PNNL

Four energy storage experts from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory were among 3,300 national and international scientists named to Clarivate Analytics annual Highly Cited Researchers list.

The list—released November 15—identifies the top 1 percent most frequently cited researchers as determined by the extent to which their papers have supported, influenced, inspired, and challenged other researchers around the globe. It also identifies authors who have consistently won peer approval from international researchers in the form of high citation counts.

The four researchers are:

• Jun Liu, who serves as director of the Department of Energy’s Battery500 Consortium, a collaboration among national laboratories, academia and industry to develop smaller, lighter, and less expensive electric vehicle batteries. Liu is a Battelle Fellow who has more than 55 U.S. patents and 400 peer-reviewed publications. Liu was recognized this year in the fields of chemistry and materials science, and he has appeared on the list since 2014.
• Yuyan Shao, an electrochemist and materials scientist who focuses on electrochemical energy storage and conversion for both transportation and stationary applications. He has more than 100 publications and 40 patents and patent applications. Shao was recognized in the field of materials science, and he has appeared on the list twice.
• Jie Xiao, a chief scientist who also holds a joint appointment at University of Arkansas. Xiao leads research thrusts on practical applications and fundamental study of energy storage materials and systems, from micro-batteries for acoustic fish tags to advanced battery technologies for vehicle electrification and stationary applications. She has more than 100 published peer-review journal papers as well as 18 patents and patents applications. Xiao was recognized in the field of materials science.
• Ji-Guang (Jason) Zhang, a Laboratory Fellow who focuses on development of energy storage devices, including lithium-ion batteries; thin-film, solid-state batteries; lithium-sulfur batteries; lithium-air batteries; and electrochemical devices. He holds 23 patents with another 17 pending, and has published more than 250 journal papers. Zhang was recognized this year in both the materials science and engineering fields, and he has appeared on the list twice.

PNNL is at the forefront of energy storage research, ranging from fundamental characterization of battery materials, development of next-generation materials to improve battery performance, and creation of models that accurately represent the technical and economic impacts of real-world applications on battery performance.

This research has been instrumental in improving the reliability, efficiency, and resiliency of the power grid and increasing the driving range of electric vehicles. Since 2009, PNNL researchers have issued 390 energy storage-related peer-reviewed publications and have been awarded 45 U.S. patents, with commercial licensing to more than 20 companies.

The list applauds researchers in 21 scientific fields, with 1,661 of the researchers hailing from the United States—a 13 percent increase from 2016. In addition to the four energy storage researchers, three additional PNNL scientists and one researcher with a joint appointment at PNNL made the list in the areas of chemistry, geosciences, and pharmacology/toxicology.

Learn more about the Highly Cited Researchers List.