Clean Energy Forum Korea

Dr. Dongjoon Ahn is the head of electrode materials department in the Battery Materials R&D Center at LG Chem. He received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from University of Colorado-Boulder. Throughout his career, he has led several projects related to lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery materials including high nickel NCMA cathodes, silicon anodes, and next-generation dry electrode materials.

Prior to joining LG Chem, Ahn worked at General Motors Tech Center in Warren, Michigan, where he researched various materials to enhance Li-ion battery performance for vehicle electrification. At LG chem, he developed the first commercialized ​Ni-Co-Mn-Al (NCMA) cathode worldwide for more than 500 km of driving range in electric vehicles. Ahn has collaborated with global automotive OEMs, battery cell makers, and R&D laboratories. His work has been widely recognized, resulting in numerous scientific publications and patents related to Li-ion battery materials.

Dr. Alejandro A. Franco is a full professor at the Université de Picardie Jules Verne in the city of Amiens, France, and an honorary member of the Institut Universitaire de France. He has 23 years of experience in the field of multiscale modeling of electrochemical energy devices. He leads the Theory Open Platform at the ALISTORE European Research Institute. Professor Franco has been awarded an ERC consolidator grant for his pioneering ARTISTIC project, focusing on battery manufacturing digitalization through multiscale modeling and artificial intelligence. Additionally, he has received an ERC Proof of Concept grant for his innovative SMARTISTIC project, aimed at assisting battery manufacturers with mixed reality technology. He has actively participated in numerous European projects and bilateral collaborations with the battery and fuel cell industry. Professor Franco serves as the chairman of the Digitalization, Measurement Methods, and Quality Expert Group in the European LiPLANET battery pilot lines network. In 2019, he was honored with the French Prize for Pedagogy Innovation for his utilization of virtual reality in teaching battery sciences. He has an extensive publication record, including over 150 publications, 12 invited book chapters, three edited books, and 23 patents. Professor Franco is frequently invited to deliver plenary, keynote, and invited oral presentations in international conferences, totaling more than 135 invited lectures, as well as over 60 invited seminars in prestigious universities, institutes, and companies. He also coordinates the Erasmus+ i-MESC International Master Programme (Interdisciplinarity in Materials for Energy Storage and Conversion).

Professor Hee-Tak Kim serves on the faculties of chemical and biomolecular engineering at KAIST. He obtained his PhD in chemical engineering at KAIST in 1999. Professor Kim's current work focuses on design of electrochemical energy devices including fuel cells and secondary batteries. Combining electrochemical engineering, material engineering, and process engineering, his group explores novel concepts and designs effective in solving critical problems in this field. 

Professor Kim’s group explores new battery solutions that extend the cruise range of electric vehicles and provide better performance and economics for energy storage systems. The research includes sulfur electrode and electrolyte designs with practical applicability, doughty attempt to realize lithium metal secondary battery, and fusion of battery, capacitor, and fuel cell principals exampled by redox flow battery. His research features the combination of multi-scale structural engineering, simulation, and electrochemical engineering to address the key issues in this field. Professor Kim’s group develops inorganic-organic hybrid separators, functional electrolytes, and protective layer for Li metal batteries.

Professor Sang-Young Lee received BA in chemical engineering from Seoul National University in 1991 as well as a MS and PhD in chemical engineering from KAIST in 1993 and 1997, respectively. He served as a postdoctoral fellow at the Max-Planck Institute for Polymer Research from 2001 to 2002. Before joining UNIST, he worked at Batteries R&D, LG Chem, as a principal research scientist leading the development of ceramic-coated separators (SRS®). He is a member of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology and a member of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea. His research interests include the high-mass-loading electrodes, organic material-based solid-state batteries, cellulose-based paper batteries, and flexible and wearable power sources.

Dr. Jun Liu is the Washington Research Foundation Innovation Chair in Clean Energy, a Battelle Fellow at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and both a professor of chemical engineering and the Campbell Chair Professor of Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Washington. He also serves as the director of the Innovation Center for the Battery500 Consortium, a multi-institute program supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) with the goal of developing next-generation batteries.

He has previously served as senior researcher at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Bell Laboratories, and Sandia National Laboratories. He also served as the department manager for chemical synthesis and nanomaterials at Sandia, lead scientist for cross-cutting sciences for the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR), and division director for Energy Processes and Materials Division at PNNL.

Liu has authored more than 400 peer reviewed publications, received more than 55 U.S. patents, and ranked in the top one percent of highly cited researchers since 2014 (Clarivate Analytics).

Dr. Sang-Cheol Nam is the director of the LiB Materials Research Center and POSCO N.EX.T Hub at POSCO Holdings. He previously worked as a group leader at the Research institute of Industrial Science and Technology from 2012 to 2023 and as vice president of GS Nanotech from 2000 to 2012.

Park Dae-woon is the director of the nanomaterials business division of Daejoo Electronic Materials and previousy worked at SK Chemical R&D from 2001 to 2019. His research focuses on high-performance silicon anodes for Li-ion batteries.

Dr. Sun Yang-kook is a professor in the department of battery engineering and distinguished professor in the department of energy engineering at Hanyang University. He also serves as chair-professor at POSCO, director of the Hanyang Battery Center, and fellow member of both the Korean Academy of Science and Technology and the National Academy of Engineering of Korea. He earned a BS in chemical engineering from Chonnam National University and an MS and PhD in chemical engineering from Seoul National University.

Dr. Ji-Sang Yu leads the Advanced Battery Research Center at the Korea Electronics and Technology Institute, where he previously worked as a managerial researcher. Before joining the Korea Electronics and Technology Institute, he worked as a managerial researcher in the Battery Research Group within the Energy and Environmental Lab at the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology.

Dr. Jud Virden is the associate laboratory director for the Energy and Environment Directorate at PNNL. He leads approximately 1,600 scientists, engineers, and staff who are delivering science and technology solutions for the nation’s complex energy and environmental challenges, including advancing energy storage technologies, enabling energy decarbonization, modernizing the power grid, increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and lighting, developing biofuels, and resolving complex issues in nuclear science and environmental management. Jud earned his PhD and BS in chemical engineering from the University of Washington. He joined PNNL in 1991.

Dr. Jie Xiao is currently a Battelle Fellow at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), where she also leads the Battery Materials & System Group (75+ staff members). She holds a joint appointment at the University of Washington and is a PNNL-UW Distinguished Faculty Fellow. She currently serves as the deputy director of the Department of Energy’s Innovation Center for Battery500 Consortium. She is also the director of the DOE’s Cathode-Electrolyte Interphase Consortium. Dr. Xiao has led research thrusts in both fundamental research and practical applications of energy storage materials and systems to accelerate deep decarbonization. She has published more than 100 peer-reviewed journal papers and been named top 1% Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher since 2017. She holds 17 patents in energy storage area, seven of which have been licensed to industry. Dr. Xiao is the recipient of a few awards, such as US Department of Energy’s E. O. Lawrence Award, Clean Energy Education and Empowerment (C3E), Battelle Distinguished Inventor, and Fellow of The Electrochemical Society.

Jihui Yang currently serves as the vice dean in the College of Engineering at the University of Washington (UW), Seattle. He holds the Kyocera Corporation Chair in Ceramic Engineering and is a professor in the materials science and engineering department. Previously, he was chair of the materials science and engineering department from 2017 to 2020. Before joining UW in fall 2011, he was a technical fellow and lab group manager at the GM Research and Development Center.

Jihui’s current research focuses on electrochemical energy storage, solid-state energy conversion, electrocatalysis, and the transport properties of quantum materials. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society and a member of the Washington State Academy of Sciences.

After finishing her education as a chemical technical assistant, Nora joined Thermo Fisher Scientific in Bremen in 2010. In 2016 she moved to the position of an application specialist, developing methods for ICP-OES and laterally has been a product specialist in the trace elemental business. In 2024, Nora moved into the role of product manager responsible for AAS and ICP-OES instrumentation.

Zhao Liu is a senior market development manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific, focused on energy material applications. Zhao investigates the analytical challenge of battery characterization in battery R&D and manufacturing and develops solutions within Thermo Fisher Scientific to meet these characterization needs.  Zhao received his PhD in materials science and engineering from Northwestern University studying 3D imaging of Li-ion batteries for structure-performance analysis.

Dr. K. Prasanna, a senior market development manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific, earned his PhD in chemical engineering from Kyung Hee University and completed postdoctoral research, co-funded by Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, at the Technical University of Denmark. He has authored 50 peer-reviewed journal articles and holds five patents. After his research experience, he worked in lithium battery industries for four years focusing on production steps and commercialization of new technologies. Driven by a commitment to quality and efficiency, he is passionate about promoting advancements in battery production process.

As the vice president and general manager of clean energy, Fabrizio develops and executes strategy to accelerate the company’s industrial investments related to energy transition and de-carbonation. He prioritizes and builds leadership positions in selected segments, defines portfolio, drives vertical execution coordinating strategy, and identifies inorganic opportunities to accelerate growth.