Building Energizing Connections: Front Range Researchers Unite
This August (18-19, 2025), the Front Range came alive with scientific collaboration as the 2025 Front Range Electrochemistry Workshop (FREW) brought together over 100 researchers from across the region. Hosted at CU Boulder's Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Community (SEEC) building, this two-day gathering showcased the power of regional partnership in tackling some of our most pressing energy challenges. The workshop was funded by NSF’s Institute for Data Driven Dynamical Design.
What is Electrochemistry and Why Does It Matter?
Electrochemistry might sound complex, but it's essentially the science of using electricity to drive chemical reactions—and it's at the heart of our clean energy future. Think of the battery in your phone or car, the fuel cells powering some buses, or emerging technologies that can capture carbon dioxide from the air and turn it into useful materials. All of these rely on electrochemical processes that researchers are working to improve and expand.
Regional Collaboration
The Front Range is developing as a hub for this critical research. This workshop exemplified that spirit, bringing together researchers from Colorado School of Mines, CU Boulder, Colorado State University, the University of Wyoming, and several National Laboratories to share ideas, forge new partnerships, and identify opportunities for joint research.
"It was a really great meeting, with participants bringing an excited and motivated attitude that made for a really fantastic atmosphere," noted RASEI Fellow Mike Toney, who served on the organizing committee. The participants generated a great atmosphere at the workshop as researchers moved between presentations, interactive poster sessions, and innovative "collaboration pitch" sessions designed specifically to spark new partnerships, especially among graduate students. “The poster session was a great experience. I really enjoyed sharing my sodium-ion battery research and was exposed to a lot of fresh ideas across the electrochemistry space from other students and speakers” explained Loren Andrews, a Graduate Student at CU Boulder.
Tackling Real-World Challenges Together
The workshop covered a diverse range of applications that could transform how we store and use energy:
- Advanced Battery Technologies: Improving today's lithium-ion batteries and developing next-generation alternatives, including solid-state batteries that could be safer and more efficient
- Grid-Scale Energy Storage: Exploring redox flow batteries that could store renewable energy for entire communities
- Clean Transportation: Advancing fuel cell technology for cars, trucks, and other applications
- Sustainable Chemical Manufacturing: Developing electrochemical processes to catalyze chemical transformations
- AI-Powered Discovery: Using machine learning to accelerate the development of new materials and processes
Using Interactive Approaches to Develop Connections
What made this workshop particularly engaging was the opportunity to connect across different institutes along the Front Range region. The interactive format encouraged researchers to step out of their individual labs and think collectively about connected strengths and opportunities. Rather than just have lecture style presentations, the organizers developed a mixed schedule. The poster sessions weren't just about presenting results, they were also networking opportunities. The pitch sessions weren't just about sharing ideas, they were also about identifying concrete ways to work together.
To incentivize participation and develop some friendly competition in th poster and collaborative pitch sessions the organizers were able to offer a prize structure. For the poster session Abby Cardoza (Colorado School of Mines) won first place and Loren Andrews & Peter Romero (CU Boulder) won second place. For the Pitches a team with Cindy Wong (CU Boulder), Colby Evans (NIST), Emily Hansen (Colorado School of Mines), and Olajide Aijbade (University of Wyoming) took first place, and second place went to a team including Rebecca Beswick (CU Boulder), Peter Romero (CU Boulder), Bryce Rives (CU Boulder) Chris Sedmak (Colorado School of Mines), Matt Hammel (Colorado School of Mines). Congratulations to everyone!
The success of this workshop provides an opportunity for the regional electrochemistry community. Future gatherings will help to strengthen these collaborative connections and accelerate research
In a time where large scientific challenges are increasingly complex, events like this demonstrate how regional collaboration can be a powerful catalyst for innovation—bringing together diverse expertise, building new partnerships, and fostering new ideas.