Feaver named JCDREAM research director

EVERETT, Wash. – April 23, 2019 – Aaron Feaver, chief technology officer and co-founder of EnerG2 and co-founder of Group14, energy storage companies, has been named as Director of the Joint Center for Deployment and Research in Earth Abundant Materials (JCDREAM). He is based at Washington State University Everett.

The center, established in 2015, is a program of research, development, deployment, and training in earth-abundant materials science, engineering, and advanced manufacturing.

Supported by the state of Washington, it includes researchers from Washington State University, University of Washington, Western Washington University and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

JCDREAM’s aim is to establish Washington as a leader in the development and commercialization of next-generation clean energy and transportation technologies utilizing earth abundant materials rather than rare materials which are often associated with inordinate environmental and human rights impact.

This could in turn help to address the worldwide challenge to replace rare, expensive, and unsustainable materials that are used in many modern products with more economical and sustainable alternatives, emphasizing solutions in clean energy and transportation technology sectors.

An experienced leader

Feaver has a background in the synthesis and processing of high-performance earth abundant carbon and silicon materials. He co-founded two materials companies in the energy storage space: Group14 and EnerG2.  Feaver and team grew EnerG2 (which was recently acquired by BASF) from a small venture backed start-up company to a 100-person manufacturing organization with locations in Seattle and Oregon.  Group14, with operations in Woodinville, WA, is focused on production of advanced silicon materials which increase the energy capacity of lithium ion batteries.  Feaver has written and spoken extensively on Materials Science & Engineering as well as the specific use of carbon and silicon materials in transportation and clean energy storage applications.

Feaver was also a project manager and engineer at the Boeing Company where he worked in Liaison Engineering and Value Engineering. He serves on the board of advisors for the University of Washington’s Materials Science and Engineering Department. He holds a BA in Physics from North Central College, a BS in Civil Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Washington.

“We welcome Dr. Feaver and look forward to his leadership as JC Dream director,” said Mary Rezac, dean of the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture. “We are excited that with his strong background in materials engineering, entrepreneurship, technology development, and understanding of the challenges of energy storage, he will help the center grow and innovate in the sustainable materials and manufacturing technologies of the future.”