Skip to content
Alison McCarthy headshot
Fellowship Start Year

2022

Status

Alumni

Research Topic

Investigation of Electrodeposited Lithium Metal Mechanics in Battery Systems

Connect

Alison McCarthy

She/Her
School of Engineering and Applied Science

Bio

Dr. Alison McCarthy is a distinguished researcher and engineer, currently serving as a Senior Research Scientist at the Naval Research Laboratory. She is an alumna of the Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship program in the Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics Department within the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. McCarthy earned her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stony Brook University in 2022, where her research focused on the design and architecture of electrodes in lithium-ion batteries and beyond lithium-ion battery systems.

During her postdoctoral fellowship at Penn, co-advised by Dr. James Pikul, Dr. McCarthy’s research centered on studying lithium metal mechanics within batteries, expanding her expertise to include catalysis electrochemistry. Her work has been widely recognized and cited in the scientific community, reflecting her significant contributions to the field of energy storage technology.

In addition to her research, Dr. McCarthy has been actively involved in the Penn Postdoctoral Association, serving on the executive board as their NPA liaison and on the National Postdoctoral Association’s Postdoc Council. Her dedication to advancing scientific knowledge and her leadership in the postdoctoral community highlight her commitment to both her field and her peers. Dr. McCarthy’s work continues to push the boundaries of energy storage technology, making significant contributions to the development of next-generation energy solutions.

Postdoc Appointment

Department
  • Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics
Penn Faculty Mentor
  • James Pikul, Ph.D.

Education

Degrees
  • 2022, Ph.D. Materials Science and Engineering, Stony Brook University
  • 2017, B.S. Mechanical Engineering, The College of New Jersey
Disertation Title

Mesoscale Electrode Design and Architecture for Next-Generation Energy Storage Devices

Research Advisors
  • Esther Takeuchi, Ph.D.
  • Amy Marschilok, Ph.D.