“What’s exciting is that we still don’t know some fundamentals about how lithium-ion batteries work yet we are pushing them to their limits. This presents great opportunities for anyone doing research in the field.”
For our latest piece on Women in Tech, we speak to Dee Strand, Chief Scientific Officer at Wildcat Discovery Technologies. Dee Strand is a seasoned expert in the field of battery science, with a career spanning over 30 years. As the Chief Scientific Officer at Wildcat Discovery Technologies, she leads a team focusing on the research and development of materials for clean energy applications. Before joining Wildcat, she worked at Dow Chemical, where she held various research and leadership roles. With a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dee’s extensive knowledge and experience place her at the forefront of innovation in energy storage and battery technologies. Her commitment to mentoring and promoting women in her field further demonstrates her dedication to progress and equality in the industry.
Our Interview with Dee Strand
Tell us about how you started and how you came to the position you’re in now.
I’m currently the CSO at Wildcat Discovery Technologies, a company that conducts research on components that go into lithium-ion batteries. Our clients include material suppliers, battery manufacturers, and automotive OEMs. Wildcat accelerates bringing products to market and developing innovative materials and manufacturing processes for lithium-ion battery materials.
Before joining Wildcat, I was at Dow Chemical in Michigan where I served as a research Fellow. My role there entailed supporting the electronic materials business as an analytical chemist and an overall problem solver. Over time, I transitioned into the Dow Ventures Group where I partnered with a commercial partner, helping Dow expand their businesses – including an entry into lithium-ion batteries.
What do you find the most exciting about working in battery and energy storage?
What’s exciting is that we still don’t know some fundamentals about how lithium-ion batteries work yet we are pushing them to their limits. This presents great opportunities for anyone doing research in the field. The technology wasn’t commercialized until the 1990s, but the progress made since then is astounding. Just look at how far our phones have come – we essentially have minicomputers because the batteries keep getting better and enable our phones to do more. The same will happen with cars.
What are your predictions for your industry in the future?
The major challenge will be cost. We need to get the cost down for electric vehicles so that we can make significant inroads into replacing internal combustion engines. The US government’s push to get the US engaged in the entire supply chain for batteries, from minerals processing to making the batteries themselves, is essential. This will drive down prices and create better supply chains in the US. There is also increasing investment into innovative battery recycling methods, which is a positive step.
However, we do face a huge shortage of engineers with practical experience in battery manufacturing in the US. Yet with more graduates coming in, this gap should close over time.
What do you enjoy the most about your work?
I really enjoy my co-workers. They’re all very intelligent, work hard, and we make a good team when solving hard problems. When you work with a team and have big accomplishments, you get to appreciate all their different strengths.
Why is there a lack of women in this field?
Historically, it was an accumulation of small disadvantages that contributed to the gender gap. When I started my career in 1989, there were 200 fellows and only 4 were women. This ratio was similar when I left this company in 2012. I feel a deep responsibility to promote other women due to the lack of a pipeline. Although there was a desire to give women opportunities in the ’90s, the male-dominated groups providing these opportunities often did not know what good opportunities for women looked like.
For example, women were often asked to lead social or safety events instead of focusing on impactful science and research. The intention was there, but the knowledge of how to help women advance in their careers was not. This is something that we still see today.
However, things are changing.
What advice would you give to others who are looking to enter the tech industry?
If you’re still a student, I’d recommend studying something with a more immediate application in batteries (or other tech fields), rather than technology that’s two decades out. The industry needs people who can work on today’s materials.
If you’re studying far-out technology, you won’t have as much exposure to the materials being used today. If you’re a competent materials scientist or have a background in manufacturing, consider the battery field. You don’t need to be a battery scientist to manufacture batteries. What you need are innovative ways to improve processes, quality control, and find methods to make the process more affordable.
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