Chasing Sustainable Battery Chemistries for the Future - Kimberly See

From toys to cell phones to electric cars, batteries power modern life. They also play a potentially pivotal role in building a sustainable energy infrastructure. Next-generation batteries could help store power from intermittent renewable sources, such as wind and solar, and enable expanded adoption of battery-powered electric vehicles. Such advances are critical to reducing dependence on fossil fuels, a priority that has grown more urgent in recent years given the massive power needs of AI servers. However, today's state-of-the-art battery technology, the lithium-ion battery, comes with some significant challenges. Lithium-ion batteries rely on scarce and expensive minerals, which limits their use and raises concerns about affordability and environmental impact. In this talk, Kimberly See, professor of chemistry, will explore her lab's efforts to develop energy-storage chemistries that move beyond lithium-ion, using more abundant and less-expensive materials, while still achieving the high-energy densities that have made today's batteries so transformative. For more information about Professor See's research: https://www.seegroup.caltech.edu/ About the Series: Since 1922, The Earnest C. Watson Lecture Series has brought Caltech's most innovative scientific research to the public. The series is named for Earnest C. Watson, a professor of physics at Caltech from 1919 until 1959. Spotlighting a small selection of the pioneering research Caltech's faculty is currently conducting, the Watson Lectures are geared toward a general audience, as part of the Institute's ongoing commitment to benefiting the local community through education and outreach. For more information on the Watson Lecture Series: https://caltech.edu/watson View other Watson Lectures: https://bit.ly/Caltech_Watson_Lectures Produced in association with Caltech Academic Media Technologies. ©2026 California Institute of Technology