Interview with Mr. Ziqing Wang—Winner of the Batteries Travel Award
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Name: Mr. Ziqing Wang |
Self-introduction:
My name is Ziqing Wang, a PhD student at the University of Texas at Austin in the group of Prof. C. Buddie Mullins. I have developed multiple electrolyte systems for aqueous zinc-ion batteries to enable stable cycling at sub-zero temperatures and high voltages. My work also focuses on interfacial electrochemistry at the electrode surface to gain insights into reaction kinetics. I was awarded the University Graduate Continuing Fellowship (2024) and the ECS Joseph W. Richards Fellowship (2025). I have published 24 peer-reviewed articles (13 as first or co-first author) with an h-index of 16. I am also the co-founder and technical lead of StandUp Energy LLC. In my free time, I am an amateur bodybuilder.
The following is an interview with Mr. Ziqing Wang:
1. Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a little bit about your fields of interest?
I am currently a PhD student at The University of Texas at Austin. I received my bachelor’s degree from Central South University in China in 2020 and began my doctoral studies at UT Austin in 2021. My research focuses on electrochemical reactions at the electrode–electrolyte interface in zinc-ion batteries, with an emphasis on quantifying the intrinsic kinetic and thermodynamic parameters governing zinc metal plating and stripping. I further investigate how interfacial reaction activity varies across different electrode morphologies. In parallel with my academic research, I am a co-founder of a battery startup company developing 3D freestanding thick electrodes for flexible, high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries.
2. How does it feel to receive this recognition for your work? Where did you obtain the journal award participation information?
It is a great honor to receive this award, which recognizes my contributions to the battery research community. I learned about this award through the journal’s website.
3. Have you promoted it at a conference? In addition to promoting at the conference, how do you prefer to share the journal with your community?
I have already expressed my appreciation for this award and promoted the journal at a conference I attended in early 2026. I will continue to promote the journal and acknowledge this award at future conferences, including ECS, ACS, and MRS meetings.
4. How did winning this award impact your career, and what do you hope to do?
This award recognizes the work I have carried out over the past four years during my PhD studies and has given me great confidence as I prepare to face future challenges as a postdoctoral researcher. My long-term goal is to become a faculty researcher at a university, and this award will enable me to participate in additional conferences across the United States, helping me to further build my academic network.
5. What is the secret to a happy scientific life? Have you ever encountered any difficulties conducting research, and how did you overcome them?
For me, the driving force behind my research is curiosity. I approach each project with a genuine desire to understand how a system works and why it behaves the way it does. I deeply enjoy the process of decoding scientific puzzles and learning from the insights and feedback that emerge along the way. I am not motivated primarily by publications or immediate results; rather, I value what I discover and what I learn throughout the research process.
At the beginning of my PhD studies, I encountered significant challenges, most notably during the submission of my first manuscript. After a three-month revision and an extensive 80-page response to reviewers, the manuscript was ultimately rejected. I was deeply discouraged at the time. However, I soon came to understand that rejection is a common part of research and does not diminish the importance of the work itself. Through that project, I gained a deep understanding of cathode materials and ion intercalation mechanisms, which laid a strong foundation for my subsequent research. In retrospect, I am grateful to that reviewer for teaching me a crucial lesson early in my research career.
6. What is your opinion of the open access model of publishing?
I believe open access is an effective way to enable researchers to easily access scientific databases and accelerate the progress of science. However, it can also increase the financial burden on smaller research groups. As a result, some researchers may choose journals with lower publication fees, even if those journals have less visibility or reputation.
7. Which research topics do you think are of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
I strongly believe that advancing our understanding of electrochemical reactions at the electrode–electrolyte interface will continue to be a major focus of the field, particularly through the development and application of in situ characterization techniques and advanced electrochemical methods.
8. Do you have any advice for aspiring young researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their respective fields?
I am still an early-career researcher and do not consider myself in a position to offer advice to my peers. However, I would encourage them to begin testing their ideas experimentally rather than letting them remain only as thoughts. Ideas without experimental validation rarely become meaningful scientific contributions.
9. Could you share your vision for the future of your research and the contributions you aspire to make in the field of Batteries?
I aim to leverage advanced electrochemical microscopy techniques to elucidate interfacial reaction mechanisms that underlie the observed promising performance. These insights will be highly valuable for the rational design of next-generation battery systems.
10. As the winner of this award, is there something you want to express or someone to thank most?
I am deeply grateful to my PI, Dr. Mullins, for his unwavering support throughout my PhD studies. Without his guidance and encouragement, I would not have been able to achieve what I have accomplished. I also sincerely appreciate the support and constructive feedback from my lab mates and collaborators, whose insightful suggestions and ideas were instrumental in refining and strengthening my projects.