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February 2023
Q&A With Mou Paul: Artist Making Better Fuel Cells, Water Treatment Systems, and Cheese
As part of the Manufacturing Masterminds Q&A profile series, NREL senior staff scientist Mou Paul shares how she wanted to be a "great writer and a great scientist, too." Today, Paul has published fictional short stories as well as more than 40 scientific publications, won several high-profile awards, and earned more than 50 patents.
January 2023
New Model Could Help Break Through Inefficiencies of Common Water Treatment Systems
In the coming decades, water scarcity and insecurity is likely to intensify across much of the United States, which is why NREL researcher Hari Sitaraman is working to improve reverse osmosis systems.
News Release: NREL Develops Systematic Framework To Compare Performance of Plastics Recycling Approaches
Researchers at NREL examined the benefits and trade-offs of current and emerging technologies for recycling certain types of plastics to determine the most appropriate options.
December 2022
Scientists Discover Enzymes That Could Make It Cheaper To Recycle Waste Polyester Textiles and Bottles Than Making Them From Petroleum
Using Machine Learning, the NREL-Led Team Discovered Variants of "Plastic-Eating" Enzymes Adapted To Deconstructing all Varieties of PET--Even Durable Crystalline Varieties
NREL Selects Manufacturers of Small- and Medium-Sized Wind Turbine Technology for 2022–2023 Funding
NREL has announced plans to award $2.9 million to 11 manufacturers of small- and medium-scale wind turbine technology through CIP. These awards help manufacturers of wind turbines less than 1 megawatt in capacity, as well as other distributed wind technology.
Two NREL Scientists Recognized for Their Contributions to Coating Science and Technology
Scott Mauger and Michael Ulsh received awards at this year's International Society of Coating Science and Technology (ISCST) Symposium.
November 2022
Enzymes and Bacteria Sent on Mission To Upcycle Plastics
A plastic-degrading enzyme and an engineered bacterial strain have just been launched into space with an important mission: to convert waste plastics to upcycled materials during spaceflight.
Collaborative Database Maps Lithium-Ion Supply Chain Landscape
Developing a secure supply chain—from material extraction to manufacturing battery cells and packs—is essential for a competitive edge in lithium-ion domestic and global markets.
October 2022
NREL, Mines Researchers Show Advances in Development of III-V Solar Cells for Use on Earth
Two recently published papers spell out advances in the field of photovoltaics made from III-V materials. The improvements to the III-V solar cells will help the technology find a terrestrial home. III-V cells—although efficient—carry such a high price tag it only makes economic sense to use them on satellites and Mars rovers.
Why the World Needs Manufacturing Masterminds
Read a summary of the six manufacturing experts profiled throughout the year as part of NREL's Manufacturing Masterminds Q&A profile series.
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Last Updated May 5, 2025