Dr. Yi Cui stands as a preeminent leader in materials science and energy research, holding the distinguished position of Fortinet Founders Professor at Stanford University. He serves with exceptional breadth across multiple departments as Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Professor of Energy Science and Engineering, Professor of Photon Science at SLAC, and Professor by courtesy of Chemistry. Additionally, he holds senior fellowships at both the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and the Precourt Institute for Energy, reflecting his interdisciplinary impact. After earning his PhD from Harvard University in 2002, Dr. Cui rapidly established himself as a transformative researcher whose work bridges fundamental science and practical applications. His career trajectory has been marked by consistent innovation, beginning with influential postdoctoral work that set the foundation for his groundbreaking contributions to energy storage technologies.
Dr. Cui's pioneering research on silicon nanowire battery anodes, first reported in 2008, triggered global interest in nanotechnology applications for energy storage and established a new paradigm for high-capacity battery design. In 2016, he further revolutionized the field by adapting cryogenic electron microscopy to image battery components at atomic resolution, unveiling critical insights into lithium dendrite formation and solid-electrolyte interphase structure. His work has extended beyond energy storage to impact multiple critical areas including air filtration technologies, where his research directly informed World Health Organization recommendations during the global pandemic. With an extraordinary citation count exceeding 340,000, his research has demonstrable real-world impact across battery technology, solar cells, water purification, and environmental remediation. These contributions have cemented his reputation as one of the most influential materials scientists of his generation.
As Director of the Precourt Institute for Energy, Dr. Cui provides strategic leadership for one of the world's premier energy research centers, guiding efforts to address the urgent challenges of climate change and sustainable energy. He co-directs the Battery500 Consortium, a major Department of Energy initiative advancing next-generation battery technologies, and leads the Stanford StorageX Initiative focused on innovative energy storage solutions. His laboratory continues to pioneer transformative approaches to long-term energy storage, carbon dioxide capture technologies, and the development of low-cost renewable fuels. Dr. Cui has mentored numerous graduate students and postdoctoral researchers who have gone on to establish their own successful research programs across academia and industry. Looking forward, his work remains focused on developing scientifically rigorous solutions to the world's most pressing energy and environmental challenges, embodying his conviction that it all comes back to doing what is needed in the lab at the science and engineering level to engineer a new solution and then eventually applying it to generate a real product for the benefit of human society.
