Kelsey Hatzell named 2026 Frontiers of Science Fellow
Kelsey Hatzell has been named a 2026 Frontiers of Science Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences, recognizing exceptional research and contributions to science.
Hatzell, an associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, develops new materials and devices for sustainable energy storage. Her research helps to improve performance and manufacturability of solid-state batteries, aiming to support the transition to clean energy. She has also developed carbon capture technologies to reduce the impact of fossil fuels, and specialized materials that aid in water purification.
The National Academy of Sciences hosts the Frontiers of Science symposia each year, a series of three-day events that bring together scientific leaders to share ideas across disciplines. In 2026, the academy will hold four Frontiers of Science symposia in several countries around the world. The United States symposium, where Hatzell will speak, will take place March 5-7 in Irvine, California.
Hatzell joined Princeton faculty in 2021 and is an associated faculty member with the Princeton Materials Institute. She earned her Ph.D. from Drexel University. Past honors include a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship in Chemistry, an NSF CAREER Award, the Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, the Materials Research Society’s Nelson “Buck” Robinson Award, and three teaching commendations from Princeton’s School of Engineering and Applied Science.