Stanford Researcher Linh Le Receives L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Li-S Battery Innovations
Linh Le, a 29-year-old postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University, is developing ultra-fast charging batteries for electric vehicles and smartphones in collaboration with the US Department of Energy. In November 2025, she received the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award for her contributions to lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery research, which aims to enhance energy storage capabilities.
Her work includes improving battery formats to increase durability, safety, and charging speed. After completing her PhD on lithium-metal batteries, she focused on Li-S technology, which offers higher energy density and lower costs compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries.
Despite challenges such as limited anode durability, she is now shifting her research to sodium-ion batteries, a promising alternative for large-scale energy storage. Le anticipates significant demand for battery technology as the transition to electric vehicles accelerates globally.
