Contour Energy Systems Unveils Internationally Acclaimed Scientific Advisory Board
Developer of Next-Generation Portable Power Systems Bolsters Technical Leadership with Addition of World-Class Advisors from Caltech, MIT and Blaise Pascal
AZUSA, CA – May 03, 2011 – Contour Energy Systems, Inc, an innovative portable power company commercializing next-generation battery systems, today announced the formation of a new Scientific Advisory Board comprised of leading authorities in chemistry, inorganic materials, energy storage, materials science and applied physics that will extend the company’s technical leadership in the development of next-generation battery systems.
Contour Energy’s Scientific Advisory Board consists of Dr. Robert Grubbs, a Nobel Prize winner in chemistry and professor at the California Institute of Technology; Dr. Andre Hamwi, co-founder of Contour Energy Systems and professor in the Inorganic Materials Laboratory at the University of Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France; Dr. James Akridge, an internationally acclaimed electrochemist and president of JRA Advisors; Dr. Marc Dubois, professor in the Inorganic Materials Laboratory at the University of Blaise Pascal; Dr. Yang Shao-Horn, professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Dr. Brent Fultz, professor of Materials Science and Applied Physics at the California Institute of Technology.
“The formation of our Scientific Advisory Board, that features some of the greatest minds in the development and advancement of portable power systems, is a huge addition,” said Dr. Simon Jones, vice president, technology at Contour Energy Systems. “Securing multi-disciplinary talent of this caliber not only assists us in the development of breakthrough battery systems, but will help accelerate our speed-to-market efforts as well."
Scientific Advisory Board Backgrounds
- Dr. Robert Grubbs: Victor and Elizabeth Atkins Professor of Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology and a co-Founder and Director of Contour Energy Systems. Dr Grubbs has also established several additional high technology materials companies, leveraging more than 40 years experience in the fields of catalysis, organic, organometallic and polymer chemistry. Throughout his career, Dr. Grubbs has been honored with many awards, including election to the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
- Dr. Andre Hamwi: Co-Founder of Contour Energy Systems, and a Professor in the Inorganic Materials Laboratory at the University of Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France. Dr. Hamwi has over 30 years of experience with electrochemistry and materials chemistry, holds over 30 patents, and is a globally recognized specialist in fluorine chemistry. Much of the core technology currently being commercialized by Contour Energy has its origin in the breakthrough research performed in Dr. Hamwi's
laboratories. - Dr. James Akridge: Internationally acclaimed electrochemist who has held numerous senior positions with Energizer, Sion Power and Valence Technologies. Dr. Akridge provides a comprehensive source of knowledge in all aspects of the energy storage business, from fundamental battery chemistries to the management of a publicly traded battery company, gathered throughout a career of more than 30 years from the laboratory to the boardroom. He is currently President of JRA Advisors, LLC, engaged in consultation to the global battery, fuel cell and portable power markets on all aspects of corporate structure and staffing with concentration on technical hurdles of the development of battery cells and packs.
- Dr. Marc Dubois: Professor in the Inorganic Materials Laboratory at the University of Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France. Dr. Dubois is an expert on the synthesis and characterization of inorganic and carbonaceous fluoride materials from the laboratory to the industrial scale, and has numerous publications describing their application in many fields from electrochemistry to solid lubrication.
- Dr. Yang Shao-Horn: Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a member of the MIT Presidential Energy Research Council. Dr. Shao-Horn has substantial experience in the field of electrochemical energy storage and conversion in both fundamental research and commercial application, having been employed by Energizer Holdings, Inc. prior to joining the MIT faculty. Dr. Shao-Horn's expertise is particularly acute in the application of thin films and nanomaterials towards new methods for energy storage. Her honors include the Charles W. Tobias Young Investigator Award of the Electrochemical Society, the Tajima Prize of the International Society of Electrochemistry, the DuPont Young Faculty Award, and the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award.
- Dr. Brent Fultz: Professor of Materials Science and Applied Physics at the California Institute of Technology. Dr. Fultz is a world-renowned expert in the physics and chemistry of materials for energy applications, with a particular focus on the fundamental thermodynamics of lithium and hydrogen storage. He has authored over 300 publications, including a graduate-level textbook on diffraction and microscopy of materials (now in its 3rd edition), and has received many honors including the Presidential Young Investigator Award and the TMS EMPMD Distinguished Scientist Award for 2010.
About Contour Energy Systems
Contour Energy Systems is an innovative portable power company commercializing customizable battery technologies for a wide range of cross-industry applications. Contour’s next-generation battery systems are designed to deliver unprecedented improvements in energy and power density, and are capable of performing in extreme operating conditions at significantly improved costs. Founded through the collaboration of Caltech and CNRS, the French National Center for Scientific Research, the company combines expertise in nano-materials science, patented Fluorine-based battery chemistries and manufacturing processes to significantly advance the state of portable power. Headquartered in Azusa, CA, Contour Energy is managed by a world-class team of battery industry leaders from Caltech, Energizer, General Electric, Hewlett-Packard, Sanyo and Valence Technologies. The company is privately held with funding from CMEA Capital, Harris & Harris Group, Schlumberger and US Venture Partners.
