M. Stanley Whittingham is a British-American chemist who was awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his pioneering development of the lithium-ion battery. His foundational breakthrough occurred in the 1970s while working at Exxon, where he discovered the mechanism of intercalation—allowing lithium ions to move within a crystal lattice to create the first functional, rechargeable lithium battery.
Currently a Distinguished Professor at Binghamton University (SUNY) and Director of the NorthEast Center for Chemical Energy Storage, Dr. Whittingham remains a leading figure in energy research. His work serves as the technological cornerstone for modern portable electronics and the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, fundamentally transforming how the world stores and uses power.