Celebrating the best in battery research: Faraday Institution Community Awards 2026
Thursday 17 September 2026
Celebrating the best in battery research: Faraday Institution Community Awards 2026
Academics from Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), University of Warwick, have been recognised for their research excellence at this year's prestigious Faraday Institution Community AwardsLink opens in a new window.
Hosted each year, the Awards celebrate the people who go above and beyond in advancing energy storage research and innovation: the pioneers helping position the UK as a global leader in battery research and develop a sustainable, competitive, and resilient frontier industry.
WMG's Battery Materials and Cells GroupLink opens in a new window (BMAC) was awarded this year's Collaboration Award, while Dr Ivana HasaLink opens in a new window, Associate Professor in Electrochemical Materials, was Highly Commended for the Researcher Development Champion Award.
Collaboration Award — Winner
Various projects led by Louis PiperLink opens in a new window, Professor of Battery Innovation, alongside WMG colleagues Dr Ashok MenonLink opens in a new window, Dr Gerard BreeLink opens in a new window, Dr Galo Fajardo PaezLink opens in a new window, and Dr Satish BollojuLink opens in a new window, were praised for creating a highly impactful and scalable model for international battery collaboration with the Lithium Triangle in South America.
Working closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), UK Ambassadors across the Lithium Triangle, and the Faraday Institution, WMG's Battery Materials and Cells Group has established a highly integrated UK-Latin America battery partnership — bringing together universities, national facilities, government and industry.
Several major community, research and translational outcomes have been delivered as a result, including the development of:
- A joint FCDO-Faraday Institution Visiting Research Fellowship programme, which has brought researchers from Chile and Argentina into leading UK battery research groups.
- A Warwick-Bolivia programme, supporting up to 10 Master’s scholarships, alongside battery manufacturing training delivered both at WMG and in Bolivia.
- Spanish-language battery materials and manufacturing training to make battery-related expertise more accessible across Latin America.
"For me, the biggest achievement is the network that has been built", said Professor Piper. "Researchers who might never otherwise have worked together are now sharing expertise, facilities and ideas, and those relationships are continuing to generate new research, training and collaboration opportunities."
Researcher Development Champion Award — Highly Commended
A passionate advocate for skills development, Dr Ivana Hasa was recognised for consistently going the extra mile to ensure participants of the WMG Battery SchoolLink opens in a new window receive high-quality, effective training that strengthens their technical knowledge and practical research skills.
Delivered through WMG Skills CentreLink opens in a new window in partnership with the Faraday Institution, the programme brings together fundamental and applied battery technology research, including introducing students to the core principles of electrochemistry, battery manufacturing and characterisation, and battery systems engineering
"The WMG Battery School brings together expertise from across WMG to give early career researchers practical experience, knowledge and valuable opportunities to connect with the wider battery community", explains Dr Hasa.
Under her leadership, the School has thrived, training 120 participants through week-long sessions, including lectures and lab sessions.
The Faraday Institution commended Dr Hasa for creating “an encouraging and supportive environment while ensuring the programme remains current and relevant to the needs of researchers.”
"Supporting the next generation is one of the most rewarding aspects of my academic career", commented Dr Ivana Hasa. "It is a privilege to lead the School, and this recognition reflects the collective commitment and dedication of colleagues across WMG, the WMG Skills Centre, and the Faraday Institution."
Discover WMG's pioneering battery materials and cells research: Electrochemical Materials Team - WMGLink opens in a new window