Chemist and consultant with four decades of experience in the area of electrochemical energy related devices, including batteries, capacitors, fuel cells, electrolysis and corrosion. Has significant expertise in laptop, cell phone, and e-cigarette batteries, electric vehicles, and other applications of electrochemical energy storage. Expert working knowledge of electronics and laboratory instrumentation as applied to the testing of batteries, chargers, and battery-powered devices.

Formal Education

  • Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  • B.S. in Chemistry, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Career Highlights

  • Technical leader for development and commercialization of highpower alkaline cells for a custom OEM application
  • Inventor of novel gas diffusion membranes and air cathodes for zinc-air hearing aid batteries to improve performance at lower cost
  • Managed an analytical chemistry group charged with analyzing battery failures and anomalous behaviors involving chemical analyses, electrochemical testing, and CT imaging
  • Served as PI for a multi-million dollar U.S. Advanced Battery Consortium grant for lithium-polymer electric vehicle battery research and a multi-million dollar U.S. Department of Energy grant for iron-air battery research
  • Developed rechargeable lithium batteries for cellular phones
  • Tested silver-iron batteries for a military application
  • Invented magnesium-sea water batteries for a sea-floor application
  • Former technical leader of a leading materials technology company's battery and capacitor team
  • Involved in the development and commercialization of electrodes and separators for supercapacitors with organic electrolyte
  • Named inventor on nine issued U.S. patents in the area of electrochemistry and electrochemical energy storage

Expert Qualifications

  • Retained as an expert witness more than fifty times in litigation relating to battery failures, electrochemistry, and supercapacitors and deposed about half a dozen times
  • Certified Fire and Explosions Investigator (CFEI)

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Frequently Asked Questions

What types of cases can this expert support?

This expert handles battery failures and electrochemistry cases across automotive, consumer electronics, medical devices, military systems, and renewable energy. They've been retained as an expert witness more than 50 times and deposed about half a dozen times, so they understand litigation. Battery, charger, or power storage failure? They can help.

What is this expert's technical background?

PhD in inorganic chemistry from Rensselaer, 40 years in electrochemical energy work. They led battery development at W.L. Gore, managed battery failure analysis teams, and invented lithium batteries for cell phones, magnesium-seawater batteries for undersea use, and air cathodes for hearing aid batteries. Nine US patents to their name in electrochemistry.

What technologies does this expert specialize in?

Batteries across the board: lithium-ion, alkaline, zinc-air, magnesium. Fuel cells, supercapacitors, and corrosion analysis too. Lab testing includes charger analysis, battery-powered device testing, and failure investigation with CT imaging and chemical analysis. They're also a Certified Fire and Explosions Investigator (CFEI).