CU «Ƶ PhD student takes Materials Research Society's top graduate prize
Luis Kitsu Iglesias, a fifth-year PhD candidate in ProfessorMike Toney’s lab, received the prestigious gold award—the highest graduate student honor—at the 2024 Fall Meeting of the Materials Research Society (MRS) for his exceptional battery research. The renowned international conference brings together experts from around the globe to showcase and discuss the latest advancements in materials science.
Initially selected as a finalist for the MRS Graduate Student Award, Kitsu Iglesias of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, received the award after presenting his sodium-ion battery research at the MRS fall meeting in Boston on Dec. 3.
“This award marks a personal milestone and highlights the significance of advancing sustainable battery technologies,” Iglesias said. “It underscores the urgency of addressing challenges like energy, equity and environmental responsibility through research.”
Iglesias’s research focuses on advancing sodium-ion batteries as a sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries, addressing challenges like safety, cost, limited lithium resources and ethical concerns around lithium extraction. He studies sodium storage in hard carbon anodes, a key material for these batteries, using advanced X-ray techniques to observe how the structure and behavior of hard carbon change during charging and discharging.
By utilizing abundant and environmentally friendly sodium resources, these batteries offer a competitive solution for large-scale grid energy storage.
“My work provides the foundation for designing sodium-ion batteries with higher capacity, improved efficiency and greater durability,” Iglesias said. “These advancements pave the way for more accessible renewable energy storage, enabling the widespread adoption of clean energy technologies and contributing to a more sustainable and resilient energy future.”
Iglesias received his BS in chemical engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. In his third year, he received a fellowship to study in Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden. His fourth year he received another fellowship to study at CU «Ƶ.
In May, Iglesias will begin a postdoctoral research position at ETH Zurich, where he will continue exploring energy storage technologies.
“My goal is to lead projects that bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and societal needs, ensuring that advancements in green technologies benefit all sectors of society,” he said. “Being recognized by the Materials Research Society inspires me to keep exploring innovative energy storage solutions and contributing meaningfully to the global scientific community.”