A materials science researcher at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has been elected to the rank of fellow of the Materials Research Society. Chongmin Wang was recognized for his contributions to the development of transmission electron microscopy tools enabling direct observation of lithium-ion batteries during operation, leading to insights in designing better battery materials. 

Wang is a chief scientist at EMSL, the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a DOE Office of Science User Facility at PNNL.  His research focuses on correlating the structural and chemical evolution of materials, especially energy storage materials, with their functional properties. He received the MRS Innovation in Materials Characterization Award in 2016 and the Journal of Materials Research Paper of the Year award in 2015. He is also an R&D 100 award winner for implementing graphene based materials in lithium battery applications and was named the Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellow in 1994. He earned a bachelor's degree in physics and a master's in condensed matter physics from Lanzhou University in China, and a doctorate in materials science and engineering from Leeds University in the United Kingdom. He will be recognized at the organization's spring meeting in Phoenix in April.

MRS has nearly 16,000 members from 90 countries around the world.  Election as a fellow recognizes members for notable research contributions that advance the field of materials science. No more than 0.2% of members may be elected to the rank of fellow each year.