Cancun was my second meeting. What I’ve noticed so far is how giving everyone is. Total strangers, some very important ones, have been more than willing to share their science or help me understand the inner-workings of the Society. The meetings feel like safe places where I can ask stupid questions and be vulnerable. Which, they say, is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change. (After you’ve read the highlights, go watch Brene Brown’s TED Talk  on The Power of Vulnerability. She has the research!)

Over 2,000 people attended the 2014 ECS and SMEQ Joint International Meeting in Cancun, Mexico. This was ECS’s first return visit to Cancun since 2006. Participants could choose among 51 symposia and 2,299 presentations.

(Look for photos on Facebook.)

Electrochemical Energy and Water Summit

Brainstorming breakout session at the Electrochemical Water and Energy Summit

In its first “Science for Solving Society’s Problems Challenge,” ECS partnered with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to leverage the brainpower of the many scientists in electrochemistry and solid state science and technology that regularly attend ECS meetings. The four grantees were identified during a multi-day workshop. Over 100 researchers were guided through a brainstorming and working group session with the theme of improving access to clean water and sanitation in developing countries. The winners:

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Find openings in your area via the ECS job board.

ECS’s job board keeps you up-to-date with the latest career opportunities in electrochemical and solid-state science. Check out the latest openings that have been added to the board:

Sr. Process Engineer
TriStaff Group – San Diego, California
As our Sr. Process Engineer, you will be responsible for the process development for advanced capacitive energy storage devices. This is a hands-on role, spending a significant amount of time in the lab doing work aimed at developing lab scale and pilot line processes for advanced electrodes and energy storage devices

Faculty Positions
Soochow University – Suzhou, China
Ten full professor or principal investigator (PI) and 20 associate professor positions are available at Institute of Energy of Soochow University. The Institute of Energy focuses on researches in areas related to science and technology of new energy.

Postdoctoral Research Associate
Brookhaven National Laboratory – Upton, New York
Essential duties and responsibilities include: development of lithium rechargeable cell technologies utilizing Sulfur based cathode materials, conduct basic research on multiple battery materials and electrochemical systems by utilizing various material and electrochemical characterization techniques, plan and execute research experiments in electrchemical call systems via material processing, study cell level component interactions, achieve mechanistic understanding and identify degradation mechanisms, and implement and create methods of diagnostic testing for battery characterization.

Find openings in your area via the ECS job board.

ECS’s job board keeps you up-to-date with the latest career opportunities in electrochemical and solid-state science. Check out the latest openings that have been added to the board:

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Photoelectrochemical Materials
The University of Toledo – Toledo, Ohio
The Ohio’s Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization at The University of Toledo, Ohio invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship opportunity. The postdoctoral position is expected to conduct research in synthesis and characterization of oxide materials for the application of photoelectrochemical hydrogen production via water splitting.

Postdoctoral Position-Layered Semiconductor Materials
Temple University – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
A postdoctoral position is available in the Chemistry Department at Temple University. The position resides within the confines of a newly funded Department of Energy – Energy Frontier Research Center. The focus of the Center is the rational design of layered semiconductor materials for use in energy applications, such as water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction.

Chemistry Formulation Engineer (Electroplating)
Xtalic Corporation – Marlborough, Massachusetts
Xtalic Corporation, a dynamic, growing Boston-area company, develops commercial electrolytic processes that create new metal alloys based on nanotechnology developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  We are seeking an energetic, results-oriented engineer to join our development team.

Membrane Technologist – Electrochemist for Fuel Cells
W.L. Gore – Elkton, Maryland
Gore is a technology-driven global company built on entrepreneurial innovation, integrity, and teamwork. Our diverse portfolio includes everything from high-performance fabrics and implantable medical devices to industrial manufacturing components and aerospace electronics. Through our product leadership, we’ve been changing lives and changing industries for more than 50 years.

Find openings in your area via the ECS job board.

ECS’s job board keeps you up-to-date with the latest career opportunities in electrochemical and solid-state science. Check out the latest openings that have been added to the board:

Battery Scientist
Imprint Energy – Alameda, California
Imprint Energy is seeking an exceptionally talented, innovative, and versatile Battery Scientist to join our technical team and “make it work!” This person will join a small but growing team with momentum behind them. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to shape the development of Imprint Energy’s novel battery technology from early prototypes through to application development and mass deployment. The successful candidate will have a strong background in electrochemistry and battery research and development.

Director of Research
ZincNyx Energy Solutions, Inc. – Vancouver, BC, Canada
We are looking for the right candidate to fill our Director of Research position based out of our beautiful Vancouver, BC office. The position is permanent, full time and will skyrocket the right candidate’s career!

Postdoctoral Fellow in Electrocatalysis
Miami University – Oxford, Ohio
Postdoctoral Fellow to conduct laboratory research on electrocatalysis of facet-controlled Pt-group metal nanocrystals, interpret and analyze obtained results, draft manuscripts reporting experimental results, assist supervising graduate and undergraduate researchers in the group.

This weekend I watched the recently released short film, Disruption, which is available online for free viewing. In less than one-hour, the scientists, authors and activists featured in the film highlight some truly frightening data and trends. As those who believe in the vast majority of the science already understand, we must do more to limit greenhouse gas emissions if we want any chance of keeping global temperature change below 2°C relative to pre-industrial levels.

Thankfully, the conversion to a clean energy economy is already feasible, both economically and technologically. Countries like Germany have been demonstrating the possibilities of renewable energy, despite having sunshine similar to that of Alaska. We also know the scientists of ECS are currently working on even more exciting research to improve our understanding and technological capabilities in photovoltaics, nanotechnology and fuel cells, among other cutting-edge fields.

In my view, the bold pledge to move toward open access at ECS has serious implications for action on climate change. If we can make the scientific research results and latest findings more widely accessible, we may speed up the scientific discovery process. Perhaps a young scientist in the developing world will unlock the key to some perplexing scientific dilemma, once we’ve made the latest findings more freely available in an ECS journal. Many of us believe we can accelerate the pace of innovation, and help solve critical challenges by opening access to scientific research. You can support those efforts by donating to the ECS Publications Endowment.

In the meantime, I plan to attend the Peoples Climate March on Sunday, September 21. There is an entire staging area for scientists, among the various  1,500 other groups, including students, environmentalists, labor unions, and community activists. Together, we’ll be demanding action on climate change, just two days before President Obama and other world leaders are set to attend a Climate Summit at the United Nations hosted by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

The NeXXt Scholars Program was launched by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in December 2011.

The New York Academy of Sciences in partnership with the U.S. Department of State and a consortium of 38 women’s colleges launched the NeXXt Scholars Program, now entering its third year, to help engage and advance American women and women from countries with predominantly Muslim populations in pursuit of undergraduate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) academic fields. In order to accomplish this goal, the Academy will provide partnership, mentorship, and networking support for these NeXXt Scholars by way of a STEM Fellow who will serve as a one-to-one mentor.

Applications for 2014 STEM Fellow positions are being accepted until September 20th.

Find more information or submit an application today.

ECS is also proud to provide students with excellent opportunities in electrochemical and solid state science and technology. Network at the Society’s meetings or become a member to receive even greater benefits.

Find openings in your area via the ECS job board.

ECS’s job board keeps you up-to-date with the latest career opportunities in electrochemical and solid-state science. Positions are constantly updated and employers have the ability to post openings free of charge.

Check out the latest openings that have been added to the board:

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Photoelectrochemical Materials
The University of Toledo – Toledo, Ohio
The Ohio’s Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization at The University of Toledo, Ohio invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship opportunity. The postdoctoral position is expected to conduct research in synthesis and characterization of oxide materials for the application of photoelectrochemical hydrogen production via water splitting. Candidates with strong background on solid state and/or wet chemical synthesis are highly preferred.

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Electrochemical Materials
Texas State University – San Marcos, Texas
The Postdoctoral position will involve conducting research in the synthesis and characterization of materials for electrochemical energy storage and conversion technologies.

ITRI-Rosenfield Postdoctoral Fellowship
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory – Berkeley, California
The Environmental Energy Technologies Division (EETD) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory invites applications for a distinguished postdoctoral fellowship opportunity. The fellowship will allow an outstanding recent or upcoming Ph.D. recipient to engage in innovative research leading to new energy efficiency technologies or policies and reduction of adverse energy-related environmental impacts. The successful applicant will serve a one-year term appointment with the possibility of a one-year renewal.

Greg, a 6 year ECS member, thinks the older you get the more important membership becomes.

Our last video, shot in May 2014 was about coming to the ECS meetings. This new one, also shot in Florida, is about becoming a member.

Turns out there are a lot of reasons to become a member. But the best part for me was sharing the finished product with the folks here in the home office. They walked away with a smile, saying it was nice to hear all those good things about ECS.

You can have your head down working so hard, so focused on the day-to-day, that it’s easy to forget the big picture and what all those little things we do here add up to.

Thanks to all the members!

Find out more about individual, institutional, and student memberships.

2014 ECS and SMEQ Joint International Meeting

Four Short Courses will be offered in Cancun on Sunday, October 5, 2014 at the start of the 2014 ECS and SMEQ Joint International Meeting .

ECS Short Courses are all day instruction designed to provide students or the seasoned professional a wide range of topics. Taught by industry experts, the small class size makes for an excellent opportunity for personalized instruction.

The registration fee for the Short Courses is $425 for ECS Members and $520 for Nonmembers. Students may register for a Short Course at a 50% discount—ECS Student Members: $212.50, and Nonmember Students: $260.

The registration fee for the course includes participation in the course, text materials, continental breakfast, luncheon, and refreshment breaks. The Short Course registration fee does not include or apply to the general Meeting Registration, and it is not applicable to any other activities of the meeting.

Here’s the line up:

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