Héctor Abruña, the Émile M. Chamot Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), is among the winners of the 2024 Global Energy Prize, which recognizes outstanding achievements in scientific and technical research and development in the field of energy.
The other recipients this year are Zi-Qiang Zhu, head of the Electrical Machines and Drives Research Group at the University of Sheffield (UK); and Minggao Ouyang, professor at Tsinghua University (China).
The prize is presented annually to pioneers who have achieved breakthroughs in conventional or alternative energy, said Sergey Brilev, president of the Global Energy Association, sponsor of the prize.
Abruña was selected in the “non-traditional energy” category for “foundational contributions spanning electrochemistry, batteries, fuel cells and molecular electronics.”
The Abruña Group at Cornell focuses on the development and characterization of new materials using a wide variety of techniques for fuel cells, electrolyzers and batteries.
“Prof. Abruña is a world leader in the field of electroanalytical chemistry, where his contributions, published in nearly 700 peer-reviewed papers and presented in over 650 invited lectures worldwide, have driven the modern world’s shift towards smarter, more sustainable carbon-neutral energy sources,” said Bruce Ganem, the Franz and Elizabeth Roessler Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology (A&S).
Abruña and collaborators have made recent advances through Cornell’s Center for Alkaline-Based Energy Solutions (CABES), an Energy Frontier Research Center supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, for developing and deploying highly efficient and environmentally benign fuel cell and electrolyzer energy technologies.
“It is a great honor and recognition that are truly humbling,” Abruña said at the July 3 announcement of the award. “The energy challenge is one that requires a global effort and commitment where we all have to contribute together because it transcends borders.”
The Global Energy Prize emphasizes the importance of international cooperation and the weight of involvement of public and private entities in efforts to ensure energy security and energy conservation on a global scale. Since 2003, it has been given to 50 scientists from 16 countries and Prof. Abruña is the first Hispanic recipient.
The award ceremony will be held in September 2024.
