Advanced Ionics for Sustainable Energy Laboratory (AISEL)
A record 7 UCalgary scholars named Fellows of Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada (RSC) announced its new Fellows for 2023 and a record-setting seven University of Calgary faculty members were among those to receive the prestigious honour, the greatest number ever in one year for our institution.
Fellows of the RSC are peer-elected scholars who have made remarkable contributions in the arts, the humanities and the sciences, as well as in Canadian public life.
Dr. Frank Cheng, PhD; Dr. Carolyn Emery, PhD; Dr. David Hodgins, PhD; Dr. Nicole Letourneau, PhD; Dr. Jennifer Love; PhD; Dr. Venkataraman Thangadurai, PhD; and Dr. Marcello Tonelli, MD, will be formally inducted into the RSC at a ceremony in November.
“The University of Calgary is thrilled to have seven outstanding scholars named as Royal Society of Canada Fellows this year,” says Dr. Ed McCauley, president of the University of Calgary and Fellow of the RSC.
"Their induction into the Royal Society of Canada is a testament to their remarkable contributions across various disciplines and in public life. Their achievements not only elevate our university, but also enrich our community. We are immensely proud and inspired by their dedication and excellence."
In the news
Prof V. Thangadurai appointed as one of the UCalgary Research Excellence Chairs
On July 1, 22 UCalgary faculty members will be appointed as chairs of the prestigious new UCalgary Research Excellence Chairs (UCREC) program. These appointments highlight the university's commitment to fostering cutting-edge research and innovation across various disciplines.
The new program, funded through the President’s Strategic Initiatives Fund and overseen by the Office of the Vice-President (Research), provides significant funding to support top-tier researchers who advance knowledge, address critical societal challenges, and enhance the university's research reputation on a global scale. The program draws inspiration from the esteemed Canada Research Chairs program and aims to champion scholars of comparable calibre.
The program aligns with the priorities of the newly launched Ahead of Tomorrow strategic plan through supporting research excellence, nurturing talent, and promoting transdisciplinary collaborations that push the boundaries of knowledge.
Academic Event: Advanced Solid-State Batteries-Challenges and Opportunities of Interface Science - Germany
Climate change has been recognized as a pressing concern for future generations with current pollution being one of the driving forces. Especially mobility is a large contributor to CO2 emissions, and automotive manufacturers are switching from combustion engines to electric propulsion, leading to new solutions in energy storage in vehicles. Today, lithium-ion and other alkali ion batteries are the most attractive battery technology for consumables and electric vehicles and dominate the battery market. However, current lithium-ion batteries are lacking due to the flammability of organic electrolyte components. Furthermore, the energy density of batteries is limited by the employed cell chemistry.
Advanced automotive battery conference (AABC)-San Diego
AABC was founded more than twenty years ago to review the status of automotive battery technology and provide informed glimpses into the future. The program uncovers the underlying technical and business issues that will impact the pace and path of vehicle electrification worldwide.
At this event, Prof Venkataraman Thangadurai gave a tutorial lecture on the development of state-of-the-art solid-state Li-ion and Na-ion electrolytes for all-solid-state batteries with emphasise on ionic conductivity and chemical and electrochemical stabilities.
Dr Thangadurai, Western Canada Battery Consortium Founder and Director, Discusses Future Developments of Next-Generation Battery Technologies
Innovation News Network
The 2021 winner of the Award for Research Excellence in Materials Chemistry is Dr. Venkataraman Thangadurai of the University of Calgary
Chemical Institute of Canada
Venkataraman Thangadurai is sole Canadian inducted into 2020 Class of Fellows by The Electrochemical Society
UCalgary UToday
Congratulations to our Graduate Students who have been awarded with Scholarships
Amanda Ndubuisi awarded with the Eyes High International Doctoral Scholarship 2022
Established to attract and retain the best and brightest doctoral students from around the world in support of the University of Calgary’s Eyes High vision of becoming one of the top five research universities in Canada.
Subhajit Sarkar awarded with Elizabeth Cannon Graduate Scholarship 2022
Recipients of this award demonstrate research-related entrepreneurial activities through entrepreneurial research, innovative approaches to complex problems, developing/operating a business or social enterprise or community building through innovation.
Subhajit Sarkar and Amanda Ndubuisi awarded with Alberta Innovates Graduate Scholarship 2022
Alberta Innovates supports high calibre students undertaking full-time graduate studies in Emerging Technology Areas of scientific research important to Alberta.
Research Interests
The Advanced Ionics for Sustainable Energy Lab (AISEL) works in the area of advanced all-solid-state batteries, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), and gas sensors. Some of the current research projects include:
- CO2 and humidity stable solid-state ceramic proton conductors, fast oxide ion electrolytes and mixed ionic-electronic conductors (MIECs) for advanced solid oxide fuel cells
- Ceramic Li-ion conducting membranes based on the Li-stuffed garnet to replace the state-of-the-art electrolyte system. Ceramic membranes can provide benefits such as battery safety and high voltage for next generation high energy density all-solid-state batteries
- Electrocatalysts for improving the electrode kinetics of Lithium-sulfur batteries, CO2 reduction and ammonia synthesis.
- Novel ceramic materials for sensing various gases such as CO2, SOx, NOx, H2 and humidity
Credit: Suresh Mulmi
Last update May 6, 2025