Drew Pereira

Drew Pereira serves as a Postdoctoral Researcher in Materials Science at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), leading research for the U.S. Department of Energy's Behind-the-Meter Storage Consortium. His work focuses on developing novel battery chemistries emphasizing high safety, durability, and cost-effectiveness for energy storage systems through advanced materials selection and characterization.

Education:

• PhD in Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina
• Bachelor of Chemical Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Research Interests:

Pereira's core expertise spans battery electrode and electrolyte development, advanced materials characterization techniques, computational battery modeling, and scalable manufacturing processes. His investigations target critical challenges in lithium-ion battery technology, particularly for behind-the-meter storage applications requiring extended cycle life and thermal stability. Current projects emphasize nonflammable electrolytes, cathode heterogeneity analysis, and performance optimization under real-world operating conditions.

Research Output Trends:

His 2022-2025 publications reveal a concentrated focus on electrolyte engineering and degradation mechanisms in lithium-titanate/LiNiMnCo oxide batteries. Key themes include solvent effects on cycle life, cutoff potential optimization, nonflammable electrolyte formulations, and microstructural aging analysis using advanced characterization. This body of work consistently addresses the consortium's mission to enable safe, long-duration storage for grid integration and commercial deployment.

Scientific Awards:

• Office of Science Graduate Student Research Fellowship (2020)

Professional Background and Collaborations:

Prior to his NREL appointment, Pereira served as Research and Development Manager at Soteria Battery Innovation Group (2021-2023) and completed a DOE Office of Science Graduate Fellowship at NREL (2020-2021). His industry experience includes cell modeling work at General Motors (2018-2019). Current research involves extensive collaboration across NREL's materials science division and external partners within the DOE consortium, with projects funded through the Behind-the-Meter Storage initiative. His laboratory work integrates electrochemical testing, electron microscopy, and multi-scale modeling to validate next-generation battery systems.