Binghamton University celebrates fifth anniversary of Nobel Laureate

BINGHAMTON, N.Y..-Binghamton University held a special celebration to honor the fifth anniversary of distinguished professor M. Stanley Whittingham receiving his Nobel Prize. To mark the anniversary, and to permanently recognize Whittingham, a commemorative marker was installed in the lobby of the Couper Administration Building. on campus.

"We can't recognize Stan enough for what he has done to advance chemistry, materials science and lithium-ion battery technology," said Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger. "To researchers around the world, he's been an inspiration. And to the faculty, staff and students at Binghamton University, Stan has been a tremendous role model, colleague, advisor and friend."

Whittingham won the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for pioneering research leading to the development of the lithium-ion battery. He received his medal at the Nobel Prize award ceremony at Stockholm Concert Hall in Sweden on Dec. 10, 2019.

Since then, Whittingham has been working to establish Binghamton a national leader in battery innovation and manufacturing, been knighted by King Charles III and gained worldwide acclaim.

"I invented lithium batteries 50-plus years ago and then they migrated to Asia. It's been my goal to bring them back to this country…." said Whittingham. "We got the Build Back Better, we got the Engines and we got designation as a hub, so I think we're ready to move forward."

Whittingham came to Binghamton University in 1988 after 16 years at Exxon Research and Engineering Company - where he received the patent for a rechargeable lithium-ion battery - and Schlumberger-Doll Research.

In his 50-plus-year career, he has been a pioneer in the development of lithium-ion batteries and his work has been called foundational by colleagues at all levels. He holds the original patent on the concept of the use of intercalation chemistry in high-power density, highly reversible lithium batteries - work that provided the basis for subsequent discoveries that now power most laptop computers, phones and other portable technologies - and his research has been called world-leading.

With more than 200 publications in some of the leading scholarly journals and 16 patents, Whittingham has earned a national and international reputation as a prolific scientist.

At Binghamton, Whittingham has also helped establish the Materials Science and Engineering Program, bringing his creativity and innovation to the University's graduate curriculum and laboratories.

"His dedication to use-inspired research related to batteries is an inspiration to so many of us who have the good fortune to be his colleagues," said Vice President for Research Bahgat Sammakia. "As we continue to work toward establishing upstate New York as America's battery capital, Stan is leading the way. He is a tireless advocate for the environment, national security and materials science."

Since joining the faculty at Binghamton, Whittingham has sustained his ground-breaking research. Working a great deal with ambient temperature, he and his research group emphasize novel approaches to synthesis which often allow structures to be formed that are unstable under the high temperatures normally used for preparing oxide.

Since winning the Nobel Prize, Whittingham has been named a member of the National Academy of Engineering; received the 2020 Great Immigrants Award by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the 2023 VinFuture Grand Prize; and was Knighted by King Charles III in his 2024 Birthday Honours "for services to chemistry."

Whittingham earned his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from Oxford University, before coming to the United States as a post-doctoral fellow at Stanford University.