On Tuesday, June 18, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT), in partnership with the National Academy of Inventors, awarded Ji-Guang (Jason) Zhang, a scientist with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the inaugural “OTT/NAI Innovator of the Year” Award.
Office of Technology Transitions
July 3, 2024
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Raleigh, N.C. – On Tuesday, June 18, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT), in partnership with the National Academy of Inventors, awarded Ji-Guang (Jason) Zhang, a scientist with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the inaugural “OTT/NAI Innovator of the Year” Award. Dr. Zhang received this recognition at the annual meeting of the NAI.
Zhang currently holds 40 patents and has worked to produce EV batteries that contain more energy and last longer. His larger team within PNNL have also worked on making EV batteries lighter, more energy efficient, and less expensive to produce. Zhang and his team have also developed a program to make it easier for companies to assess new technology developed at PNNL. Zhang is also an active member of several communities of practice, including the Battery 500 Consortium.
“OTT is excited to announce the winner of the inaugural Innovator of the Year Award, developed in partnership with the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) – Dr. Jason Zhang from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). Dr. Zhang stands out for his exceptional contributions to advancing the development of energy storage technology, showcasing his passion and dedication to moving the needle on this and other technological advancements. Dr. Zhang and the larger team at PNNL have also made great strides in supporting technology commercialization - in particular, moving our amazing lab R&D into demonstration, deployment, and the marketplace. We celebrate his commitment to excellence in research and technology commercialization and look forward to PNNL’s continued efforts in supporting DOE’s mission to serve the American public," said DOE Chief Commercialization Officer and Director of the DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions (OTT), Dr. Vanessa Z Chan.
The OTT/NAI Innovator of the Year Award was created to increase visibility and highlight the invaluable contributions of our lab researchers in advancing technology transfer and commercialization missions across our DOE National Laboratories, plants, and sites. By spotlighting their groundbreaking work, the award showcases the vital role DOE Labs, and their researchers play in translating research into tangible impacts that have benefited society at large. The award is also designed to recognize the technology transfer and commercialization mission within and beyond OTT. By publicly acknowledging and honoring the exceptional efforts and accomplishments of our DOE Lab inventors, OTT aims to inspire greater engagement and collaboration, both internally and externally, toward fostering a culture of innovation and knowledge exchange. These aims support OTT’s mission to increase the commercialization impacts of DOE’s investments.
The honor will be awarded each year by the National Academy of Inventors to one person chosen from all employees of the Department of Energy, its 17 national laboratories, and other DOE sites.
About the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Technology Transitions
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) is one of the largest supporters of technology commercialization in the federal government. Founded in 2015, OTT bolsters the technology industry's market skills and enables clean energy technologies to progress through research, development, demonstration, and to deployment into the private sector to meet our nation’s climate goals.
Visit us at energy.gov/technologytransitions to learn more and subscribe to receive our latest opportunities and accomplishments via email. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.