Watson Lecture: Kimberly See Explores the Future of Sustainable Battery Chemistries

Can we reimagine the way we power modern life? On Wednesday, February 25, 2026, Kimberly See, professor of chemistry, will discuss her group's research on next-generation battery chemistry that may lead to more efficient and sustainable ways of energizing the world.

In a public talk titled "Chasing Sustainable Battery Chemistries for the Future," See will explain how the lithium-ion battery, which can be found in nearly every home, works on a chemical level and detail the limitations of its current chemistry.

"Batteries have been around for quite a long time—conventional state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries were commercialized in 1991," says See. But, she explains, "Batteries aren't fully optimized devices for the applications we need them for tomorrow.  We need sustainable batteries for electric cars, grid storage, and even electrifying airplanes, which is a really, really hard problem. In order to do all of those things, it's the chemistry inside of the battery that needs to change."

Growing up in the mountains of Colorado, See had always been interested in understanding how things worked on a fundamental level. When she was younger, See was particularly interested in plants and their process of photosynthesis, which sparked her interest in chemistry and how it can be a tool to understand the world. See earned her bachelor's degree in chemistry in 2009 at the Colorado School of Mines, where she first started researching photo-electrochemical water splitting as a third-year undergraduate. She earned her PhD in chemistry at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 2014 and following a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, she joined Caltech's faculty in 2017.

Starting at 6 p.m., members of See's lab will be present in front of Beckman Auditorium to answer questions about their current research. Attendees will have a chance to participate in hands-on activities, including the construction of a lemon battery using copper wire, zinc nails, and over 100 lemons. 

About the series

The Watson Lectures offer new opportunities each month to hear how Caltech researchers are tackling society's most pressing challenges and inventing the technologies of the future. Join a community of curiosity outside Beckman Auditorium to enjoy food, drinks, and music together before each lecture. Interactive displays related to the evening's topic will give audience members additional context and information. The festivities start at 6 p.m. Guests are also encouraged to stay for post-talk coffee and tea as well as the chance to chat with attendees and researchers.

Watson Lectures are free and open to the public. Register online to attend.

A recording will be made available on our YouTube channel.

Recommended Reading

Brush up on the topic before the lecture! Click on the titles below to purchase from our partner bookseller, Vroman's.

• Bottled Lightning: Superbatteries, Electric Cars, and the New Lithium Economy by Seth Fletcher
• The Electric Life of Michael Faraday by James Arnold Crowther
• Basher Science: The Complete Periodic Table: All the Elements with Style! by Adrian Dingle, Simon Basher, Dan Green
• Dr. Ochoa's Stellar World: We Are All Scientists by Ellen Ochoa