Inaugural John Goodenough Lecture
Professor Sir M. Stanley Whittingham delivers inaugural John Goodenough Lecture at Oxford
The University of Oxford hosted the inaugural Annual John Goodenough Lecture at St Catherine’s College (Wednesday 3 December), celebrating pioneering contributions to energy storage and the global energy transition. The event was organised by the ZERO Institute, in partnership with the Departments of Engineering Science, Materials and Chemistry, the School of Geography and the Environment, and St Catherine’s College.
Professor Sir M. Stanley Whittingham FRS, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry (2019) and alumnus of New College, Oxford, delivered the lecture to an audience of over 200 attendees. His talk, “The first half century of lithium batteries and the challenges facing us in moving forward”, spanned the origins of the lithium-ion battery and explored its transformative role in enabling a sustainable energy future. Sir Stanley’s insights offered inspiration to researchers and particularly to the large community of early-career scientists in attendance.
The lecture began with a formal academic procession led by Professor Irene Tracey CBE FRS FMedSci, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, together with the University Assessor, the Bedel, and Jude Kelly CBE, Master of St Catherine’s College, underscoring the significance of the occasion.
Reflecting on the event, Professor Paul Shearing, Director of the ZERO Institute, said: “Professor Whittingham’s work over many decades has continued to push the boundaries of energy storage – from the fundamental discoveries of intercalation chemistry that launched the lithium-ion battery to their widespread modern deployment. Stan’s work serves as an inspiration to us all.”
The John Goodenough Lecture will now be an annual fixture in Oxford’s academic calendar, honouring the legacy of innovation in energy storage. The organisers expressed their gratitude to Vice-Chancellor and the Master, for their support in making this landmark event possible.
The video recording of Sir Stanley’s lecture and of the other key addresses of the evening is available here.
Find out more about the ZERO Institute here.
Imagery: Olivia Gaskin