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The National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship Award supports advanced training in science and engineering to cultivate exceptional talent and innovation among scholars.
Anish Avasthi, a PhD pre-candidate in Chemical Engineering, has been honored with the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship Award from the Department of Defense (DoD).
The NDSEG Fellowship has recognized exceptional scholars across science and engineering disciplines since its inception, with over 4,700 fellowships awarded to date from a pool of more than 70,000 applicants. The DoD continues its commitment to supporting individuals who demonstrate remarkable ability and specialized aptitude for advanced training in these fields, with plans to confer new three-year graduate fellowships annually.
“Receiving this award is a huge honor, as it not only provides me with the flexibility to further pursue my research but also acknowledges all my hard work so far. It opens doors for future research, and I hope to contribute to the advancement of more sustainable transportation technologies.”
Anish Avasthi
Chemical Engineering PhD pre-candidate
“Receiving this award is a huge honor, as it not only provides me with the flexibility to further pursue my research but also acknowledges all my hard work so far,” Avasthi said. “It opens doors for future research, and I hope to contribute to the advancement of more sustainable transportation technologies.”
Avasthi, a researcher in the Kamcev Lab, is dedicated to pioneering advancements in electric vehicle (EV) battery technology. His focus lies in developing solid-state lithium metal batteries, a promising alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries currently prevalent in small electronic devices. While lithium-ion batteries have served adequately in devices like phones and laptops, their limitations become apparent when scaled up for EVs due to their relatively lower energy density and safety concerns associated with the liquid electrolyte.
“Lithium metal batteries have more power potential, but traditional configurations pose risks of dendrite formation, short-circuiting, and even explosions,” Avasthi said. “My research aims to address these challenges by transitioning to solid-state electrolytes, which offer enhanced safety and reliability.”
Avasthi’s innovative approach involves leveraging solid materials with robust bonding properties, mimicking the electrical behavior of liquid electrolytes while mitigating the risks associated with dendrite formation. By developing advanced materials and engineering techniques, he aims to enable the production of high-performance, safe and reliable batteries suitable for the electric vehicle market.
“I am very happy to see Anish get recognized with an NDSEG fellowship,” said Jovan Kamcev, Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering and Principal Investigator of the Kamcev Lab. “He has worked hard to get to this point in his young career, and I am sure he will be a wonderful representative of the fellowship. I am looking forward to working with him on this exciting research project during his PhD.”
With the support of the NDSEG Fellowship, Avasthi is poised to continue his research, contributing to a greener future on the roads through the development of battery technologies for electric vehicles.