On 9th June 2026, Professor Atsuo Yamada, the Department of Chemical System Engineering, has received the 2026 EnSM Award, presented by Energy Storage Materials, an international journal in the field of energy storage materials and devices.
2026 EnSM Award
The EnSM Award is presented annually to one researcher who has demonstrated outstanding innovation and made internationally significant contributions to the field of energy storage materials and devices. Previous recipients include leading battery researchers such as Khalil Amine, Akira Yoshino, Y. Shirley Meng, and Gerbrand Ceder. Professor Yamada’s selection for the award recognizes the international impact of his long-standing achievements in fundamental research and materials development. As the award recipient, Professor Yamada is scheduled to deliver an award lecture entitled “Multifaceted Approach Toward Sustainable Batteries” at the International Energy Storage Materials Conference, to be held in Dresden, Germany, in September 2026.
About awarded research
Professor Yamada has advanced research on materials, electrolytes, and interfaces for lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, and next-generation energy storage devices. His work integrates materials synthesis, structural and physicochemical characterization, electrochemical evaluation, and mechanistic analysis. In addition, he has effectively combined experimental research with computational science, including first-principles calculations and molecular dynamics simulations, as well as data science, to elucidate the mechanisms underlying energy storage functions at the atomic and molecular levels.
In particular, through his research on olivine-type LFP cathode, novel iron sulfate-based sodium cathode, highly concentrated electrolytes, and the reconstruction of fundamental electrochemical frameworks, Professor Yamada has provided new guiding principles for addressing key challenges in battery technology, including resource constraints, safety, and higher energy density. His work has also helped establish the scientific foundations that underpin the large-scale global deployment of battery technologies in electric vehicles and stationary energy storage applications. A distinctive feature of his research is its system-level approach: rather than treating materials as isolated components, it seeks to understand and design electrodes, electrolytes, interfaces, and devices as an integrated system.
Toward the realization of a sustainable energy society, rechargeable batteries are becoming increasingly important as core technologies supporting the expanded use of renewable energy, electric mobility, and distributed energy systems. This award highlights the international presence of interdisciplinary research at the Graduate School of Engineering, spanning materials science, electrochemistry, computational science, and data science. Professor Yamada will continue to contribute to the advancement of next-generation energy storage technologies and the development of young researchers through research that deepens fundamental science while keeping social implementation in view.
Your impression & future plan
I am deeply honored to receive this award. Battery research is a comprehensive endeavor that views materials, electrolytes, interfaces, and devices from an integrated perspective, while connecting fundamental science with social implementation. I regard this award as recognition of the journey I have shared with the students and staff in my laboratory, our collaborators in Japan and abroad, and the many people who have supported our work. I am sincerely grateful to all of them and will continue striving to advance energy storage science for a sustainable energy society.
Energy Storage Materials: Winner of the ENSM Award
