Eric D. Wachsman, Ph.D.

Dr. Eric D Wachsman, an expert on solid state batteries and solid oxide fuel cells, is the Director of the Maryland Energy Innovation Institute (MEI2), and the William L. Crentz Centennial Chair in Energy Research with appointments in both the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Maryland. He received his Ph.D. in Materials Science & Engineering from Stanford University, and his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley.

Before joining the University of Maryland, he spearheaded the creation of the Florida Institute on Sustainable Energy at the University of Florida, and served as a senior scientist at SRI International.

His research is focused on solid ion-conducting materials and electrocatalysts, including the development of solid state batteries, solid oxide fuel cells and electrolysis cells, ion-transport membranes, and solid state gas sensors, with over 270 publications and 35 patents/patent applications. To date, three companies have been founded based on these technologies.

He has contributed to the next generation of electrochemists having graduated 34 PhD and 30 MS students, supervised 38 postdocs and research scientists, and mentored several junior faculty. Of these, three have gone on to receive ECS awards. His involvement with students includes founding and serving as Faculty Advisor for ECS student chapters at both the University of Florida and the University of Maryland, with the Maryland chapter winning Outstanding ECS Student Chapter Awards in 2013 and 2017, and ECS Student Chapter of Excellence in 2014, 2015, and 2016.

Dr. Wachsman is a frequent invited panelist on fuel cell and hydrogen energy research, ranging from the US Department of Energy “Fuel Cell Report to Congress” and “Basic Research Needs Related to High Temperature Electrochemical Devices for Hydrogen Production, Storage and Use,” to the National Science Foundation “Workshop on Fundamental Research Needs in Ceramics,” NATO “Mixed Ionic-Electronic Conducting (MIEC) Perovskites for Advanced Energy Systems,” and the National Academies “Global Dialogues on Emerging Science and Technologies.” He also serves on numerous boards and was appointed by the Governor to the Board of Directors of the Maryland Clean Energy Center. He is a Fellow of The Electrochemical Society (2008) and the American Ceramic Society (2012), and an elected member of the World Academy of Ceramics (2017). 

HONORS AND AWARDS

• Distinguished University Profess, 2021
• World Academy of Ceramics, 2017
• Carl Wagner Memorial Award, The Electrochemical Society, 2017
• Sir William Grove Award, International Association for Hydrogen Energy, 2014
• Pfeil Award, The Institute of Materials, Minerals, and Mining, 2014
• Outstanding Invention of 2013, University of Maryland, Office of Technology Licensing
• Fuel Cell Seminar & Exposition Award, 2012
• HTM Outstanding Achievement Award, The Electrochemical Society, 2012
• Fellow of The American Ceramic Society, 2012
• Fellow of The Electrochemical Society, 2008
• Rhines Chair Professor of Materials Science & Engineering, 2008-2009
• University of Florida Research Foundation Professor, 2005-2008
• Materials Science & Engineering Faculty Excellence Award, 2007-2008
• Materials Research Society, Top 5 Hot Talks/Cool Papers, Spring 2007 Meeting
• University of Florida Faculty Achievement, 2007
• NASA Johnson Space Center Achievement Award, 2007
• Materials Science & Engineering Faculty Excellence Award, 2006-2007
• Materials Science & Engineering Faculty Excellence Award, 2005-2006
• Materials Science & Engineering Faculty Excellence Award, 2004-2005
• Progress in Ceramic Basic Science: Challenge Toward the 21st Century, The Basic Science Division, The Ceramic Society of Japan, 1996
• Xerox Achievement Award, 1984

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

• Board of Directors, The Electrochemical Society
• Board of Directors, Maryland Clean Energy Center
• Councilor, Florida Section of the American Ceramic Society
• Past chair, ECS High Temperature Materials Division
• American Chemical Society
• Editor-in-chief, Ionics
• Former associate editor, Journal of the American Ceramic Society
• International Society for Solid State Ionics
• Materials Research Society