Plenary Speakers

Four perspectives on a field in motion

The plenary programme brought together researchers whose work has shaped how the battery community thinks about materials, measurement and the path from a laboratory result to a working device. Each speaker opened a different window on the same subject: how a lithium battery can store more, last longer and serve a changing world.

Clare Grey

Clare Grey is known for using nuclear magnetic resonance to study electrochemical energy storage. Her work examines how materials behave inside lithium and sodium ion batteries, with a focus on capacity, function and the demands of electric vehicles and grid storage. She is based at the University of Cambridge. University of Cambridge

Stan Whittingham

Stan Whittingham created an early lithium battery in 1976, using a metallic lithium anode and a titanium disulfide cathode. His research and his long engagement with the field have influenced the direction of battery science for decades. His contributions sit at the origin of the rechargeable lithium story that IMLB continues to discuss.

Maria Forsyth

Maria Forsyth has spent much of her career in Australian electrochemical research. Her work combines nuclear magnetic resonance, calculation and electrochemical methods to understand electrolytes and the processes that determine how materials function. She is an Alfred Deakin Professor at Deakin University and a strong supporter of students and early career researchers.

Jeff Dahn

Jeff Dahn works across anodes, cathodes and device engineering. His research connects careful scientific questions with industrially relevant problems, and his group is known for work that changes how battery materials are understood and used. He is based at Dalhousie University. Dalhousie University