Chunmei Ban

Fulbright Global Scholar Award

Dr. Chunmei Ban is a Professor in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Materials Science and Engineering Program at the University of Colorado Boulder. She received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Binghamton University in 2008 under the mentorship of 2019 Nobel Laureate M. Stanley Whittingham and is internationally recognized for her contributions to electrochemical energy storage and sustainable energy technologies. Prior to joining CU Boulder in 2019, she served as a Senior Scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (National Laboratory of the Rockies), where she led numerous U.S. Department of Energy-funded research projects on advanced battery materials and systems, including silicon and alloy anodes, solid-state batteries, multivalent-ion batteries, redox flow batteries, and battery recycling. At CU Boulder, she founded and leads a research program focused on surface and interface science in electrochemical systems, with pioneering contributions to fluorine-free electrolytes for sodium-ion batteries, solid-state electrolytes, advanced electrochemical diagnostics. Her research bridges fundamental science and practical deployment, emphasizing manufacturability, scalability, and environmental sustainability. In 2023, she co-founded Mana Battery Inc. to commercialize advanced electrolyte technologies developed in her laboratory. Her scientific leadership and global impact have been recognized through numerous honors, including the Fulbright Global Scholar Awards (2026-2027) and the Frank Moyes Award for Excellence in Technological Innovation and Leadership (2024). Through her research, teaching, mentorship, and entrepreneurship, Dr. Ban continues to advance transformative energy technologies while training the next generation of scientists and engineers.