Researchers at Berkeley Lab and Carnegie Mellon University have designed new solid electrolytes that light the path to wider electrification of transportation. (Image courtesy of Jinsoo Kim)
Guided by CRISPR pioneer Jennifer Doudna, a formidable entrepreneur in her own right, C&EN profiled 15 women working in the Chemical industry in academics and startups in C&EN's 2020 Trailblazers. Four of them are affiliated with UC Berkeley's College of Chemistry. They have collectively launched more than 30 start-ups aimed at developing treatments for rare diseases, building better batteries, and more. They’re chemical scientists at the top of their game. They’re role models building and mentoring teams. And yes, they’re badasses. They live by the motto “Nobody ever got anywhere by listening to no.”
UC Berkeley is not just one of the best research universities in the world, but also a unique place for entrepreneurs, students and alumni to grow and build their own innovative startups. Many of the ideas are based on issues young entrepreneurs first encountered in Berkeley classes or labs. Two College of Chemistry startups presented among 23 young companies last week at Berkeley SkyDeck’s annual Demo Day, where entrepreneurs pitched new devices, apps or inventions that, they hope, will provide big, bold fixes to the world’s problems, from climate change to disease.
Professor Balsara discusses ways to make better batteries through development, education and listening to students in this portrait for the Clean Energy Project produced by renowned photographer Rick Chapman whose work has been seen at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.
Nitash Balsara is one of a group of scientists who have received a U.S. Secretary of Energy Achievement Award in Scientific and Operational Leadership for his research work with the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research Strategic and Operations (JCESR). JCESR is a DOE project working on advancements in battery technology.
The three main components of a lithium-ion battery—anode, cathode, and electrolyte—must all be optimized to produce a safe, low-cost, and high-energy product. The cathode has traditionally been the most expensive piece; it stores energy in ordered crystal structures that are based on costly and rare metals, like cobalt. In contrast, manganese is inexpensive, earth abundant, and non-toxic, but substituting the disordered crystal structures of manganese for cobalt-based structures had long been thought to introduce an energy tradeoff. Now, researchers have delivered outstanding performance using two new manganese-based materials.
Kwabena Bediako and colleagues 
Professor Balsara discusses ways to make better batteries through development, education and listening to students in this portrait for the Clean Energy Project produced by renowned photographer Rick Chapman whose work has been seen at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. 
Nitash Balsara is one of a group of scientists who have received a U.S. Secretary of Energy Achievement Award in Scientific and Operational Leadership for his research work with the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research Strategic and Operations (JCESR). JCESR is a DOE project working on advancements in battery technology.
The three main components of a lithium-ion battery—anode, cathode, and electrolyte—must all be optimized to produce a safe, low-cost, and high-energy product. The cathode has traditionally been the most expensive piece; it stores energy in ordered crystal structures that are based on costly and rare metals, like cobalt. In contrast, manganese is inexpensive, earth abundant, and non-toxic, but substituting the disordered crystal structures of manganese for cobalt-based structures had long been thought to introduce an energy tradeoff. Now, researchers have delivered outstanding performance using two new manganese-based materials.