UMD Distinguished University Professor highlights US-France Partnership in France Science Summit

On Monday, October 20, 2025, the 3^rd France Science Summit was held at the Embassy of France in Washington, D.C. The theme this year was “Transatlantic Research Collaboration in a New Era”. Dr. Eric Wachsman, University of Maryland Distinguished University Professor and Director of the Maryland Energy Innovation Institute, was invited to speak in the opening session on the partnership between Ion Storage Systems (ION) and Saint Gobain.

ION, Wachsman’s UMD spinoff company, manufactures high energy density, solid state lithium metal batteries that are intrinsically safe and require no external heating or compression. ION’s patented battery design is nonflammable, enables fast-charging capabilities, provides wide operating temperatures, reduces volume and weight of the cells, and is compatible with current and next generation cathodes.

Saint-Gobain is a worldwide leader in materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. Its Ceramics business unit is a global innovator in the world of technical ceramics that aims at engineering a better, safer and greener world. In 2023, Saint-Gobain Ceramics both entered into a multi-year supply agreement with ION and made a major investment in the company based on their common interests in the fast-evolving domains of electric vehicles (EVs) and intertwined battery technologies.

“It was an honor to be invited to the French Embassy to highlight the international partnership between ION, a company founded on my research at the University of Maryland, and a materials industry giant like Saint-Gobain. It’s a testament to the potential for university research to make an impact on a global scale,” said Wachsman.

The France Science Summit showcased the depth of French-American collaborations in science and technology. Leading researchers from both countries as well as those from French national research centers, such as the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) – France’s national government research agency, and Inserm – the National Institute of Health and Medical Research in France, presented innovative projects addressing current global challenges including Artificial Intelligence (AI), data science, and advances in health research. Likewise, PhD students and postdoctoral researchers from the D.C. area, New York, and New Jersey were invited to take part in a dedicated poster session.