Industry Awards

Dr. Halle Cheeseman, Program Director at ARPA-E within the U.S. Department of Energy. Dr. Cheeseman will be recognized for outstanding contributions in public service to support of advanced battery technology and to public understanding of its importance to the economy and human society.

Halle Cheeseman, Ph.D. is an internationally recognized leader in electrochemical energy storage, with more than four decades of experience spanning commerical R&D, Manufacturing, and public-sector research leadership. Educated in the United Kingdom, Halle holds a PhD in Chemistry & Materials Science and began a career in batteries at Duracell, later holding senior technical and executive roles at Rayovac/Spectrum Brands and Exide Technologies. Across these organizations, Halle led global R&D organizations, advanced manufacturing, and commercialization efforts covering lead acid, primary alkaline, NiMH, lithium-ion, zinc-air and emerging battery systems.

From 2020 to 2026, Halle has served as a Program Director at ARPA-E within the U.S. Department of Energy, overseeing more than $100 million in high-risk, high-impact energy-storage research. Notable programs include EVs4ALL and PROPEL-1K, addressing affordable electric vehicles and the electrification of aviation, rail, and maritime transport. Known for technical depth, collaborative leadership, and a strong commitment to developing people, Halle is deeply honored, and wonderfully surprised, to receive NAATBatt’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Retiring from ARPA-E next month this award is a great segue to contributing for a few years yet as an advisor in the industry.

Dr. Zhengming (John) Zhang of Celgard/Polypore (Asahi Kaisei Group). Dr. Zhang will be recognized for his contributions in industry to understanding and ensuring battery safety in high-energy lithium-ion batteries. 

Dr. Zhengming (John) Zhang is the Chief Technology Officer and Chief Science Officer of Celgard LLC (Asahi Kasei Group) and a globally recognized leader in lithium-ion battery safety. His career has been devoted to understanding and mitigating failure mechanisms in high-energy batteries—one of the most critical challenges in the modern energy-storage industry.

Dr. Zhang established the Internal Spot Shorting–Induced Thermal Runaway Mechanism (ISSITRM), demonstrating that most catastrophic lithium-ion battery failures originate from localized internal short circuits in the anode that propagate through the cell, rather than from uniform bulk heating of cell components. This work fundamentally changed the understanding of lithium-ion battery failure physics.

To address this dominant failure mode, Dr. Zhang invented the Ceramic-Coated Separator (CCS), a transformative technology that suppresses internal short-circuit propagation and greatly improves both battery safety and performance. CCS has been widely adopted across the global battery industry and is now a cornerstone technology in high-energy lithium-ion cell design.

Dr. Zhang also led the cell-level working groups for IEEE P1625 and IEEE P1725—often described as a “small United Nations” of battery safety—where rigorous science, global politics, commercial interests, and regulatory requirements converged. Over many years, this work involved extensive technical debate, negotiation, compromise, straw votes, formal ballots, and direct engagement with individual organizations across countries (Asia, US, EU etc.) and industries. Through this process, he helped establish the first production-level safety standards for lithium-ion batteries.

He worked closely with organizations including IEEE, CTIA, BAJ, UL, DOT, FAA, and UN DOT, world battery producers and end users, to support the implementation and global adoption of these standards, enabling the safe everyday use of lithium-ion batteries in mobile electronics, electric vehicles, and energy-storage systems worldwide.

Dr. Zhang has organized more than 60 international battery conferences, authored over 300 scientific publications, holds more than 260 patents, and contributed to four book chapters. His honors include the 2024 International Battery Association (IBA) Technology Award and the 2026 NAATBatt Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes individuals who have made extraordinary and lasting contributions to the advancement, safety, and real-world impact of lithium-ion battery technology.

Dr. Zhang received his Ph.D. in Materials Chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and attended the MIT Sloan School of Management.