classics ecs - electrochemical society · 2016-04-27 · the kinetics of the hydrogen evolution...

32 TheElectrochemicalSocietyInterface•Spring2011

Supramaniam SrinivaSan, affectionately called “Srini,” wasborninSriLankaonAugust12,1932.HegraduatedwithadegreeinchemistryfromtheUniversityofCeylon.Inspired

by Dr. M. A. V. Devanathan, a distinguished electrochemistfromSriLanka,SrinipursuedelectrochemistryforhisgraduateworkattheUniversityofPennsylvania,undertheguidanceofProf. John Bockris. His thesis dissertation dealt with the useanddeterminationofhydrogenandtritiumseparationfactors,as a diagnostic tool, for elucidatingthekineticsofthehydrogenevolutionreaction. After completing his thesis,Srini continued with Prof. Bockris asa post-doctoral fellow, and workedon the kinetics of electrochemicalreactionsonporouselectrodes—astartofhisfuelcellcareer.

In late sixties, Srini joined thelaboratoryofDr.PhilSawyer,acardiacsurgeonatDownstateMedicalCenter,to investigate and establish the roleof electrochemical phenomena inbiological systems. Dr. Sawyer wasinterested in atherosclerosis andwas conducting research on therelationship between the nature ofthe charges on blood constituentsand the clotting behavior. Srini madequantitativeassessmentsofthenatureofthechargeofredbloodcells,whitecells, and platelets and devised easyscreening methods to predict theclotting behavior. That research leadDr.Sawyertodeviseauniquemethodoftreatingbovinevesselstomakethemfit foruseasbypassducts forcardiacpatients. ItwasduringthistimeatDownstateMedicalCenter,hewrotehisfirstbookonFuel Cell ElectrochemistrywithProf.Bockris.

AfterabriefstayatIBM,SrinijoinedBrookhavenNationalLaboratory (BNL) and established a Hydrogen EnergyTechnologyGroupwithreputedelectrochemistsandaneager,youngergenerationofresearchers.AtBNL,heplayedamajorrole in initiating the Fuel Cells for Transportation Program,sponsoredbytheU.S.DepartmentofEnergy.Inkeepingwithhisphilosophyofcareerdevelopment,“Getin,Geton,Getout”(Bockris inthe“InMemorium”compilation,2004,compiledby Mangai Srinivasan), Srini then moved to Los AlamosNational Laboratory (LANL), where he established anotherlargefuelcellgroup.Hisground-breakingworkatLANLleadtothedevelopmentofverylowloadingfuelcellelectrodes,andformedthebasisofLANL’scontinuedeffortstofurtherreducecatalyst loadingsandremovePtcostasoneof the impedingfactorsinthecommercializationofthetechnology.

After spending a year in Toronto at the Institute forHydrogenSystemsattheUniversityofToronto,SrinibecameDeputy Director of the Center for Electrochemical SystemsandHydrogenResearch(CESHR)atTexasA&MUniversity in1988.HeestablishedalargePEMfuelcellgroupandconducted

Supramaniam Srinivasanby S. Sarangapani and B. Tilak

collaborativeresearchinenergystoragewithvariousnationallaboratories.Duringhis tenureatCESHR,Srini saw theneedfor a standardized test equipment for fuel cell research, toallowtheresearchersworldwidetocompare their resultsandimprove the state-of-the-art faster. He founded GlobeTech toproduceandsellhisfuelcellteststation.Srini’steststationhasbeendeployedallaroundtheworld,andmade itpossible tocomparativelyevaluatefuelcelldatafromvariousgroups.

Srini’s research at Texas A&Mcontinuedforalmostadecade,at theendofwhichhewantedtoretireandsettleinNewJersey.But,hefoundanabode at the Center for Energy andEnvironment Princeton University,where he introduced Prof. Bocarsly’sgroup in the chemistry departmentand two other engineering groupsto fuel cell science. He established afuel cell laboratory at Princeton, andmentored several graduate studentsandpost-docs.Hewroteatextbookonfuel cells while battling a progressiveheartdiseaseandjustaboutcompleteditpriortohispassingaway.

Srini was tireless in doing hisscience;hisenergywassogreatthatitwasoftenhardforhisyoungstudentstokeepupwithhisactivity.Hisworkethic, enthusiasm for science, andexpectation thatallwould rise to thetopoftheirperformancelevels,servedasamodelfortherestofhisgroupatPrinceton. He was passionate aboutscienceanddevotedlyoptimisticabout

theroleof fuelcell technologytothefuturedevelopmentofoursocietyandtheworld(A.Bocarsly,“ATribute,”Fuel Cells,Springer,2006).

AlthoughSriniwascriticaltothedevelopmentoffuelcellresearch inmylaboratory, farmore importanttomewashisinterest in the lives and development of young scientists. Itwasthatgoal,thedevelopmentofnextgenerationofscientistsand engineers, which brought about the fuel cells book.Srini desired a text that would teach the next generationabout electrochemistry and fuel cells, so that they couldcarryon thework thatheandothers started.Thushisworkstands as a testament to Supramaniam Srinivasan’s life andaccomplishments. Perhaps more than any specific scientificbreakthrough that the readers of his text might accomplish,Srini would take great pride in knowing that he had helpedtrain the next generation of researchers through the wordsof this text, foraboveall,hewasa friendandmentorofhisstudents.

Thissentimenthasbeenexpressedbymanyofhisstudentsandpost-docs.Dr.Velev,acolleagueatTexasA&Msaid,“HewasalwaysreadyandwillingtohelphisstudentsinanywaypossiblebymakingsurethattheyparticipatedinallECSconferences,attendingotherimportantmeetings,orsenttootherlabsfor

ECSClassics

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information and technology exchange.Throughout theyearshehadaveryextensivenetworkofcolleaguesandfriendsthathemaintainedconstantly.”Dr.Enayetullahobserved,“Besideshis own contribution, Srini trained and mentored dozens ofyoungfuelcellscientists/technologistsfromallovertheworld;many of them are seen crowding national/international fuelcellseminars,symposia,andworkshops.”

For almost 25 years, Srini was very active in the affairs ofECS.Hebecameamemberin1968.In1977,alongwithJerryWoodall,hewasaco-founderoftheEnergyTechnologyGroup(nowtheEnergyTechnologyDivision).HeservedaschairoftheGroupin1978.HealsoservedasaGroup/DivisionalEditorfortheJournal of The Electrochemical Society from1980to1991.HeservedasamemberoftheSocietyMeetingCommittee(1998-2001)andthePublicationCommittee(1995-1998).SriniwasanorganizerofseveralverysuccessfulECSsymposia.Thisincludedthe series on “Electrode Processes and Materials for EnergyConversionandStorage,”heldin1977,1987,1994,and1997.Healsoorganizedaverysuccessfulsymposiumon“IndustrialWaterElectrolysis”in1978.Heco-editedproceedingsvolumesforallofthesesymposia.SrinireceivedtheEnergyTechnologyDivision’s Research Award in 1996 and was named an ECSFellowin2001.

By academic training and professional career, Srini wasan outstanding electrochemist, always pushing the edge offundamentalsciencetowardthecorridorofappliedtechnology.Sriniisadmiredbyeveryonewhocameintocontactwithhimasagood-heartedmanwithhighethicalvalues,arestlessscientistwithutmostprofessionalintegrity,andapioneercontributortopolymerelectrolytemembranefuelcellscienceandtechnology.AsProf.Bocarslyputitaptly,“torunintoSriniwhilestrollingthroughthelabguaranteedabrightsmile,agoodconversation,andanewideatotryout.”

About the Authors

S. Sarangapani iswith ICET, Inc.,NorwoodMA,andmaybereachedats-sarangapani@verizon.net.

B. Tilak is with PTO, Inc., Grand Island, NY, and may bereachedatTilak@ptoinc.com.

The ECS Energy Technology Divisionhas established a new award foryoung investigators, the SupramaniamSrinivasan Young Investigator Award.The award honors Dr. Srinivasan’sdevotion to foster fuel cells, aswell ashiscommitmenttomentorandinductyoungresearchers intoelectrochemicalscienceandtechnology.

Aworldwideenergycrisisisimminentand will affect all of society either indirect or indirect ways. Fuel cells andhydrogen constitute important partsof the solution to this issue. It is thusfitting that one of the early fuel celland water electrolysis research anddevelopment pioneers and advocateswaschosenforthenameofthisawardtocontinuehislegacy.

The goal of this call for donationsis $20,000, sufficient to establisha fund for a yearly $1,000 award.Any donation will be accepted. Itis anticipated that the goal will beachieved before the ECS spring 2011meeting (May 1-6, 2011) to ensurethat an award can be made for 2011.ContributionsshouldbemadepayabletoTheElectrochemicalSocietyandsentto: 65 South Main Street, Pennington,NJ 08534, USA; tel: 1.609.737.1902.Include the name you wish to haverecognized, and complete mailingaddress,telephonenumber,ande-mail.BesuretoindicatethatthedonationisfortheSupramaniamSrinivasanYoungInvestigatorAward.

Please make your contributionto energy science through yourtax deductible donation to theSupramaniam Srinivasan YoungInvestigatorAward.

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Supramaniam Srinivasan Young Investigator Award

Supramaniam SrinivaSan with his fuel cell test station.