Robert Kostecki

Robert Kostecki is a Senior Scientist and Division Director of the Energy Storage and Distributed Resources (ESDR) Division in the Energy Technologies Area in Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

He is responsible for ESDR scientific, programmatic and strategic leadership in the areas of energy and environment through expanding existing research programs, assistance with development and maintenance of sponsor and partner relationships and creating new research initiatives.

His research interests focus on fundamental phenomena that determine electrochemical performance of electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems and water treatment technologies. Robert is often recognized for his pioneering work in the field of characterization of electrochemical interfaces and electrochemical systems engineering, especially in bridging the gap between fundamental science and applications of significant technological importance e.g., batteries, fuel cells and water treatment processes. He develops novel in situ and ex situ optical spectroscopy and imaging methodologies to sense basic properties of advanced materials and electrochemical interfaces at an atom, molecular or nanoparticle level.

In his work he develops novel in situ and ex situ spectroscopy and imaging methodologies to probe basic properties of electrical energy storage materials and electrochemical interfaces at an atom, molecular or nanoparticulate level. He applies new experimental approaches to characterize fundamental issues affecting rechargeable battery performance, study the nature of physico-chemical properties of interfaces, nanostructures, and the mechanism of electrochemical and chemical phenomena that control the behavior of the electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems. His R&D efforts are directed toward technology development, and the use of state-of-the-art characterization tools to support the science and engineering of sustainable energy systems.

Robert received his Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from the University of Geneva (Switzerland) in 1994. He has (co-)authored  more than 150 papers in refereed journals, 16 conference proceedings papers, more than 260 conference presentations and 30 patents and invention disclosures. He is Vice President of the International Society of Electrochemistry and an active member of numerous scientific societies and committees; organizer and chair of numerous symposia; and workshops and government-university-industry research meetings.