Battery science pioneer honoured with lifetime achievement award
Professor John Owen, Emeritus Professor of Chemistry at the University of Southampton, (pictured below) has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Faraday Institution in recognition of his outstanding contribution to electrochemistry and battery research.
The award was presented at the Faraday Institution Conference Dinner on 9 September 2026, where colleagues celebrated a career spanning more than four decades of research, innovation and mentorship.
After completing his PhD at Imperial College London, Professor Owen worked on solar energy research in Iran before returning to the UK. He joined the University of Southampton in 1990, where he founded the Solid State Electrochemistry Group and helped establish Southampton as a leading centre for electrochemical energy storage research.
His research has covered a broad range of topics, including battery characterisation methods, lithium iron phosphate materials, polymer electrodes, electrode synthesis and supercapacitors. The Faraday Institution highlighted his work on impedance spectroscopy and its impact on advancing understanding within the field.
Alongside his research achievements, Professor Owen was recognised for the lasting impact he has had on generations of scientists. Former students and collaborators now hold influential roles across academia, industry, manufacturing and policy, both in the UK and internationally.
Tributes published by the Faraday Institution praised not only his scientific expertise but also his generosity, curiosity and commitment to mentoring others. Among those paying tribute were Southampton colleagues Professor Phil Bartlett, Professor Nuria Garcia-Araez, Professor Chris Skylaris and Professor Andrew Hector, who reflected on his influence as a researcher, collaborator and mentor.
The Faraday Institution described Professor Owen as a pioneer of battery science whose influence has shaped the field through both his research and the many scientists he has trained throughout his career
