Materials of the Future

There are seemingly infinite ways to assemble atoms into new materials, but only a small fraction have the properties we want. Robots and AI can accelerate the search for better materials, but first we need a way to easily translate from the digital world into reality. Electrochemistry provides that bridge, using electricity to drive chemical reactions and create new materials. I’ll show how we build electrochemical robots that are powered by machine learning to discover the materials of the future.

My talk is about how we can use electricity to extract lithium from brine, a salty water source found in places like salt lakes. Lithium is an essential ingredient in many modern batteries, including those used in phones, laptops, and electric vehicles. I will explain why finding cleaner and more efficient ways to obtain lithium matters for energy and technology. People will leave with a better understanding of where lithium comes from and how electrochemistry can help make its extraction smarter and more sustainable.