January 9, 2026: NAATBatt International announced on January 5 three industry luminaries as recipients of the trade association’s lifetime achievement awards for 2026.

Zhengming (John) Zhang, chief technical officer and chief scientific officer of Polypore International, is receiving his award for contributions to understanding and ensuring battery safety in high-energy lithium ion batteries.

He received the 2024 International Battery Association Technology Award for inventing a ceramic coated separator, which the IBA said has greatly improved battery safety, energy density and life.

Anna Stefanopoulou, professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan and the William Clay Ford professor of manufacturing at the university, is being honoured for her outstanding contributions in academia in advanced battery technology studies.

Also recognized is Halle Cheeseman, program director of the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). The ARPA-E program has led on projects including studies into ionics – novel ion conducting solids for fuel cells, flow batteries and all solid-state batteries.

NAATBatt said Cheeseman is being honoured for outstanding public service contributions in support of advanced battery technology and public understanding of its importance to the economy and human society.

All three will be formally presented with their awards at a dinner on February 11 — during the trade body’s annual meeting and conference in Arizona.