Mark is a beamline scientist in the spectroscopy group at the Advanced Photon Source, collaborating closely with visiting researchers to execute cutting edge scientific experiments across a variety of disciplines. His research background emphasizes in-situ measurements, where chemical states are measured inside an operating battery in order to better understand the otherwise inaccessible dynamic processes. Combining high-resolution imaging, spectroscopy, and diffraction provides insights into the local interactions that drive the energy storage in cutting edge battery technologies. This research provides a foundation for future technological development that will deliver faster, more efficient, and safer energy storage solutions.

Mark completed his PhD in the chemistry department at the University of Illinois Chicago with Jordi Cabana, where he studied particle-level dynamics for layered cathodes. During this time, Mark spent a year as a visiting graduate student at the Advanced Photon Source through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Science Graduate Research Program. The result of this collaboration was a new cell for three-dimensional imaging of operating Li-ion batteries. He built upon his graduate research as a postdoctoral appointee in Interfacial Processes group working closely with Tim Fister to include additional 3D imaging in working cells, and high-temperature preparation of cutting edge battery materials. Throughout his work, Mark has written many scientific software packages to aid in data analysis and visualization.