In conversation with Ungyu Paik
A remarkable career in batteries research and the future of EES Batteries.
In our latest In conversation with, Ungyu Paik, Editor-in-Chief of EES Batteries, shares insights from his career in battery research, from the experiences that have influenced his work to the collaborations that have opened new possibilities. He also discusses where the field is heading and the opportunities ahead for the next generation of battery researchers.
You've had a distinguished career in batteries research. What key experiences prepared you for the role of Editor-in-Chief of EES Batteries?
My background in materials science has shaped how I approach both research and technology. I have always been drawn to the principles that explain how composition, structure, interfaces and processing determine material performance. Applying this perspective to batteries was a major turning point: it showed me that they are complex material systems, not simply devices to be optimised. Long-term collaboration with battery companies broadened this perspective. It exposed me to the challenges that arise when a laboratory discovery must be translated into a cell that can be manufactured reproducibly, safely and on a scale. It also showed me that practical industrial problems contain important scientific questions that have not yet been answered.
One challenge, particularly early in these collaborations, was connecting academic and industrial priorities without compromising scientific rigor or practical relevance. A lasting lesson from mentors, colleagues and industrial collaborators was to identify the scientific question within a practical problem while keeping the application in view. That experience now shapes my role as Editor-in-Chief of EES Batteries.
I hope to strengthen the connection between science and industry by promoting work that advances fundamental understanding and offers a credible route to application.
What distinguishes an EES Batteries paper that really stands out?
EES Batteries builds on the scientific and editorial foundation established by Energy & Environmental Science (EES). Since its launch, EES has become a leading forum for energy research through the quality of its publications, broad scientific relevance and rigorous peer review. EES Batteries carries that foundation into a journal dedicated to batteries and energy storage.
For me, the papers that stand out in EES Batteries ask an important question in battery research and answer it with rigorous evidence. Higher capacity, greater energy density or longer cycle life is valuable, but better performance alone is not enough. These papers explain why performance improves and what the findings can teach us about other materials or battery systems. They also show how this understanding can help solve important problems in energy storage.
In this way, EES Batteries combines the standards and reach of EES with the technical depth for the advancement of next-generation battery research.
EES Batteries Outstanding Paper Award
Celebrating exceptional research published in EES Batteries and the authors behind the work.
What emerging areas of battery research are you most excited about, and where do you see the greatest opportunities for transformative research?
I am most excited by research that looks beyond performance gains and asks why a battery behaves as it does. Capacity, energy density and cycle life matter, but they are outcomes. Transformative work should identify the electrochemical, chemical, structural and interfacial processes behind those outcomes. This produces design principles that apply across materials, cell formats and operating conditions.
This understanding is particularly important for next-generation batteries. Progress in this field requires more than performance optimisation alone. We need to understand ion transport, interfacial reactions, structural evolution and how electrochemical and mechanical degradation interact across multiple length scales. Operando characterisation, multiscale modelling and AI-assisted analysis can help connect measured performance to the mechanisms responsible for it.
Battery Safety and recycling should be approached with the same scientific discipline. We need to understand how failure begins and propagates, and how material chemistry and cell design affect recovery and reuse at the end of life. By putting scientific principles first, we can develop batteries that perform better while also being safer, more sustainable and more practical.
What advice would you give to early-career researchers looking to establish themselves in the field?
My advice is to build a strong scientific foundation and learn to ask fundamental questions. Research trends and technologies change quickly, but the ability to identify the controlling mechanisms remains valuable across materials, chemistries and applications.
I would also encourage early-career researchers to learn how to use AI as part of the research process. AI can accelerate materials discovery, data interpretation and process optimisation, but it is most valuable when guided by sound scientific judgement. The most effective researchers will use AI to ask better questions and work more efficiently while retaining a deep understanding of the underlying science.
EES Batteries is quickly establishing itself as a leading journal in the field. Looking ahead, what is your vision for EES Batteries?
My vision is for EES Batteries to become the journal the community turns to for research that changes how important battery problems are understood and solved. It should bring together fundamental science, engineering and manufacturing. Rigorous, constructive peer review will remain central to that vision.
I would like the journal to represent the breadth of the energy storage community and create stronger connections between researchers in academia and industry. It should also give emerging researchers a visible platform and encourage contributions from across the world.
Ultimately, I hope EES Batteries will document major advances, help set new research directions and accelerate the development of batteries that are safe, practical, affordable and sustainable.