Editors’ Choice—A Fruitful Transition of John B. Goodenough from Oxford to the University of Texas at Austin

Abstract

It is a privilege for me to write this brief perspective on the transition of John B. Goodenough from Oxford to the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin). While most people will tend to retire, Goodenough transitioned to UT Austin at the age of 64 in 1986 and has been making phenomenal contributions during the past 35 years, with a genuine passion for science and profound impact on the society at large. To highlight a few, the contributions at UT Austin include the following: chemistry and physics of high-temperature copper oxide superconductors; battery electrodes and electrolytes, including polyanion family of oxide cathodes, niobium titanium oxide anode, and Prussian Blue cathode; alkali-metal plating/stripping; solid-state batteries; flow batteries; oxygen reduction/evolution reaction catalysts; and solid oxide fuel cell electrodes and electrolytes. Finally, what distinguishes Goodenough more than anything else is his unique personal attributes.