy transition and the transformation of large businesses. Prior to joining KKR, he was one of the founding partners of BeyondNetZero, a General Atlantic fund focusing on growth equity opportunities in decarbonization technologies. Previously, Mr. Lagarrigue was an Executive Committee member at Schneider Electric, holding the positions of Chief Strategy, Chief Sustainability and Chief Innovation Officer. Also at Schneider Electric, he held several P&L and general management positions in Europe, South America, Asia and the United States over 20 years. Mr. Lagarrigue serves on the board of JBT Corporation and is the Chairman of the board of trustees of Menorca Preservation, an NGO dedicated to environmental causes in the Balearic Islands.
Hang Lau, Segment Marketing Mgr, Segment Marketing, TA Instruments
Hang Kuen Lau is Segment Marketing Manager at Waters - TA Instruments focusing on Battery market. TA Instruments, a division of Waters Corporation, is the leading manufacturer of analytical instruments for thermal analysis, rheology and microcalorimetry. We provide advanced analytical characterization solutions for battery researchers and manufacturers to develop higher performing and safer battery technology. Hang joined TA Instruments in 2018 as Applications Engineer supporting the thermal product lines and joined New Market Development Scientific lead focusing on Battery market development. She received her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from University of Delaware and B.S./M.S. from Drexel University.
Matthew Lefler, Technology Deployment Manager, DOE Manufacturing & Energy Supply Chains Office (MESC)
Matthew Lefler is a Technology Deployment Manager focused on Batteries and Critical Materials in the DoE's Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC). He received his B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Delaware, where he double minored in Sustainable Energy Technology and Electrical Engineering. Following his interest in energy systems, he attended graduate school at the George Washington University and received his Ph.D. in Chemistry with a focus in electrochemistry. Matthew then spent four years at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory as a contractor performing alternative energy systems research, including work on non-traditional (non-Li-ion) battery chemistries and hydrogen fuel cells, before joining the MESC team. When not working on ensuring a cleaner future for energy and strengthening domestic supply chains, Matthew enjoys being a dad to his two kids (one human and one canine) and supporting local community theatres.
Niclas Lehnert, Chief Operations Officer, PULSETRAIN GmbH
Niclas is a forward-thinking and goal-oriented co-founder with extensive experience in corporate finance, consulting, and mobility industry. He has a proven track record of building and leading his previous company BAVERTIS into a profitable bootstrapped company with 15 employees, serving as CEO.
He possesses a diverse skill set, including mediating skills to bridge the gap between business and deep tech, and is also a passionate public speaker. He holds two master窶冱 degrees in management and leadership and is a trained and active reserve officer with the rank of captain.
Andrew Leyland, Co-Founder & Managing Director, SC Insights
Andrew has advised many leading OEMs and Oil & Gas companies on how to react to the rapid growth in Li-ion battery deployment, both in electric vehicles and energy storage systems. This includes advice on contract structures, commercial terms and direct investment into the sector. He has over 20 years of experience in the metals, mining, and chemicals industry as an analyst and consultant, and has held roles as Head of Forecasts & Consulting at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, Director at Wood Mackenzie, and Associate Director and Senior Commodities Analyst at VTB Capital. Supply Chain Insights maintains industry-wide models and forecasts, providing both data and advisory solutions to those involved in and looking to invest in the battery sector. This includes input to Lenders Market Reports, Due Diligence Projects, and Feasibility Studies. He holds a MA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of Oxford.
Bin Li, Senior Scientist & Joint Professor, Electrification, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Dr. Bin Li is a Senior Scientist and Energy Storage R&D Lead for transportation and grid at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Li has a joint faculty appointment with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Li was strategically hired by ORNL to develop long-duration energy storage (e.g, zinc battery and flow battery) and all solid state batteries. Li is internationally recognized in the field of energy storage, including stationary and transportation energy storage, spanning from discovering new materials and developing novel technologies for Li metal batteries (Li-S and Li-NMC), redox flow batteries (including electrolytes, membrane and electrodes) and zinc ion battery, to understanding failure modes for batteries impact life and performance and thus rationally designing pouch cells or kw-class stacks with improved battery performances. As the PI, Li was leading several DOE EERE-VTO battery projects and OE projects as well as internal projects. He has published more than 80 journal articles (H-index: 51) in high-impact journals, such as Nature Materials, Nature Energy, Nature Communications, Nature Nanotechnology, Advanced Energy Materials, Nano Letters, ACS Energy Letters and so on, holds over 15 patents in the field of energy storage and conversion (6 Pending; 10 Grant; 1 License), and is an active symposium/workshop organizer and member of professional scientific societies. Li received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Tsinghua University, China, in 2010, followed by Postdoctoral Fellowships at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2010-2011) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) (2011-2013). Li was promoted to Staff Scientist at PNNL in 2014 and then joined Idaho National Laboratory in 2019.
Chen Liao, PhD, Chemist & Staff Scientist, Chemical Sciences & Engineering, Argonne National Laboratory
Chen Liao is a Chemist in the Chemical and Science Engineering division at Argonne National Laboratory. Her research area focuses on the development of electrolyte and electrode materials to enable the high energy density, high power energy storage systems for transportation and grid applications. To reach that goal, she designs and synthesizes electrolytes and additives and study the complex interfacial behavior with both cathodes and anodes to improve the overall performance. Currently She is a co-PI of the ESRA (DOE BES Energy Hub) and multiple other DOE VTO projects. She has served as team lead of electrolyte for consortiums for both fundamental and applied science in energy storage. She has a total of 90+ papers published in high impact journals, with her as corresponding or first authors in journal such as J. Am. Chem. Soc., ACS Energy Lett, A and Adv. Energy Mater, JES, and many others.
Jin Lim, PhD, Co-Founder & CTO, ACT-ion Battery Technologies
Dr. Jin-Myoung Lim is the Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at ACT-ion Battery Technologies. ACT-ion, a battery cathode active materials (CAMs) technology and manufacturing company based in Dallas, TX, was incubated within Hunt Energy Enterprises, the corporate venture arm of Hunt Energy. Utilizing a high-throughput continuous manufacturing process that generates lower waste and emissions, ACT-ion produces high-performance and low-cost single crystal (SC) CAMs. Prior to his current roles, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow in Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Seoul National University.
Feng Lin, PhD, Professor, Chemistry, Virginia Tech
Dr. Feng Lin is a Professor of Chemistry, and the Leo and Melva Harris Faculty Fellow at Virginia Tech. He is also jointly appointed in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and affiliated with the Macromolecules Innovation Institute at Virginia Tech. Prior to joining Virginia Tech in 2016, Dr. Lin worked at QuantumScape Corporation as a Senior Member of the Technical Staff, and at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab as a Postdoctoral Fellow. Dr. Lin窶冱 awards and recognitions include Rising Star in Technology Award, Startup Builder, ECS Battery Division Early Career Award, SLAC Spicer Young Investigator, Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award, Journal of Materials Chemistry Emerging Investigator, RCSA Scialog Fellow, ACS-PRF Doctoral New Investigator, Energy Storage Materials Young Scientist Award, National Science Foundation CAREER award, John C. Schug Faculty Research Award, and many Scientific Highlights by national laboratories and DOE. He is a co-founder of Fermi Energy, Inc.
Tim Lin, PhD, CTO and Founder, Solid Energies
Dr. Timothy Lin is the founder/CTO of Solid Energies Inc (www.solidenergies.com), which started its business in 2017, with a focus on the research, manufacturing, and commercialization of new-generation solid-state batteries. Dr. Lin is a veteran scientist and entrepreneur in developing and commercializing new generation renewable/clean energy technologies for over 20 years, having founded 3 companies including SEI and Bioenno Tech. Since 2009, his team has received more than 20 grants from federal agencies including DoE/DoD/NASA, and has collaborated with several major EV/defense companies for the technical commercialization related to all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries (ASSB). Recently, his team received grants from (1) the California Energy Commission (CEC) to establish initial commercial manufacturing of ASSB directed toward mass production for potential applications in renewable energy and electric vehicles, and (2) ARPA-E to develop and manufacture a new-generation of solid-state Li-air battery for applications in electrified transportations.
Chen Ling, PhD, Principal Scientist, Toyota Research Institute of North America
Dr. Chen Ling graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology and joined Toyota Motor North America in 2011. As the senior principal scientist, he is currently leading the materials simulation and informatics team to support Toyota窶冱 research and development of cutting-edge technologies for the next generation of mobility. His research interests lie in applying artificial intelligence in combination with materials experimentation and simulation to solve energy-related challenges, including materials and device design for batteries, fuel cells, water electrolysis and CO2 reduction. He has published more than 60 peer-reviewed papers and holds more than 35 patents.
Lin Liu, PhD, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering, University of Kansas
Dr. Lin Liu received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University in 2011, and subsequently spent one and a half years as a post-doctoral researcher at The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, before joining The University of Kansas in 2013. Dr. Liu窶冱 research focuses on the development of new theoretical models to predict both the electrochemical performance and the reliability of energy conversion and storage devices, such as solid-state fuel cells and Lithium-ion batteries. Dr. Liu and his students are also developing new fabrication techniques to synthesize materials and cell components. He has co-authored more than 50 peer-reviewed research articles. Dr. Liu also has industrial experience at General Motors and The Stanley Works. Currently, the research in Dr. Liu窶冱 group has been supported by NSF, NASA, and the Kansas Board of Regents.
Tongchao Liu, PhD, Assistant Chemist, Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory
Tongchao Liu is currently an assistant chemist in the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division at Argonne National Laboratory. He received his PhD degree from Peking University. His research interests are focused on the interface of electrochemistry, cathode materials, and materials characterization, in particular, concentration gradient cathode design and fundamental understanding of failure chemistries through in situ synchrotron-based X-ray techniques. He is currently serving as editor in the high-impact journals of Nano Energy and Materials Today Energy.
Gao Liu, PhD, Group Leader, Energy Storage & Distributed Resources Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
Dr. Gao Liu is a Senior Scientist and Group Leader of the Applied Energy Materials Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, a Fellow of the Electrochemical Society and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. Dr. Liu has over 20 years of experience in developing materials and system engineering for electrical energy storage. Liu窶冱 research combines synthetic chemistry, composite engineering and electrochemistry to solve interdisciplinary problems in energy generation, storage and usage. The Dr. Liu窶冱 lab uses advanced diagnostics to understand fundamental and critical issues in energy systems, and synthetic techniques to develop new materials that improve overall system performance. Dr. Liu pioneered the multifunctional conductive polymer adhesive research. Dr. Liu窶冱 electrode binder research contributes to the fundamental understanding of behaviors of the polymeric binder in the composite electrode, and leads to rational design of functional electrode binders for new storage chemistries. Dr. Liu窶冱 ongoing research in energy storage covers electrode binders, silicon, sulfur and lithium metal materials, electrode engineering, electrolytes and additives, and solid-state conductors. Besides energy storage research, Dr. Liu also performs materials and engineering research in building resiliency, circular economy, and advanced manufacturing. Dr. Liu has over 190 peer-reviewed publications and over 30 granted patents.
Annie Liu, Chief Commercial & Strategy Officer, Mangrove Lithium
Annie Liu is a seasoned executive, having spent 20+ years in building and leading teams across stages from product incubation to rapid growth and scale-up in mature markets. Annie was the Executive Director at Ford (Model E). Prior to her role at Ford, Annie forged and managed Tesla窶冱 multi-billion-dollar strategic partnerships and sourcing portfolios that support Tesla窶冱 Energy and Battery business units including Battery, Battery Raw Material, Energy Storage, Solar and Solar Glass, including raw materials sourcing efforts such as lithium for battery cells. Earlier in her career, she held various leading manufacturing and procurement roles at Microsoft launching advanced technology products. Annie is a co-founder of Alto Group Inc, a trusted advisor and counsellor to many of the world窶冱 influential businesses in the EV value chain. Annie is also currently a Non-Executive Director with ASX Listed Vulcan Energy Limited, and a Non-Executive Director with ASX Listed Alpha HPA Limited.
Haodong Liu, PhD, Co-Founder and CTO, Tyfast Energy Corp.; Activate Fellow, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Dr. Haodong Liu is co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Tyfast. He is also Activate Fellow, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Before Tyfast, he was Project Scientist at UCSD窶冱 Center for Memory and Recording Research. He is an expert in a variety of the electrochemical systems, from design, synthesis, processing, and characterization of advanced electrode materials for LIB and novel electrolytes for Li-metal batteries. He published more than 120 papers with more than 10,000 citations and 7 patents. He is the co-inventor of the disordered rocksalt lithium vanadium oxide anode material, the core technology of Tyfast.
Mark Lu, PhD, Senior Industrial Analyst, Industrial Economics & Knowledge Center, Industrial Technology Research Institute
Mr. Lu graduated from Department of Business Administration in National Cheng-chi University, Taiwan, and continued to acquire an MBA degree from National Sun Yat-sen University. His first job concerned with the optical film in China for two years, then came back Taiwan to serve Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) as an analyst in Industry, Science and Technology International Strategy Center (ISTI) until now. As a certified industrial analyst of the biggest think-tank in Taiwan, he is responsible for the research about Taiwan battery-related industry, including material, cell, pack and related applications. Not only handling the official government statistics about Taiwan battery industry, sometimes he also plays a role to provide consulting suggestions for Taiwan government and firms. From 2010 to June 2020, he served as the secretary-general of the Taiwan Battery Association.
David Mackanic, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO, Anthro Energy
David Mackanic is the CEO and co-founder of Anthro Energy. David received his PhD in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University. He is listed on Forbes 30 under 30 and MIT窶冱 35 Innovators under 35 for his work on polymer electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries. David has authored over 20 academic papers with over 4,500 citations total. David has served as CEO of Anthro from inception through recent milestones including raising a $20M Series A and obtaining UN 38.3 certification of cells containing Anthro technology.
Todd Mackintosh, Tech Specialist, Global Battery Systems Engineering, General Motors Co.
Todd Mackintosh is the Battery Systems Engineering Technical Lead for General Motors with nearly 30 years working in the battery industry. Todd has held various engineering positions covering manufacturing, product development, standards and regulations. Todd currently chairs the SAE Battery Transportation & Storage Committee, is a member of SAE G-27 窶廊ithium Battery Packaging Standard窶・committee, UN informal working group on lithium batteries and serves on The Rechargeable Battery Association (PRBA) Board of Directors. Todd has been appointed by the US Dept. of Transportation to represent US auto manufacturers on its Lithium Battery Air Safety Advisory Committee and elected as an SAE Fellow. Todd has 12 patents / trade secrets, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Manufacturing Engineering from Miami University and a Masters of Energy Systems Engineering from University of Michigan.
Antony Martin, Lead Product Manager - Charging, Lucid Motors
Driving the future of electric mobility, one innovation at a time. I am a seasoned technology and product leader with a passion for blending cutting-edge technology with user-centric design. As a key player at Lucid Motors, I spearhead the development of sustainable and advanced charging solutions that empower EV drivers. Previously at Ford Motor Company, I led the Public Charging and Energy Services products, delivering innovative solutions for seamless public charging and reduced carbon emissions and cost of ownership with grid-friendly charge management solutions. My expertise in data-driven product development and user experience design enables me to create intuitive and efficient EV experiences that delight customers and drive industry change.
Alvaro Masias, Supervisor, Cell Technology Research, Ford Motor Company
Dr. Masias is a Cell Technology Research Supervisor in Ford Motor Company's Battery Cell Research Department and has worked on the research and development of lithium batteries since 2002. His past research has focused on battery materials, analysis, and safety, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Defense (DOD), and various universities. His current research focus is on solid-state lithium metal batteries, with an emphasis on the mechanical, safety, and life properties of lithium metal. Dr. Masias is a member of the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) Technical Advisory Committee. He holds engineering degrees from the California Institute of Technology and the University of Michigan.
Jacob Matly, Head, Battery Cell Manufacturing, Hatch Ltd.
Lead expert in battery cell production, process design, process integration and production readiness for Gigafactory across the globe. Has over 25 years of experience in research and development, validation, verification and manufacturing across several technologies, including battery cell, high voltage battery pack systems, automotive, and e-mobility.
Naoki Matsumura, Principal Engineer, Intel
Naoki Matsumura is a Principal Engineer at Intel Corporation, responsible for battery algorithm development in charging and CPU turbo-boost, and new battery chemistry enabling for mobile devices, datacenters, and Internet-Of-Things (IOT) devices. He is frequently invited to international conferences to speak on battery topics such as machine-learning/deep-learning based battery charging algorithm. He also teaches batteries and AI (machine learning and deep learning) at San Jose State University as an adjunct faculty, where he also serves as a Materials Engineering Industry Advisory Council member. Prior to that, he held battery research and development roles at Panasonic Corporation. He earned his MS in Energy Science from Kyoto University and holds many patents. He is the author of "Practical Battery Design and Control", a peer-reviewed battery book published from Artech House in Feb.'23.
Ahmad Mayyas, PhD, Professor, Industrial & Systems Engineering, Khalifa University
Dr. Mayyas is assistant professor of industrial and system engineering. He joined Khalifa University in fall 2018. Before that Dr. Mayyas worked as a clean energy systems analyst at the national renewable energy laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado. He is currently involved in R&D activities for composite materials, design and manufacturing of fuel cells, water electrolysis, and li-ion batteries. Dr. Mayyas got his Msc and a Ph.D. in Automotive Engineering from Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina. After graduation in 2012, Dr. Mayyas worked as a research fellow in the University of California-Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he worked with a team of senior researchers on developing a techno-economic analysis for stationary fuel cells. Dr. Mayyas also got his MBA in managing for sustainability from the University of Colorado in 2018. Dr. Mayyas has authored and co-authored more than 75 journal publications and technical reports.
Laura McCalla, PhD, Senior Principal Scientist, Battery Research & Technology, Medtronic
Laura McCalla is a senior principal battery scientist within the research and technology organization of Medtronic Energy and Component Center. There, she leads and works on a wide variety of rechargeable battery projects for medical devices. She has over 12 years of experience in lithium-ion batteries, and received her PhD in Physics at Dalhousie University, where she developed the methodology of using isothermal microcalorimetry to study parasitic reactions in lithium-ion batteries.
Rory McNulty, Senior Analyst, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
Rory McNulty is currently completing his PhD in degradation of state-of-the-art high nickel NMC lithium-ion batteries and next-generation technologies. He works with Benchmark Mineral Intelligence as a senior next-generation battery supply chain analyst, mapping technology roadmaps and forecasting raw material supply chains of disruptive technologies.
Shirley Meng, PhD, Professor, University of Chicago; Chief Scientist, Argonne Collaborative Center for Energy Storage Science, Argonne National Laboratory
Professor Y. Shirley Meng received her Ph.D. in Advance Materials for Micro & Nano Systems from the Singapore-MIT Alliance in 2005, after which she worked as a postdoc research fellow and became a research scientist at MIT. Shirley currently holds the Zable Endowed Chair Professor in Energy Technologies and is Professor of NanoEngineering and Materials Science, University of California San Diego (UCSD). She is the founding Director of the Sustainable Power and Energy Center (2015-2020) and was named as inaugural director of the Institute of Materials Discovery and Design. Professor Meng received the National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award in 2011, UCSD Chancellor窶冱 Interdisciplinary Collaboratories Award in 2013, C.W. Tobias Young Investigator Award of the Electrochemical Society (2016), International Coalition for Energy Storage and Innovation (ICESI) Inaugural Young Career Award (2018), American Chemical Society ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces Young Investigator Award (2018), a Finalist for the Blavatnik National Award (2018), International Battery Associations Research Award (2019) and Royal Chemical Society Faraday窶冱 Medal (2020). She is the author and co-author of more than 225 peer-reviewed journal articles, 2 book chapter and 5 issued patents. Professor Meng serves on the executive committee for battery division at the Electrochemical Society and she is the Editor-in-Chief for MRS Energy & Sustainability. She is an elected fellow of the Electrochemical Society (FECS) and fellow of the Materials Research Society (FMRS).
Xiangbo Meng, PhD, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering, University of Arkansas Fayetteville
Xiangbo (Henry) Meng is currently an Associate Professor in Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Arkansas (Fayetteville, AR, USA). Prior to joining University of Arkansas in 2016, Meng was a Postdoctoral Fellow at both Argonne and Brookhaven National Laboratory. Since 2009, Meng has been focusing on addressing interfacial issues of various battery systems using atomic and molecular layer deposition.
Chris Mi, PhD, Fellow, IEEE & SAE; Distinguished Professor, San Diego State University
Chris Mi is a fellow of IEEE and SAE, a Distinguished Professor of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and the Director of the US DOE-funded GATE Center for Electric Drive Transportation at San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA. He was previously a professor at the University of Michigan, Dearborn, from 2001 to 2015. He received his BS and MS degrees from Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi窶兮n, China, and his PhD degree from the University of Toronto, Canada, all in electrical engineering. Previously he was an electrical engineer with General Electric Canada, Inc. He also served as the CTO of 1Power Solutions and EV Safe Charge Inc. Dr. Mi is the recipient of the 窶廛istinguished Teaching Award窶・and 窶廛istinguished Research Award窶・of the University of Michigan, Dearborn. He is a recipient of the 2007 IEEE Region 4 窶廾utstanding Engineer Award,窶・窶廬EEE Southeastern Michigan Section Outstanding Professional Award,窶・and the 窶彜AE Environmental Excellence in Transportation (E2T) Award.窶・He received three Best Paper Awards from IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics and two Power Electronics Prize Letter Awards. In 2019, he received the IEEE Power Electronics Emerging Technology Award. In 2022, he was named Albert W. Johnson Lecturer and Distinguished Professor of San Diego State University, the highest honor given to any SDSU faculty, and only one award is given each year. He served as an editor, editor-in-chief, area editor, and editor of over 20 journals and special issues of IEEE Transactions, He has served as the general chair or program chair of over 20 conferences. He has published more than 350 journal and conference papers, owns 20+ issued and pending patents, and delivered over 200 keynote speeches worldwide.
Celina Mikolajczak, Chief Battery Technology Officer, Lyten
Celina Mikolajczak is the Chief Battery Technology Officer at Lyten, prior to that, Celina was the Chief Manufacturing Officer at QuantumScape, responsible for bringing QuantumScape's technology to mass production. Previously, Celina was a member of the board of directors at QuantumScape and the Vice President of Engineering and Battery Technology at Panasonic Energy of North America (PENA), which produces Li-ion cells for Tesla at the Gigafactory near Reno, NV. Celina has 20 years of experience in the battery industry which includes filling a variety of roles ranging from developing safety tests and failure analysis techniques, leading cell quality activities, conducting cell materials development, developing battery regulatory frameworks, and leading design of li-ion battery packs at Exponent, Tesla, and Uber.
Andrew Miller, COO, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
Andrew Miller holds the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence Ltd (Benchmark), a London-based market intelligence, consultancy and price reporting agency specializing in energy transition supply chains. Andrew oversees Benchmark's supply chain research and analysis, which stretches from long-term forecasting of supply, demand, costs, and pricing, through to sustainability assessments and bespoke advisory projects for a cross section of industry and regulatory stakeholders. At Benchmark, Andrew regularly presents to leading market participants, government bodies and industry forums, while also travelling to active mines, processing plants and manufacturing hubs across the world. He leads a global team of analysts and consultants and has advised some of the world窶冱 leading institutional investors, auto OEMs, battery producers and mining companies. Prior to Benchmark, Andrew held a number of analyst positions across commodity research and finance, after graduating with a first-class honours degree in Economics from the University of East Anglia, UK.
Ines Miller, Team Lead Battery Cells, E Mobility, P3 Automotive GmbH
Ines Miller is leading the team of battery cells for P3 automotive in the field of E-Mobility. She has been involved in numerous projects with automotive OEMs, suppliers, chemical industry and investment banks mostly covering topics of Li-ion and Next-Gen batteries. Within P3 she is an expert for E-Mobility with focus on Li-ion and all-solid-state cells including technology and cost assessments. Before working for P3, Ines has gained her Master窶冱 degree in Business Chemistry at the University of Ulm.
Kaylan Mills, Assistant Manager, Charging Network Development, General Motors
Kaylan works on the GM Energy team focusing on delivering the best customer experience for all customer charging use cases with a primary focus on public charging. She has experience ranging from crafting deals with partners to ensuring smooth charger operations to financial modeling and more. Before joining GM, Kaylan worked in the utility space at Exelon where she was a part of some key projects. She holds a degree from the University of Illinois at Springfield in Finance.
Frederik Morgenstern, Senior Battery Technology Engineer, BMW Group
Born in Bavaria and raised in Uruguay, Frederik has been working for BMW's R&D Battery team as a cell project manager since 2017. After completing his PhD in solid-state and semiconductor physics in Cambridge UK, Frederik has worked in a broad range of novel technologies, ranging from Solar cells, OLEDs, AR-head-up displays and now batteries. He has co-developed the next-generation of BMW窶冱 Batteries for the "neue Klasse", optimizing the cell with regards to performance, cost as well as ease of pack-integration and manufacturability. As part of BMW's Solid-State Battery team, he worked on the evaluation of the potential and maturity of solid-state batteries for automotive applications. He now works at BMW's technology office in Mountain view as senior battery technology engineer, where he develops and manages research projects with national partners from industry and academia.
Victoria Mosolgo, Conference Producer, Cambridge EnerTech
Since 2015, Victoria has served as a Conference Producer for Cambridge Enertech, with primary responsibilities for scientific conference program development within energy market sectors, with conferences based in the United States and Europe. She has a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Ian Murray, Associate Conference Producer, Cambridge EnerTech
Since joining Cambridge EnerTech as Associate Conference Producer in March 2024, Ian has spearheaded the production of new conference programs dedicated to addressing the global bottleneck in electric vehicle fast charging and infrastructure. Prior to joining Cambridge EnerTech, Ian conducted mathematical research in physical oceanography before foraying into K-12 education for gifted and talented mathematics students. Ian enjoys engaging others in their fields of expertise and staying current on latest trends and developments in the battery, electric vehicle, and charging infrastructure space.
Kabir Nadkarni, EV Industry Assessment Specialist, CALSTART
Kabir Nadkarni serves as CALSTART’s Industry Assessment Specialist. As part of the Strategic Initiatives portfolio, his work is focused on identifying systemic barriers facing the zero-emission transportation sector and stewarding scalable solutions in partnership with CALSTART’s member companies. Prior to joining CALSTART, Kabir served as a Project Manager & Graduate Consultant for Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, where he developed financial models to assess the investment outlook of the EV charging sector. Kabir holds a Master of Public Administration in Energy & Environment from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics from the University of Alberta.
Naren Nagarajan, Lead Product Manager, Lucid Motors
Naren has been in the automotive industry for over 8 years, having worked at both legacy OEMs and new EV companies. His focus in the EV industry has been on improving the user experience for vehicle charging. His background in electrical engineering helps him navigate the technical nuances and challenges in the vehicle charging domain while still focussing on providing the best experience for the user.
Nathan Niese, Managing Director, Partner, Electrification & Climate Change, Boston Consulting Group
Nathan Niese is a Managing Director and Partner based in the Chicago office of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). He currently serves as BCG窶冱 global lead for the electric vehicle and energy storage topics, supporting clients topics on strategic endeavors related to green growth and new business builds. Nathan earned his PhD in engineering from the University of Michigan.
Hailong Ning, PhD, Co-Founder & CEO, VTA Technology
Dr. Hailong Ning is the Co-founder and CEO of VTA Technology. He has 15 years of experience in the battery industry, from battery materials, cell development to large-scale battery manufacturing. Prior to founding VTA, he served as VP of Battery Engineering at NIO and General Manager of Battery Engineering at Panasonic Energy of North America respectively, where he had direct experiences of building gigafactories in both the US and China. He obtained his Ph.D degree in Materials Sciences & Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.
Jeff Norris, CEO, Paraclete Energy Inc.
Jeff Norris, the visionary CEO and founder of Paraclete Energy, leverages over two decades of experience in renewable energy storage. With advanced degrees from Duke University and USC, Jeff窶冱 expertise is well-recognized in the industry. His accolades include the prestigious E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year award. Jeff has a proven history of securing substantial financing and forging strategic partnerships. Notably, he guided a previous venture from concept to a NASDAQ IPO, delivering a phenomenal 106:1 return. His dedication to innovation continues to drive Paraclete Energy towards pioneering advancements in energy technology. Jeff is passionate about:
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God, family, and the legacy he lives 24/7 and leaves for them.
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Taking on the near-impossible with a great team and exceeding expectations for all stakeholders.
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Launching disruptive technologies and driving innovation in the energy sector.
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Serving others and contributing to economic development in developing countries.
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New ventures, start-ups, technology, and commercialization.
Sascha Nowak, PhD, Head of Analytics & Environmental, Electrochemical Energy Technology, University of Mﾃｼnster
Dr. Nowak studied Chemistry at the University of Mﾃｼnster and got his Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry. After his doctorate, he joined the working group of Professor Winter at the MEET Battery Research Center at the University of Mﾃｼnster in 2009 as a postdoctoral researcher, where he established the Analytical department. From 2010-12, he was the Head of the Analytics and Recycling competence areas, and since 2012, he has held a position at the MEET Battery Research Center as Head of the Analytics and Environment division, which mainly focuses on electrolyte aging, transition metal migration and surface investigations, recycling, and second life, as well as toxicological investigations.
Joseph Nowikowski, Senior Practice Leader, M&E, Rimkus Consulting Group Inc.
With over 30 years of experience, Mr. Joe Nowikowski has a diverse background in electrical engineering, construction, and management. He has B.S. degrees in Mining Engineering and Electrical Engineering, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering, and an MBA. He is a registered professional engineer in 35 states, a Certified Fire Investigator, a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator, and a Certified Vehicle Fire Investigator. He has investigated fatalities and injuries related to electrical energy. Mr. Nowikowski has investigated a numerous lithium battery failures related to power tools, e-cigarettes, e-bicycles, hobby toys, vehicle jump start battery packs, as well as residential and utility scale battery systems. He has spoken twice at the international lithium battery conference in Washington, D.C., and has presented at multiple local and regional conferences on various electrical topics. He also has significant experience in cases involving residential and commercial wiring, appliance failures, electrical components for aquariums and terrariums, service entrance systems (SES), portable generators, neon signs and lighting, variable frequency drives, high-end home automation systems, lighting systems, alarm systems, cellular tower fire, and lightning strikes. His work also includes experience in construction defect claims, standard of care for electrical contractors, and a variety of industrial, commercial, and residential fires as well as vehicle fire investigations for recreational vehicles (RVs), boats, farm equipment, forklifts, tractor-trailer, and passenger vehicles.
Joseph O'Connor, Director, ESS Solutions, Engineering, Nuvation Energy
Joe O'Connor is the Director of ESS Solutions at Nuvation Energy with over a decade of experience in renewable energy product development. He holds two solar energy patents and authored the best-selling book 'Off Grid Solar.' Joe has expertise in solar energy, battery manufacturing, and energy storage systems, and he assists organizations in developing advanced battery solutions. He holds a master's in Manufacturing Engineering from NYU.
Candace O'Melia, Strategist, EV Policy & Market Development, General Motors
Candace O'Melia works as an EV Policy and Market Development Strategist on the Global Public Policy team to accelerate GM's transition to an all-electric future. She focuses on influencing the regulatory landscape, developing policy positions and strategic action plans to advance EV adoption, charging infrastructure, and innovative technologies in support of transportation electrification. Candace was recognized as one of "35 under 35" rising stars in the U.S. electric vehicle industry by Business Insider for her work at GM focused on expanding access to EV charging.
Michael O'Brian, CEO, Code Savvy Consultants and Fire Chief, Brighton Area Fire Department
Michael O'Brian is the Fire Chief for the Brighton Area Fire Authority (Brighton, MI) and serves on the board of directors for the International Association of Fire Chiefs. Chief O'Brian has served on multiple code development committees including serving as the Chair of the International Code Council Fire Code Action Committee. Chief O'Brian is the Chair of the IAFC Workgroup on lithium ion batteries which is working to develop a tool kit for fire department response, public education, and codes and standards.
Gregory J. Offer, PhD, Professor in Electrochemical Engineering, Imperial College London
Gregory Offer is Professor in Electrochemical Engineering, Imperial College London and leads the Electrochemical Science & Engineering Group in Mechanical Engineering. Professor Offer窶冱 research is at the interface between the science and engineering of electrochemical devices. Having trained as an electrochemist before moving to engineering, his research portfolio focuses on understanding the limits of operation, degradation mechanisms and failure modes of batteries, supercapacitors and fuel cells in real world applications, and the impacts and consequences on system design, integration and control. He has published >100 peer reviewed journal papers, patents, technical reports and books. Greg is also a co-founder of four battery related start-ups, Cognition Energy Ltd, Breathe Battery Technologies Ltd, Galvanic Energy Ltd, and About:Energy Ltd. Greg has also worked previously as a management consultant and a government advisor.
Alexander Onz, Technical Program Manager IonPort, Sales, Delfort
Alexander Onz is heading the position as Technical Program Manager for Delfortﾂｴs IonPort Separators. In this role, he oversees all technical and product-related topics and acts as the key point of contact for customers. Before taking on this position, Alexander led Delfort's entire Technical Sales for the Tobacco Division as Head of Technical Customer Service for several years. He has a background in both technical and legal fields, along with extensive expertise in the specialty paper industry.
Mike Pagel, Senior Consultant, Hazmat Safety Consulting
Mike Pagel is a Senior Consultant with HazMat Safety Consulting. As a dangerous goods consultant, Mike partners with clients to improve their hazmat transportation programs. This includes creating customized training courses, conducting on-site storage and transportation compliance audits, general consulting support, assistance with Special Permits & Approvals, and developing company SOPs. Mike supports a range of clients with DG compliance, including producers of medical devices, eCommerce operations, cosmetics suppliers, 3PLs & carriers, electric vehicle makers, packaging manufacturers, and consumer electronics companies. Mike started in the industry in 2012 at PHMSA窶冱 Hazardous Materials Information Center (HMIC) at DOT HQ in Washington, DC. For two years, Mike supported the HMIC by answering thousands of questions on PHMSA窶冱 Hazardous Materials Regulations. In this role, Mike worked directly with PHMSA Rulemaking, Approvals & Permits, and Technical staff.
Matthew Paiss, Tech Advisor, Battery Materials & Systems, Pacific Northwest National Lab
Matthew Paiss serves as a Technical Advisor in the Battery Materials & Systems group leading their energy storage system safety efforts. Prior to joining PNNL, he was the President of Energy Response Solutions, Inc. (a Training & Consultation firm). He brings 28 yrs of emergency response experience retiring as a Fire Captain with the San Jose CA Fire Department. His background in renewable energy started in 1982 at ARCO Solar in Camarillo, CA, before studying Solar Technology and Fire Science in Santa Cruz, CA, and working in the semiconductor industry as a service engineer prior to transitioning to the fire service. He has 10 years窶・experience on renewable energy Codes & Standards committees and currently represents PNNL on NFPA 855 & 418, UL 9540 & 1974, and is a national named expert on IEC TC120 WG5.
Chong-Lyuck Park, PhD, Senior Researcher, LiB Recycling Research Center, Postech, South Korea
POSCO Holdings is a company with subsidiaries in all fields related to battery materials for secondary batteries, including lithium, nickel, graphite and anode materials, precursors and cathode materials, and recycling. I am responsible for developing technologies to separately recover valuable metals and graphite with high purity from used secondary batteries at the LiB Recycling Research Center. Recently, my research has focused on the purification of recovered graphite for reuse as anode material. I received my Ph.D. in Mineral Resources Engineering from Kangwon National University in Korea in 2009 and conducted postdoctoral research at Michigan Technological University, where I studied coal preparation using microwave technology and phase changes in iron ore with Prof Jian Yang Hwang. Afterward, I worked at Samsung C&T Corporation, handling tasks related to Mining Plants. From 2012 to 2022, I conducted research on the characterization of iron ore raw materials and the recycling of iron-containing by-products at the POSCO R&D Center. Since 2023, a new organization related to LiB recycling was established at the holding company POSCO Holdings. I have been developing processes to recover NCM, lithium, and graphite by material type and working on their commercialization.
Sebastien Patoux, PhD, Head of Battery, LITEN, CEA
Sebastien Patoux is a chemical engineer, involved in battery technologies for more than 25 years. He defended a PhD on Battery Materials in 2003, before joining the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for a post doctorate. He is working for CEA, a French Research and Technology Organization (RTO), since 2005. He has been leading various battery groups for 18 years. His battery department is involved in materials synthesis to pack design and system assembly.
Barry A. Perlmutter, President, Perlmutter & Idea Development (P&ID) LLC
Barry is President of Perlmutter & Idea Development LLC. He has over 39 years of technical engineering and business marketing experience in the field of solid-liquid separation including filtration, centrifugation, process drying, mixing and recycling. His strong professional skills focus on process solutions, innovation strategy, market expansion and business development. Barry has published and presented worldwide on applications in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and energy/environmental industries and has been responsible for introducing many European technologies into the Americas marketplace. His two books, published by Elsevier, Amsterdam, "Handbook of Solid-Liquid Filtration" and "Integration & Optimization of Unit Operations" are used worldwide for process guidance.
Stefan Alexander Permien, CEO, UniverCell Holding Gmbh
Dr. Stefan Permien is the CEO and co-founder of UniverCell GmbH, a german cell and electrode production company focusing on special application markets. With a background in chemistry from the University of Kiel and a PhD focused on lithium-ion battery materials, Dr. Permien is a recognized expert in the battery industry. He also holds an MBA, which has complemented his technical expertise with strong business acumen. Before founding UniverCell in 2019, Dr. Permien served as Chief Technology Officer at Customcells Itzehoe. His ambition to scale beyond research and into full-scale battery production led him to create UniverCell. Today, the company aims to push the boundaries of battery technology and contribute to Europe's growing energy storage market, with a focus on sustainability and innovative energy solutions. UniverCell is scaling up production at its Flintbek facility, targeting significant growth in Europe's battery sector, which is expected to see rapid expansion in the coming years.
Ahmad Pesaran, PhD, Chief Energy Storage Engineer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
After receiving his Ph.D. from UCLA, Ahmad has been working at NREL on energy efficient technologies including electrified vehicles. Until 2017, Ahmad was the Manager of the Energy Storage Group researching science and engineering of high energy anodes and cathodes, battery thermal management, 3D electrochemical-thermal modeling, safety and thermal runaway modeling, battery second use, techno-economic analysis of batteries for EVs; he led the Computer-Aided Engineering for Electric Drive Vehicle Batteries for Department of Energy (DOE).Between 2016 and 2018 he was detailed at the DOE's Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) as technical advisor to the Battery program supporting battery processing, extreme fast charging and recycling. He was the Administrator for the first Phase of the DOE Battery Recycling Prize.Currently, Ahmad is pursuing energy storage business development activities for NREL and supports VTO with battery processing, manufacturing, solid electrolyte, and low-cobalt cathode projects.
Kirstyn Petras, Senior Reporter, Pricing, Fastmarkets
Kirstyn Petras is a Senior Price Reporter at Fastmarkets, where she covers nonferrous recycled materials including aluminum and copper scrap and black mass, as well as reporting of battery materials and battery recycling markets. Prior to joining Fastmarkets in 2021, she covered petrochemical and uranium markets and previously worked writing news briefs for MGOs and MNCs.
Wilhelm Pfleging, PhD, Head of Group Laser Materials Processing/Lithium-ion Batteries, Institute for Applied Materials (IAM-AWP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Wilhelm Pfleging is head of the group Laser Materials Processing at the Institute of Applied Materials (IAM-AWP) which is part of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). He received his Master and Ph.D. at the Fraunhofer Institute of Laser Technology (RWTH Aachen, Germany) in the field of pulsed laser deposition, laser micromachining, and electron spectroscopy. He has more than 30 years of experience in laser technology and material science. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals, books and conference reports (h-index 32). He is member of scientific and programme committees in several international conferences (e.g., LAMP, CLEO, ICALEO, MRS, SPIE Photonics West, SPIE Photonics Europe) with focus on laser processing and energy storage materials. He has six patents granted. At KIT, he initiates and manages several industrial and academic collaborative research and development projects with emphasis on functional surfaces and energy storage systems. His research is focused on the development of laser-assisted processes, analytics (electrochemical analytics, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy) and manufacturing of advanced lithium-ion batteries and related energy storage materials (3D Battery). Furthermore, he is Professor at university (KIT) for 窶廰aser Technology窶・and 窶廰aser-assisted methods and their application for energy storage materials."
Gregory L. Plett, PhD, Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
Professor Plett received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University in 1998. Since then, he has been on the faculty of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. His research focuses on control-systems theory as applied to the management of high-capacity battery systems, such as found in hybrid and electric vehicles. Current research efforts include: physics-based reduced-order modeling of ideal lithium-ion dynamics; system identification of physics-based model parameters using only current-voltage input-output data; physics-based reduced-order modeling of degradation mechanisms in electrochemical cells; estimation of cell internal state and degradation state; state-of-charge, state-of-health and state-of-life estimation; power and energy prediction; and battery pack fast charging.
Bryant Polzin, Process Engineer & Deputy Director, ReCell Center, Argonne National Laboratory
Bryant Polzin has worked at Argonne National Laboratory for the past 10 years in research and development of lithium ion batteries for transportation applications. His focus has been on materials evaluation and the scale up of batteries from coin cell level to xx3450/xx6395 pouch cells and 18650 can cell level. He has established the Electrode Library which consists of industrial quality capacity matched anodes and cathodes that are distributed to Universities, Industry and National Laboratories all over the world for research purposes. He has number of publications covering different aspects of lithium ion battery development and performance. For the past 2 years, Bryant has been the Deputy Director of the ReCell Center for Advanced Battery Recycling. The ReCell Center is a DOE funded program that is aimed at making the recycling of lithium ion batteries profitable. It is a collaboration between National Laboratories, Universities, and Industry. The center is currently working in four areas: Direct Cathode Recycling, Other Materials Recovery, Design for Sustainability, Modeling and Analysis. As Deputy Director along with 2 other executive committee members, we are responsible for overseeing the research, setting up the physical location of the Center and work with Industry to move technologies from the lab to them. Prior to coming to Argonne National Laboratory, Bryant has spent 10 years work in industry. He has spent 5 years working at a start-up company that manufactured sapphire for LED production. He also worked at a machine tool manufacture as a process engineer developing manufacturing processes for a number of different industries and on different materials. He holds a M.S. from Illinois Institute of Technology in Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering and a B.S. from Iowa State University in Ceramic Engineering.
Tomasz Poznar, Vice President, Strategy, Ascend Elements
omasz Poznar, Ph.D. joined the Ascend Elements in 2021. He has diverse battery industry experience in multiple functional areas, including strategic planning, products and new business development. He came to Ascend Elements from A123 Systems, where he was responsible for corporate strategy and business development. His previous experience includes various executive roles and years of lithium-ion battery and vehicle electrification experience with EnerDel, Delco Remy and Volvo. He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Wroclaw University of Science and Technology in Poland.
Drew Prekop, Director, Global Industrial Investment Banking Group, Baird
Drew Prekop is a Director in Baird窶冱 Global Industrial Investment Banking Group and is a senior member of Baird窶冱 Vehicle Technology & Mobility practice. View our recent Vehicle Technology & Mobility transactions. Since joining Baird in 2010, Drew has participated in numerous M&A and capital markets financing transactions involving sponsor-owned, privately held and publicly traded companies. Prior to joining Baird, Drew worked as an Analyst in the Private Debt & Equity group at Northwestern Mutual Capital. Drew graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a bachelor窶冱 degree in finance, investment & banking, and received his MBA with distinction from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan where he was a Baird Scholar.
Rob Price, Global Key Account Manager, EV Volumes
As a Global Key Account Manager at EV Volumes, I leverage my background in automotive data and sales to drive strategic partnerships and deliver value to key clients. With a deep understanding of the evolving automotive landscape, particularly in the electric vehicle sector, I am dedicated to providing insights and solutions that empower my clients to stay ahead in a rapidly changing market.
Robert Privette, Manager, Business Development, Umicore Battery Materials USA Inc
Rob Privette is responsible for Umicore Battery Material business development in North America. He has extensive experience developing and commercializing new products in the battery and fuel cell industries. He earned his MS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and has completed MBA coursework. Before rejoining Umicore in 2018, he was Vice President of Energy Markets at XG Sciences where he created and grew the company窶冱 Energy Materials business targeting silicon/graphene anode materials and graphene-conductive additives for lithium-ion batteries. Prior to that, he was Product Development Director and US Fuel Cell Development Director at Ovonic Energy Conversion Devices and Umicore Fuel Cells, respectively.
Aruna Ramsamy, Managing Director, Just Climate
Aruna Ramsamy is a Managing Director in the investment team at Just Climate, a specialised climate-led investor, and is focused on its Industrial Decarbonistion strategy. Previously, she was an investment director with Climate Investments where she invested in a portfolio of decarbonisation technologies. From 2010 to 2017, Aruna led impact investments for the Soros Economic Development Fund in Sub-Saharan Africa promoting economic growth and sustainable job creation. Aruna started her career in investment banking at Credit Suisse in New York, specialising in power sector leveraged finance and project finance transactions. She also was an associate at Moelis & Company, advising on mergers and acquisitions, and restructuring transactions. Aruna received a BCom with First Class Honours in Economics and Finance from McGill University and an MBA from INSEAD.
Jason Randel, PhD, Product Safety Engineer, Amazon Ring
Jason has been a part of the Product Integrity team at Ring for the past year, where he drives safety and reliability requirements across multiple battery technologies and product categories. Prior to that, he worked as a Senior Managing Engineer at the consulting firm Exponent. There, his project portfolio included a variety of failure analysis and reliability testing of consumer and industrial electronics. Jason holds a PhD in Applied Physics from Stanford University.
David Rausch, Senior Business Development Manager, Sales & Marketing, Phoenix Controls Corp.
David Rausch joined Phoenix Controls in 2006 and is currently the business development manager for the Healthcare, Research, and High Purity Manufacturing Markets. He has been involved in many aspects of product management, product design and project design of specialty mechanical devices and controls within the Healthcare and Research industry for over 20 years. As an active member and distinguished speaker of ASHRAE, he has held executive positions in TC 9.10 (Lab Systems) and was a past Chair for TC 2.2 (Plant and Animal). He now is an associate member of TC 9.6 (Healthcare) and TC 9.11 (Clean Rooms) and speaks at numerous critical environment conferences throughout the year. He has a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering at Old Dominion University and an Associate's degree in Applied Science / Mechanical Engineering from SUNY Morrisville, NY
Craig Rigby, Vice President, Technology, Clarios
Craig Rigby joined Clarios (formerly Johnson Controls Power Solutions) in 2007 and currently serves as the Vice President, Technology. Rigby has played a key role in developing business and product strategies to shape the rapid changes in automotive battery technology over the last decade by synthesizing an understanding of market drivers, customer strategies and emerging battery technology. He also leads the advanced engineering activities including technology scouting, product development partnerships, vehicle systems analysis and competitive product benchmarking. Rigby has held several leadership roles in Product Engineering and Product Management with Clarios as well as at Ford Motor Company where he was on the leadership team that launched the Escape Hybrid in 2004. Rigby holds a Master of Science in Engineering Management from Wayne State University and a Bachelor of Science in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Vallabha Rao Rikka, PhD, Research Scientist IV, UL Research Institutes
Vallabha Rao Rikka is a Research Scientist-IV at the Electrochemical Safety Research Institute (ESRI) of Underwriters Laboratories in the USA. Renowned for his expertise in developing safe and efficient fast-charging techniques for lithium-ion batteries, Vallabha's work has been instrumental in advancing battery technology in the electric vehicle (EV) sector. His innovative contributions extend beyond traditional battery technologies, embracing the evolving realm of green energy solutions. Formerly a scientist at ARCI Chennai's Centre for Advanced Energy Materials (CAEM), Vallabha has a rich history in electric vehicle and energy storage applications. His proficiency extends to in-situ and ex-situ operando characterization of battery interfaces. Over the past decade, his work has focused on innovating rapid formation methods for solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layers in lithium-ion batteries. This innovation, reducing cell formation time by 75% and patented in India (Indian patent No. 202011052906), is a testament to his contributions to the field. Vallabha is also the architect behind a cutting-edge fast-charging protocol, which stands as one of the safest and most efficient charging methods, capable of fully charging batteries in merely 15 minutes, significantly easing range anxiety for EV users. Vallabha Rao Rikka's comprehensive expertise and innovative vision make him a pivotal figure in battery technology and green energy, contributing significantly to pursuing a sustainable and carbon-neutral future.
Antonio Rivera, Partner and Electric Mobility Practice Group Leader, ArentFox Schiff LLP
Tony is a Partner with the International Trade & Investment Group for ArentFox Schiff. He leads the firm窶冱 Electric Mobility Practice and serves as co-leader for the Energy & Clean Tech Industry Group. His comprehensive understanding of the global supply chain and US trade rules, including free trade programs (e.g., USMCA) and special U.S. tariffs (e.g., Section 301 and Section 232), translate into an important resource for clients engaged in the development, manufacturing, and distribution of electric vehicles (EVs), from critical minerals and battery components to the finished vehicle and charging station infrastructure.
Sabrina Rodriguez, Research Engineer, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)
Ms. Rodriguez is a Research Engineer in the Intelligent Systems Division at SwRI. She has a broad range of experience including hardware engineering, software development, firmware, penetration testing, and embedded systems. She provides technical and project leadership to the Cyber-Physical Systems section by leveraging her background in computer engineering. She primarily supports projects related to automotive and fast charging cybersecurity. Currently her work focuses on securing the EV charging ecosystem. Ms. Rodriguez has been an asset to projects by leveraging her expertise on topics including penetration tests and TARAs for EVs and charging stations (Level 2, DCFC).
Marco Romero, Founder & CEO, Positive Materials
Marco Romero is an entrepreneur with over 40 years of experience in the technical services, mining and construction materials industries. He has held leadership roles in exploration, mine planning and operations, permitting and finance, as well as project and corporate development. He co-founded several Canadian companies, including Eldorado Gold, Polaris Materials, Delta Gold and Euro Manganese. He has received several international, national and regional awards for achievements in corporate social responsibility and environmental excellence.
Tom Ruether, Lecturer, Electrical Energy Systems, University of Bayreuth
Tom Rﾃｼther studied Renewable Energies (B.Eng.) at the University of Applied Sciences in Cologne, Germany, and at the Universidade Federal do Cearﾃ｡ in Fortaleza, Brazil. He received his M.Sc. from the University of Bayreuth in 2020 and is currently a PhD student at the Bavarian Centre for Battery Technology under the supervision of Michael A. Danzer. Since 2024 he is a Lecturer at the Chair of Electrical Energy Systems at the University of Bayreuth. His research focuses on the electrical characterization of lithium-ion batteries at cell and pack levels using techniques such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and the distribution of relaxation times analysis. In 2023 he won the Best of Show poster award at the International Battery Seminar. In 2024 he was a visiting scholar at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, where he studied the interpretation of electrochemical impedances in the group of Gregory Plett and Scott Trimboli.
Aaggrim Sabharwal, Sr Grp Mgr, Global Supply Chain, Google
Aaggrim Sabharwal is a seasoned supply chain leader with a demonstrated history of managing complex hardware operations. Currently serving as a Senior Group Manager - Global Supply Chain at Google, Aaggrim leads teams responsible for the supply chain of various hardware products, including Pixel phones, Nest Google Home, Fitbit watches, and AR/VR products. His expertise lies in core technologies such as batteries, chargers, and various input devices. Prior to Google, Aaggrim held key roles at Schlumberger and Apple, where he honed his skills in strategic sourcing and supply chain management. Aaggrim holds a Master's degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Texas A&M University. He is a Certified Subsea Engineer.
Apurba Sakti, PhD, Advisor, Data Science, Albemarle
Apurba Sakti is an advisor with the energy storage data science team at Albemarle Corporation. Prior to Albemarle, Apurba spent multiple years in academia at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Energy Initiative (MITEI), where he was a principal investigator, and a co-lead of the future energy systems center窶冱 (FESC窶冱) thrust area on energy storage and low-carbon fuels. Apurba has experience working with the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) in Washington D.C., and with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Zagreb, Croatia. Apurba earned his PhD in engineering and public policy (EPP) from Carnegie Mellon University. For more, see: https://www.linkedin.com/in/apurbasakti
Gerald Sammer, PhD, Principal Business Development Manager, AVL List GmbH
Dr. Gerald Sammer, Principal Business Development Manager at AVL, received a M.Sc. in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering as well as a PhD in Economics. 20+ years of experience in automotive technology with focus on testing solutions. He is member of the Technical Steering Committee in the automotive standardization body ASAM.
Michael Sanders, Senior Advisor, Energy, Avicenne Energy
Mike has significant energy storage materials value chain understanding with an emphasis on lithium-ion batteries and systems with 13 years of market knowledge and relationships. Successful program leadership experience with significant business growth in ventures and existing businesses with a proven track record leading mergers and acquisition teams to enter the lithium-ion battery materials market. He joined AVICENNE in May of 2016 as a Senior Advisor. Since joining the AVICENNE team, Mike has been leading the US AVICENNE activity working with many clients holding strategy workshops, validation of growth opportunities, helping clients establish their growth plans in energy storage, and establishing M&A targets/diligence. Before joining AVICENNE, Mike had a very long career with DuPont, his most recent role was the Global Marketing Director 窶・Energy Storage Venture where he developed significant understanding and insights for the energy storage materials market, device manufacturing, and systems while leading global marketing and customer interface efforts to establish programs to enter the $20B energy storage materials market. Executed strategic and market planning for opportunity evaluation, research, choices, and M&A activity for entry into rapidly growing new market. He has a degree in Chemistry from the University of Delaware and is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers and Electrochemical Society.
Anna Schleifer, PhD, Researcher, Grid Planning and Analysis Center, National Renewable Energy Lab
Anna Schleifer is a researcher in the Grid Planning and Analysis Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, where she works in long-term modeling of the U.S. power system. Anna's research focuses on the role of utility-scale storage and hybrid energy systems in grids with high shares of variable renewable electricity generation. She earned her Ph.D. at the University of Texas at Austin and her B.S. at Clemson University, both in mechanical engineering.
Dean Schmidt, US Key Account & Channel Partner Manager, Sales, Hitachi High Tech
Dean Schmidt has been working in emerging energy markets for more than 20 years. His current role at Hitachi High-Tech America, Inc, is establishing and managing partnerships within the complete supply chain for today and future battery manufacturing.
Stephanie Shaw, PhD, Technical Executive, EPRI
Dr. Stephanie Shaw is a Technical Executive and Program Manager at EPRI (previously the Electric Power Research Institute). She develops strategic research directions, provides technical insight and manages a portfolio of work on the environmental impacts of energy storage and renewable generation, deep decarbonization strategies and emerging energy technologies. These topics cover air, water, and health impacts; life cycle assessment; and sustainability aspects. Dr. Shaw also leads the Circular Economy for Energy Technologies Interest Group, which facilitates recycles, reuse and circular economy principles for solar photovoltaics, wind turbine blades, battery energy storage and other technologies. Dr. Shaw received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering, and a Doctorate in atmospheric chemistry, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Tal Sholklapper, CEO & Co-Founder, Executive, Voltaiq, Inc.
Dr. Tal Sholklapper has an extensive record of success as a cleantech engineer and entrepreneur. Prior to founding Voltaiq, he worked as the lead engineer on a DOE ARPA-E funded project at the CUNY Energy Institute, developing an ultra low-cost grid-scale battery. Before joining CUNY, Dr. Sholklapper co-founded Point Source Power, a low cost fuel-cell startup based on technology he developed while at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and UC Berkeley, where he also did his graduate work in Materials Science and Engineering. As a Materials Postdoctoral Fellow at LBNL, he successfully led the transfer of lab-scale technology to industry partners.
Shazan Siddiqi, Senior Technology Analyst, IDTechEx
Shazan Siddiqi is a Senior Technology Analyst at IDTechEx working primarily on Electric Vehicles and Energy Storage. His background lies in the automotive industry after working in the corporate strategy and advanced manufacturing teams at Tata Motors on the company窶冱 industry 4.0 plans. Shazan has developed technology benchmarking, implementation, and road mapping skills over the years to help assess opportunities and add value to organisations. Shazan is a regular contributor to various media outlets, providing insights and opinions from his research. Shazan holds a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering with first-class honours from the University of Manchester. As part of his role At IDTechEx, he leads the company窶冱 coverage on the electric vehicle charging infrastructure, micro-mobility markets, and most recently the sodium-ion battery space.
Kunal Sinha, Global Head, Recycling, Glencore
Kunal Sinha is the Global Head of Recycling at Glencore, and based in the firm窶冱 New York office. In this role, he oversees a global business that recovers critical metals, such a Copper, Nickel, Cobalt, and (expected in the near term) Lithium, as well as precious and platinum group metals, from post-consumer and post-manufacturing 窶徨esources窶・such as electronics, lithium ion batteries, end of life automotives, etc. Specific to lithium ion batteries, he is responsible for Glencore窶冱 effort in accelerating circularity of critical minerals, by enabling recycling and refining as well as second life and end of life solutions for our customers. He also serves as a non-executive director of Li Cycle, a leading lithium ion battery recycler. He started with Glencore in Baar in 2012 in the Copper team, and subsequently served as the CEO of NorFalco, Glencore窶冱 Sulfuric Acid marketing subsidiary 窶・another sustainability focused business for the group, before taking over the Recycling business. Prior to joining Glencore, Kunal worked for 6 years in Management Consulting at ZS Associates. He holds an MBA from the London Business School, an M.S. in Systems Engineering (Robotics) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur.
Steve Sloop, PhD, President, OnTo Technology LLC
Steve Sloop has pioneered comprehensive methods to improve safety and efficiency in recycling lithium-ion batteries and materials. These include deactivation of lithium-ion batteries to eliminate hazards in transportation and storage; electrolyte extraction; electrode harvesting and separation; and cathode-healing邃｢, which is a direct method to reintroduce lithium, structure, and performance to scrap electrodes.
Ian Smith, Manager R&D, Electrified Powertrain, Southwest Research Institute
Mr. Smith is the manager of the Electrified Powertrain section in the Powertrain Engineering Division of Southwest Research Institute. He oversees a team of engineers focused on conducting testing, research, and development on lithium-ion batteries to improve safety, performance, and life. His team also conducts testing, research, and benchmarking of PEM fuel cell technologies as well as electric motors, inverters, and vehicles. Mr. Smith is also the program manager for the Electrified Vehicle and Energy Storage Evaluation (EVSESE) Consortium. The work conducted in this consortium provides an assessment of state-of-the-art technologies in electrified vehicles and lithium-ion batteries and conducts research on topics like fast charging, immersed (dielectric) coolant, and lithium plating prognostics.
Adam Smith, PhD, Research Scientist, High Velocity Thin Films, R&D, Linde AMT
Graduated in 2009 from Lake Superior State University with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and in 2014 from University of Texas 窶・Arlington with a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering with a focus on surface coatings development and characterization. Began working for Linde Advanced Material Technologies in 2018 for the R&D team working on the development of Linde AMT窶冱 EXOGARD邃｢ high velocity coating system with a particular focus on hard chrome replacement and the development of coatings for the Lithium-ion battery manufacturing industry.
Josh Stiling, Investment Director, Anzu Partners
Josh Stiling is an Investment Director at Anzu Partners with a focus on investing at the intersection of material science, electrification, and manufacturing technologies. Since joining Anzu in 2021, Josh has led and supported investments for several companies in Anzu's portfolio, including investments in AM Batteries, South 8 Technologies, e-Zinc, Xendee, and XGS Energy. Prior to Anzu and following undergrad, he competed professionally in the sport of water polo in Australia (Perth) and Spain (Barcelona) for two years before continuing on to work for an R&D industrial materials start-up in San Jose for 4 years. At Lyten, he served as a senior engineer in materials development and worked on applications such as batteries, super-capacitors, conductive inks and an IoT sensing platform for explosive materials. At Anzu he is supporting several portfolio companies, while also conducting diligence and sourcing new technologies in the industrial materials and energy space. He holds two degrees from UCSD, an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering and an MBA.
Sarah Stockwell, PhD, Conference Producer, Cambridge EnerTech
Since joining Cambridge EnerTech in Feb 2024, Sarah has worked within the recycling, mining and mineral processing areas of the battery value chain. She has industry experience in power supply and conversion for clean energy applications, Li-ion battery cathode research, oil and gas and mineral processing. Sarah holds a PhD in Materials Science & Metallurgy from the University of Cambridge and a BEng in Mineral Engineering from the University of Leeds.
Stanislav I. Stoliarov, PhD, Professor, Fire Protection Engineering, University of Maryland
Stanislav (Stas) Stoliarov is a Professor of Fire Protection Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park. His research interests include the subjects of material flammability, fire dynamics, and fire suppression and mitigation. Stoliarov specializes in research techniques that combine experiments and numerical modeling to gain insight into the behavior of complex physical systems. His contributions include the development of several experimental and modeling techniques for the analysis of pyrolysis and combustion of polymer-based materials including Microscale Combustion Calorimetry, which became an ASTM standard. Stoliarov also made significant contributions to understanding dynamics of lithium ion battery fires and ignition of building materials by firebrands generated in wildland fires. Stoliarov authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and 150 conference presentations and proceedings. He is a recipient of multiple awards including the NSF CAREER. Stoliarov is a member or co-chair of several key committees of the International Association of Fire Safety Science, an active participant in the flame retardants research community, and an editorial board member of several leading fire safety journals.
Dee Strand, PhD, CSO, R&D, Wildcat Discovery Technologies, Inc.
Dr. Dee Strand is Chief Scientific Officer at Wildcat Discovery Technologies. Dr. Strand has over twenty years of experience in materials research, development, and commercialization, primarily in the areas of energy storage and electronic applications. Prior to joining Wildcat in 2013, Dr. Strand served as a Research Fellow at Dow Chemical, where she was the technical lead in Dow Energy Materials, as well as the Principal Investigator on external research programs with universities and national labs on battery materials. Dr. Strand also has extensive experience in patent analysis and technical due diligence of new technologies. Dr. Strand completed her Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, under the supervision of Professor John Schrag. Her Ph.D. research focused on rheology and birefringence of polymeric solutions.
Andreas Stummer, Director, BYK Gardner
Andy Stummer started at BYK-Gardner, USA in a technical sales role covering the mid-Atlantic area in 2006. In 2018 he was promoted to Business Line Manager for Dispersion followed by Director of Sales for Dispersion in 2024. He is the technical resource and main sales contact for VMA-Getzmann products for North America and manages the BYK-Gardner Dispersion Applications Lab at BYK in Wallingford Connecticut since 2019.
Anjani Sri Mourya Sunkavalli, Founder & CEO, Altmin Pvt Ltd. India
Altmin is a leading battery materials manufacturer specializing in cathode and anode production. Currently, we are India窶冱 leading producer of Carbon-coated Lithium Iron Phosphate, a battery-active material used in the manufacturing of Lithium-ion cells for Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Energy Storage Systems (ESS). We are dedicated to creating a robust supply chain that meets the global energy needs of the future, by ensuring an uninterrupted supply chain to the existing and upcoming industries from our partnered mines in South America assuring consistency in quality and pricing.
Rajesh Swaminathan, Partner, Khosla Ventures
Rajesh Swaminathan is a Partner at Khosla Ventures, with over two decades of experience assisting and investing in deep tech startups. He manages many of the firm窶冱 investments across renewables generation, storage, hydrogen, industrial decarbonization, plastics, foodtech, healthcare and advanced manufacturing. Previously, Rajesh was the head of Applied Ventures LLC, the venture capital arm of Applied Materials, where he managed a portfolio of 85 deep tech startups globally and two deep-tech funds in Korea and Taiwan. He led investments and helped build companies with strong exits, including Enphase Energy, Solid Energy, Rockley, Infinite Power Solutions, Adaptive3D, Tango, Inpria, PlayNitride and Norsk Ti. Rajesh was recognized amongst the top 100 global CVCs on the Global Corporate Venture (GCV) Powerlist. Earlier, he worked at Third Point Ventures and at Lucent窶冱 Bell Labs, where he drove technical assessments and partnerships for several optical, MEMS, and RF device startups, and also led DFR programs for the successful deployment of Lucent窶冱 10Gb/s and 40Gb/s systems. While pursuing his MBA at Harvard Business School, he worked on Deutsche Bank窶冱 cleantech banking team and worked with KV on companies in solar and water. Previously, Rajesh earned a master of science degree from the University of Maryland and a bachelor窶冱 degree in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, where he was awarded the Shankar Dayal Sharma (President of India) Medal for overall excellence.
Darren Tan, PhD, CEO, UNIGRID Battery
Dr. Darren H. S. Tan is the CEO and co-founder of UNIGRID Battery, a spin-out startup from the Sustainable Power & Energy Center at University of California, San Diego. Darren obtained his PhD from UC San Diego's Chemical Engineering department. He is currently leading the UNIGRID team in commercializing next generation advanced sodium ion batteries for the emerging e-mobility and stationary storage markets.
Cher-Ming Tan, PhD, Director, Center for Reliability Sciences & Technologies, Chang Gung University
Dr. Tan received his Ph.D in Electrical Engineering from the University of Toronto in 1992. He joined Nanyang Technological University (NTU) as faculty member in 1996 till 2014. He then invited to join Chang Gung University, Taiwan and set up a research Center on Reliability Sciences and Technologies in Taiwan and acts as Center Director. He is Professor in Electronic Department of Chang Gung University, Honorary Chair Professor in Ming Chi University of Technology, Taiwan. He has published 400+ International Journal and Conference papers and giving 30+ keynote talks and 100+ invited talks in International Conferences and several tutorials in International Conferences. He holds 21 patents and 1 copyright on reliability software. He has written 14 books and book chapters in the field of reliability. He is an Editor of Scientific Report, Nature Publishing Group, an Editor of IEEE TDMR, Series Editor of SpringerBrief in Reliability, Editor of MDPI Applied Research, and Editor of Journal of Frontier of thin film. He is a member of the advisory panel of Elsevier Publishing Group. He is also in the Session Chair of IEEE EDS Reliability Physics 2025 and the committee of IEEE EDS Master and Ph.D fellowship selection. He is also named as top 2% scientists in the world according to Stanford University research in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and received life achievement award of the top 0.15% world scientists (1960-2022) according to Stanford University, USA. He is a past chair of IEEE Singapore Section, senior member of IEEE and ASQ, Distinguish Lecturer of IEEE Electronic Device Society on reliability, Founding Chair of IEEE Nanotechnology Chapter - Singapore Section, Fellow of the Institute of Engineers, Singapore, and Fellow of Singapore Quality Institute, Fellow of International Association of Advanced Materials, Sweden. He is the General Chair of ANQ Congress 2014. He is the first individual recipient of Ishikawa-Kano Quality Award in Singapore in 2014. His research areas are reliability for materials, devices (including LiB) and systems. His work on LiB reliability began in 2010 while he was in NTU, involved in TUM Create project.
Tanvir Tanim, Battery R&D Engineer and Group Lead, Energy Storage Technology Group, Idaho National Laboratory
Tanvir R. Tanim is an R&D engineer and the group lead for the Energy Storage Technology Group in the Energy Storage and Advanced Transportation Department at the Idaho National Laboratory. His research focuses on enabling next-generation high-energy and power lithium-ion batteries, developing advanced algorithms for reliable life estimation, and expanding and/or verifying advanced diagnostics and prognostics of these high energy and power batteries for electric vehicle applications. Between 2014 and 2021, he authored or co-authored 25 peer-reviewed scientific articles and patents. Tanim can be reached by email at tanvir.tanim@inl.gov
Kyle Teamey, Managing Partner, Planetary Health, RA Capital
Kyle Teamey joins RA Capital as a Managing Partner, Planetary Health. Kyle's primary responsibility at RA is to lead investments in private companies that are developing innovative solutions to address climate change and environmental sustainability. Prior to joining RA, Kyle was a Partner at Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV), where he led investments and served on company boards that span the utilities, energy storage, chemicals, agriculture, automotive, recycling, and consumer products sectors. Prior to BEV, Kyle was a Principal at In-Q-Tel, the strategic investment arm of the CIA and US Intelligence Community, where he invested in early stage manufacturing, materials, energy, computing, and defense companies. Kyle was also the CEO and co-founder of Liquid Light, developer of a proprietary process to make major chemicals from CO2, which was sold to Avantium in 2016. Kyle also recently retired as a Colonel in the US Army Reserve after 24 years of service. He holds a BA in Environmental Engineering from Dartmouth College (1998), an MA in International Finance and Energy Policy from John Hopkins University (2008), an MS in Materials Science from Columbia University (2012), and a Masters of Strategic Studies from the Army War College (2020).
Venkataraman Thangadurai, PhD, Chair in Energy & Faraday Institution; Adjunct Professor, School of Chemistry, University of St. Andrews
Dr. Venkataraman Thangadurai is a full professor and Chair in Energy at the School of Chemistry, University of St Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom. He is the inaugural Faraday Adjunct Professorial Fellow at the University of St Andrews. He is elected Fellows of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK), Royal Society of Canada, and the Electrochemical Society (USA). He has published more than 260 peer-reviewed papers in journals (H-index of 69). He has received the Keith Laidler Award from the Canadian Chemical Society (CSC) in 2016 and Research Excellence Award in Materials Chemistry from CSC in 2021. Dr. Thangadurai is founder of two start-ups based on his lithium-ion electrolytes research. His current research activities include the discovery of novel solid-state electrolytes and electrodes for advanced batteries and fuel cells.
Carl Thoemmes, Business Development Director, Business Development, Orbia Fluor & Energy Materials
Carl Thoemmes is Business Development Director at Orbia Fluor & Energy Materials where he focuses on advancing Orbia's scale up of electrolyte materials including Custom Electrolyte, LiPF6, OS3ﾂｮ, and Koflyteﾂｮ. With extensive experience from end-use battery applications all the way up to cell raw materials, Carl is focused on advancing the domestic supply chain supporting electrolytes and electrolyte raw materials.
Vikas Tomar, PhD, Faculty Lead, Innovation and Commercialization, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue
Casey Jones is a research assistant and PhD student in Aeronautics and Astronautics representing Dr. Vikas Tomar and the Interfacial Multiphysics Laboratory at Purdue University. He is a six-year veteran of the US Navy, where he worked as a nuclear electronics technician aboard a fast-attack submarine stationed in Pearl Harbor. He obtained his BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Bertrand J. Tremolet de Villers, PhD, Research Scientist, Materials, Chemical, and Computational Science, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
Dr. Tremolet de Villers is a principal researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado (USA). He has physics and spectroscopy expertise in organic and hybrid-organic photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage systems, i.e., Li-ion batteries, and the scale up of these technologies. In his battery research, he has developed in-situ spectroscopic methods to study solid-electrolyte interfaces and electrolyte solvation structure in silicon anodes and next-gen high-nickel/low-cobalt cathodes for rechargeable cells. He has also implemented ultrafast laser patterning of battery electrodes for enhanced performance. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Before joining NREL in 2013, he was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB).
Scott Trimboli, PhD, Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
Professor Trimboli窶冱 research focuses on development of control strategies for the management of high-capacity battery systems such as found in electric vehicles. He is currently involved in multiple projects where he leads investigation on battery modeling and the application of model-predictive control to improve the performance and extend the lifetime of lithium ion battery cells. Other research efforts include: reduced-order modeling methods, modeling of lithium-ion degradation mechanisms, empirical and physics-based modeling of lithium-ion battery thermal properties, as well as predictive methods for power estimation.
Benny Varghese, PhD, Research Engineer, Energy Storage & Advanced Transportation, Idaho National Laboratory
Dr. Benny Varghese is a research engineer at the Idaho National Laboratory working on EV Charging Infrastructure. He leads the Diagnostics Task Force within the ChargeX Consortium, funded by the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation to improve EV charging experience. In his current role, he is working to improve the reliability of public DC fast charging infrastructure and remove roadblocks to EV adoption. His areas of expertise include testing, design, and development of EV charging infrastructure. Areas of research interest include cyber-physical security of chargers and anomaly detection. Benny has a PhD from Utah State University, where he developed static and dynamic wireless charging solutions for electric vehicles.
Shaun Verner, Managing Director & CEO, Syrah Resources Ltd.
Shaun joined the company in October, 2016 and was appointed CEO & MD in February, 2017. Prior to joining Syrah, Shaun was at BHP for 20 years in a variety of executive roles, with extensive international, commercial, and operational experience across a range of commodities including copper and base metals, uranium, and thermal and metallurgical coal. Shaun has extensive general management and cross-functional leadership experience, focused on the integration of commercial, operations, and supply chain excellence, with a particular interest in China窶冱 growth and impact on the evolution of commodity and industrial markets.
Scott Walbrun, Principal, BMW i Ventures
Scott Walbrun is a principal venture capital investor at BMW i Ventures, the independent venture capital fund managed on behalf of BMW Group based in Silicon Valley, where he focuses on Series A & B investments around the future of mobility, energy, artificial intelligence. In this capacity, Scott has served on the board of eight companies. He also serves as a mentor and workshop leader for hundreds of startups through various accelerator programs across the country. Prior to joining BMW i Ventures, Scott provided M&A and capital markets advisory as a member of Jefferies窶・Technology Investment Banking team. Scott joined Jefferies after completing his MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. While completing his MBA, he worked at Kinzie Capital Partners evaluating private equity investments, as well as at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation supporting the commercialization of science-based and deep tech companies. Prior to business school, Scott managed Strategic Finance and FP&A at Truck Hero (a TA Associates portfolio company) and began his career in Fiat Chrysler窶冱 Finance Leadership Development Program.
John Warner, PhD, Chief Customer Officer, American Battery Solutions
Dr. John Warner is a well-recognized figure in the battery industry. He is an authority on EV batteries, an experienced sales, business development, strategic marketing, and product management executive with more than 35 years of combined automotive and battery industry experience and author of three successful books on EV batteries. Today he serves as one of the co-founders and Chief Customer Officer for American Battery Solutions, a lithium-ion battery pack manufacturer based in Michigan and Ohio where he is focused in on- and off-road mobility battery development. He is Founder and President of Warner Energy Consulting LLC. Previously, he served as Chief Marketing Officer for Ener1, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for XALT Energy, Director of Sales & Marketing for Magna Steyr Battery Systems NA, Director of Product Management at Boston-Power, and nearly 20 years in the auto industry, much of that with General Motors where he served in a wide variety of leadership roles. Dr. Warner published his first book 窶弋he Handbook of Lithium-Ion Battery Pack Design窶・in 2015 with a second edition published in May 2024. His second book, 窶廰ithium-Ion Chemistries: A Primer窶・was published in 2019. His books focus on simplifying the complex topics around battery chemistries making it easily understandable by a wide audience for both entry level engineers and all non-engineering professionals.
Erica Wiener, Physical Scientist, R&D & Technology PHH 63, PHMSA
Dr. Erica Wiener is a Physical Scientist at the U.S. Department of Transportation, within the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety at the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. In her role, she leads and coordinates research projects to improve the safe transportation of hazardous materials essential to everyone窶冱 daily lives. Dr. Wiener is a Class of 2022 Presidential Management Fellowship Alumna, part of a distinguished Federal program established to recruit and develop future government leaders. As a Fellow, she provided thought leadership towards research program directions and critical project management in her role at PHMSA. She also served as a Deputy Director for Sustainability at the White House Council on Environmental Quality during her Fellowship. Prior to her service in government, she received a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering with a focus on Sustainable Water Development at the University of Iowa. Her research investigated fungal removal of emerging contaminants found in stormwater, with the goal of finding sustainable solutions to stormwater management.
Craig Wohlers, General Manager, Cambridge EnerTech
Since 2014, Craig has served as Executive Director of Conferences for Cambridge Enertech, with primary responsibilities for scientific conference organization and program development within energy market sectors with conferences based in the United States, Asia, and Europe. Previously to joining CII, from its inception in 1998, Craig was the Founder and President of the Knowledge Foundation, a scientific conference and publishing company until it was acquired by CII in 2014. Additionally, Craig was a Director at IBC USA (now Informa), and has previous experience in conference development, publishing and techincal marketing.
Michal Wolkin, former Director, GM Ventures, Board Member, & Professor, Reichman University
Dr. Michal Wolkin is a board member, investor, physicist with a focus on energy storage and climate tech. She has two decades of experience in venture investments, technology evaluation, and innovation. Michal is the former Director of GM Ventures' Battery & Electrification Fund, she is serving on the boards of public and private companies. With a Ph.D. in Materials & Physics, she has driven disruptive technologies at 3M, PARC, and NASA. Michal is also a part-time professor heading a new master窶冱 degree program in Sustainability Management at Reichman University focusing on entrepreneurship and sustainability.
John Wozniak, PhD, President, ESP Consulting
Dr. Wozniak completed his undergraduate training at MIT and graduate work at the University of Florida, Gainesville, where he stayed on as an Assistant Research Professor until 1995. For the past 25 years he has worked for Energizer Power Systems, Compaq/HP and Microsoft prior to forming his own consulting business in 2014. As the President of Energy Storage and Power Consulting, he works closely with key battery cell and pack manufacturers as well as Fortune 500 OEMs manufacturing everything from consumer electronics, EVs , ESS and battery backup systems. Dr. Wozniak窶冱 focus has been on developing quality manufacturing practices and commercialization of promising battery technologies.
Kevin Wujcik, PhD, CTO, R&D, Blue Current Inc.
Kevin Wujcik serves as the Chief Technology Officer at Blue Current, leading the development of the company's fully dry solid-state battery utilizing silicon-active materials. Before joining Blue Current, Kevin worked on the research team at Ford Motor Company, concentrating on battery materials and fuel cell systems research and development. His contributions include being named in over 12 peer-reviewed scientific publications and 9 patents. Kevin earned his PhD in Chemical Engineering from UC Berkeley, with a thesis centered around lithium-sulfur batteries containing solid polymer electrolytes. Additionally, he holds a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from Drexel University, where he contributed to the advancement of novel fuel cell electrode microstructures.
Susann Wunsch, Software Development Engineer, Daimler Buses GmbH
I completed my Master's degree (M.Sc.) in Karlsruhe university (KIT) on chemical engineering in 2021. Afterwards, I worked for about 1 year at the electrotechnical institute (KIT) as research associate on modelling and optimizing the BMS software of a stationary redox-flow-battery. Since 2022 I'm working at Daimler Buses as software development engineer for the BMS of the high voltage batteries in electric buses. Focus is battery modelling and developing SoX algorithms. In parallel, I'm also doing my PhD at KIT (ITIV) under supervision of Prof. Sax in development of aging state estimation under realistic field conditions.
Jun Xu, PhD, Associate Professor Mechanical Engineering, Spencer Lab, University of Delaware
Dr. Jun Xu currently is an Associate Professor (tenured) in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Delaware (UD), and Director of Vehicle and Energy Safety Laboratory (VESL). Prior to his join at UD, Dr. Xu worked at UNC Charlotte as Assistant Professor and Associate Professor (tenured) from 2018-2023. Dr. Xu was appointed as the founding Director of the NC Battery Complexity, Autonomous Vehicle and Electrification (BATT CAVE) Research Center at UNC Charlotte. He obtained his PhD at Columbia University in 2014 (major in Environmental Engineering and Engineering mechanics). His research expertise sits in the electrochemo-mechanics-thermal coupled modeling and characterization of battery safety and advanced design and understanding of structures upon dynamic loading. So far, Dr. Xu and his students/postdocs have published more than 130 peer-reviewed journal papers, with citation of 5,900+, H-index=44.
John Zhang, PhD, CTO/CSO, Polypore International
John is the CTO/CSO of Polypore International (Celgard)/Asahi Kasei. He received IBA (International Battery Association) Technology Award 2024 for his invention of Ceramic Coated Separator and Outstanding Contribution in Understanding of Internal Shorts Events of Li-ion Cells that lead the broad application of Ceramic Coated Separator (CCS). This technology has made a significant contribution to the evolution of humanity (SVP/CTO Panasonic). He is recognized as the leading authority on lithium-ion battery safety and separators. Through IEEE, he leads in establishing lithium-ion battery industry standards (P1625, P1725). John pioneered the Sulfide SSE with ~ 40 papers (1984-1991). He has chaired and/or organized more than 60 international conferences and delivered more than 120 invited keynote or plenary speeches at various international conferences. John has published more than 300 patents, papers, and books. John received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He also attended Sloan School of MIT.
Bob Zollo, Strategic Portfolio Planner, Automotive & Energy Solutions, Keysight Technologies
As a solution architect, Bob is responsible for Keysight窶冱 battery testing solutions roadmap. During his 38 years with HP, Agilent, and now Keysight, Bob has held several roles in the company窶冱 marketing and R&D organizations. He has also managed Agilent窶冱 power supply test systems business and wireless power business. Bob holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ.
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