Materials Science and Engineering Professor and Nevada Regents Researcher Dev Chidambaram has been elected as a Fellow of The Electrochemical Society, the leading scientific community for electrochemistry (established in 1902), batteries and advanced materials. Chidambaram is one of 11 scientists from around the world selected for the honor this year and will be formally inducted at the ECS meeting Oct. 26 in Calgary, Canada.
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An internationally recognized expert in electrochemistry, Chidambaram studies how materials perform in extreme environments, helping improve technologies used in energy production, batteries, nuclear systems and environmental applications. His research has advanced scientists' understanding of corrosion and material degradation, leading to innovations that support safer, more efficient and more sustainable energy technologies.
He is the only professor in the state of Nevada with a degree in electrochemical engineering, and his work spans many aspects of electrochemistry, including corrosion, batteries, photoelectrochemistry, electrocatalysis, electrodeposition, coatings, interfaces and electrochemical engineering. He has authored more than 300 publications and presentations and is an inventor on multiple U.S. and international patents. Formulations developed by Chidambaram and his team are used worldwide in geothermal wells, saving millions of dollars, and his latest patent-pending technology for recycling critical materials has been licensed and spun out of the University of Nevada, Reno.
“Being named an ECS Fellow is especially meaningful because ECS has been part of my professional life since I joined the organization as an undergraduate student in 1996,” Chidambaram said. “To be recognized by a community that helped shape my professional career makes this honor deeply personal. This recognition also reflects the contributions of the students, mentors, advisors and collaborators who have helped shape and strengthen this work over many years.”
Chidambaram has received numerous recognitions for his research contributions, most recently ECS’ 2025 Rusty Award for Mid-Career Excellence in Corrosion. He also has received awards from the International Society of Electrochemistry, the American Vacuum Society and the Society for Applied Spectroscopy.
Chidambaram joined the University of Nevada, Reno in 2009. A committed educator and mentor, he has developed and teaches courses in electrochemical engineering, corrosion, nuclear materials, and batteries, mentored 35 undergraduate students and graduated 33 graduate students who now lead in industry, national laboratories, and academia. He created the nation’s first undergraduate minor in batteries and energy storage technologies and led the ABET accreditation in materials science and engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno. His recent leadership as technical lead on the “Lithium Loop” initiative underscores his role in aligning electrochemical science with regional economic and workforce development in advanced energy systems.
