Success stories - Career Development and Engagement

The first cohort of 13 Faraday Institution PhD researchers have all successfully transitioned to academic, industry, start-up or analyst roles in the battery sector, where they are utilising their specialist energy storage research knowledge and skills.

Three-month internships further increase knowledge, skills and aspirations of Faraday Institution PhD cohort researchers, and provide industry partners with a route for securing future talent.

Raising STEM career aspirations and creating a dynamic and diverse pool of talent for the fields of battery technology and energy storage.

A joint public engagement programme to bring together leading thinkers from business, science and policy who are helping to lead and shape the transition to electric vehicles has been watched over 270,000 online.

The Fully Charged Battery Box – a resource designed to enable researchers and teachers to share ideas relating to battery research in a relatable way for 7- to 11-year olds – has reached over 7500 students all across the UK.

Building closer links between industry and academia will be vital as Britain seeks to grow its battery workforce. Chemical engineer Victoria Liddle knows this better than most after spending a year as a Faraday Institution Industrial Fellow identifying the skills the next generation will need for success.

EMPOWER: A positive action career development training programme giving women the tools for career success. Find out how to apply for 2022

A joint public engagement programme to bring together leading thinkers from business, science and policy who are helping to lead and shape the transition to electric vehicles has been watched over 270,000 online.

Aaron Wade completed a three-month internship with Exawatt as part of their newly formed energy storage team. Following the internship’s success, Exawatt hired Aaron part-time.

Dana Thompson helped to set up a a new battery materials lab at Jaguar Land Rover.

Louis Dawson contributed to a report by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee in the House of Commons.

Victor Riesgo-Gonzalez completed a three-month internship with Lambda Energy, where he helped to develop a new material for solar panel applications.

Jacob Dean completed a three-month internship with the Advanced Battery Technologies team at WAE, leading to an exciting full-time role.

Benchmark Mineral Intelligence and the Faraday Institution have a shared commitment to developing talent for the UK battery sector. Three Faraday Institution PhD researchers have gained valuable skills during internships at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, with one gaining a full time role at the organisation.

Alex secured an eight-month battery internship at the European Space Agency (ESA), realising his childhood dream to work in the space sector. His internship has led to a part-time role as a contract engineer with ESA while he finishes his PhD, with a view to a long-term position. He shares what he gained from this exciting experience.

Exawatt has been a strong advocate of the Faraday Institution's PhD Internship Programme and supports the organisation’s wider talent development initiatives. Internships at Exawatt have provided researchers with valuable opportunities to gain technical skills and a more diverse perspective of the battery industry.

Georgia Rowe was one of the first Faraday Institution PhD researchers to secure an internship overseas – at the Technische Universität Dresden (TU Dresden) in Germany – with visits to the prestigious Fraunhofer Institute. She outlines the challenges of setting up a work placement abroad but the value of learning from other groups conducting research in the same field.

Showcasing the career success of talented individuals throughout our community, and how Faraday Institution training programmes, interventions, and collaborative ways of working help deliver future skills need.

Researcher spotlights that highlight the work of some of our 500 researchers, the range of journeys into battery science, and the multi-dimensional diversity in our community.