2025 MRS Spring Meeting & Exhibit

Materials Needs for Energy Sustainability by 2050—Sustainability and the Advanced Materials Community

Monday, April 7
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Summit, Level 5, Signature Room

Advanced engineered materials have experienced tremendous growth in recent decades due to the performance improvements that they offer across multiple industries. For example, fiber-reinforced polymer composites are used widely in aerospace, automotive and wind energy due to their high strength and low weight, and metamaterials continue to open new electronic capabilities. Today’s commitments for sustainability place even higher expectations of advanced engineered materials, and do so across the life cycle - from manufacturing to service performance to end-of-life and circularity considerations. In some cases, sustainability requirements may force rapid development cycles to provide materials alternatives. These sustainability expectations have ushered in a new era that challenges our materials community to draw on innovation and collaboration. This panel will discuss the challenges and opportunities from research and technology through industrial applications, and share current approaches for achieving sustainability goals.

This panel session was organized by the MRS Focus on Sustainability Subcommittee; Chair: Elizabeth Kocs.  

Sponsored by: GTI Energy

 

Save Your Seat

Cynthia (Cindy) Powell

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Panelist

Cynthia (Cindy) Powell is the Chief Science & Technology Officer for the Energy & Environment Directorate at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), where she seeks to identify and foster the new ideas that will translate into tomorrow’s technology breakthroughs; build and demonstrate new research capabilities; and facilitate R&D partnerships with industry, academia and other research organizations.  A materials scientist, Powell is especially interested in the scalable solutions to the materials challenges that must be addressed to realize next-generation energy technologies. 

Prior to joining PNNL in 2017, Powell was at the National Energy Technology Laboratory, where she held a variety of leadership positions, including Executive Director of Research and Chief Research Officer. 

Powell earned BS and MS degrees in ceramic engineering from Clemson University and a PhD degree in materials science from Case Western Reserve University.

Tia Benson Tolle

Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Panelist

Tia Benson Tolle serves as Senior Director of Technology and Sustainability for Product Development (PD) at Boeing Commercial Airplanes.  In this role she leads the team responsible for developing and executing sustainability roadmaps and technologies for future production systems, products and services. She also serves as the technology investment portfolio advisor for PD.

Benson Tolle earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Washington, and Master of Science and Doctorate of Philosophy degrees in materials science and engineering both from the University of Dayton.  She also earned an Emerging Leader Certificate from the University of Dayton, and completed Villanova University’s Sustainable Enterprise Executive Education & Development (SEED). Benson Tolle was named a Fellow of the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE), is an International Past President of SAMPE, and served as President of the Materials Research Society (2014).

Sasha Myers

3M, Panelist

Sasha Myers is the Technical Leader for Aerospace & Defense within the Transportation & Electronics Business Group (TEBG) at 3M.  With over 15 years of industrial experience in technology and product development, she has been instrumental in driving innovative solutions that promote sustainability across various sectors. Her expertise spans materials science-based technology development, process and product development, and product engineering, positioning her as an informed voice representing 3M's sustainability initiatives. 

Elizabeth A, Kocs

GTI Energy and Focus on Sustainability Subcommittee Chair, Moderator

As Senior Manager at GTI Energy,  Elizabeth Kocs manages key initiatives to advance energy technology deployment, and the broader impacts of a low carbon energy ecosystem. She serves as the subject matter expert overseeing environmental, economic and societal considerations, and applying decision science to measure the impact of the energy transition. Kocs has 30 years of experience developing and managing environmental projects and leading stakeholder collaboration for applied R&D, behavioral planning and policy support locally, regionally and globally.

Through GTI Energy’s collaboration on regional clean hydrogen hubs,Kocs served as the Chief Equity Justice Officer for the Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen (MachH2) (aka Midwest hydrogen hub) where she led efforts to maximize positive impacts of hydrogen projects across the Midwest. 

Kocs holds an executive MBA degree, a PhD degree in environment behavior science, and a Bachelor of architecture.