Lab's strengths in energy storage, climate, and chemistry lead the way
December 18, 2015 
RICHLAND, Wash. - 6 scientists at the D.O.E.'s Pacific Northwest National Lab are included in a new analysis of scientists whose work is cited most often by their peers.
The analysis published this week by Thomson Reuters acknowledges scientists who are among the top one percent of researchers worldwide when it comes to other researchers citing their work. The analysis covers citations in a number of scientific areas from 2003 through 2013.
A citation is evidence that one's work is considered important by one's peers - that the work provided an important building block for other scientists to build upon to make discoveries. It's one way to measure a phenomenon that Isaac Newton gave voice to when he said, "If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants."
The 6 PNNL scientists are acknowledged for work in disciplines where PNNL is highly regarded internationally - climate science, energy storage, materials science, and chemistry. The lab's research in these areas addresses some of the biggest challenges facing the nation today, including the needs for better energy storage, reduction of fossil fuel use, and better tools to model climate change.
Climate Science
The 3 scientists acknowledged in this area are Richard Easter, Steven Ghan, and Philip Rasch. All 3 are developing new ways to understand a very important climate issue that currently poses a lot of uncertainty: What is the impact of clouds and small particles in the atmosphere as the climate changes? The particles can be natural, such as from a volcano or from waves breaking on the ocean, or they can come from processes such as energy production. The particles form the core of clouds, which hold huge sway in how energy is shunted around the globe; the chemistry and physics involved in understanding the process are formidable. At PNNL, Easter, Ghan and Rasch are part of one of the world's top teams studying these processes.
Chemistry, energy storage, and materials science
The 3 scientists acknowledged for this work include Ji-Guang (Jason) Zhang, Jun Liu, and Yuehe Lin. Zhang and Liu focus their work on materials science and energy storage, particularly batteries that are smaller, more efficient, less expensive, and even fundamentally different than current technologies. Developing better batteries is key not only for common devices like laptops and cell phones; it's central to the world's ability to develop improved electric cars and to store renewable energy generated from wind, solar and hydropower for later use. Zhang was acknowledged in the magazine's engineering category, while Liu was acknowledged for his work in both the materials science and chemistry fields.
Lin, whose primary appointment is at Washington State University and who has a joint appointment at PNNL, was acknowledged for his research in chemistry. Much of his work involves chemical and biological sensors based on nanomaterials, with applications including disease diagnosis and drug delivery, and research on new materials for fuel cells and batteries.
Tags: Energy, Environment, Fundamental Science, Awards and Recognizes, Batteries, Climate Science, Atmospheric Science, Chemistry
Interdisciplinary teams at Pacific Northwest National Lab address many of America's most pressing issues in energy, the environment and national security through advances in basic and applied science. Founded in 1965, PNNL employs 4,400 staff and has an yearly budget of nearly $1 billion. It is managed by Battelle for the D.O.E.'s Office of Science. As the single biggest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, the Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information on PNNL, visit the PNNL News Center, or follow PNNL on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and Twitter.
