Happy International Women’s Day! This week we asked some members of the Center for Automotive research team to share what they have been reading, watching, or listening to recently by trailblazing women in the automotive industry.

What Lisa is Checking Out: 

Lisa’s Thoughts:

During this time of transition for the automotive industry, innovation is thriving. The automotive industry’s significant emphasis on sustainability underscores its transition, necessitating adaptations in energy sources, propulsion systems, raw and manufactured materials, and the concurrent infrastructure to support transformative changes. As we observe International Women’s Day, let’s honor and celebrate the pioneering contributions of three remarkable women in the automotive, battery, and technology sectors. Concerns surrounding the transition to electric vehicles include battery range anxiety, the necessity for alternative battery technologies, and the availability of charging infrastructure. Developing lithium metal batteries with higher energy density has the potential to address EV battery range concerns associated with lithium-ion batteries. is leading the development of anode-free lithium metal batteries in her lab at Michigan State University. In contrast to graphite anodes in lithium-ion batteries, have over ten times the capacity and the potential to double EV battery range. Another concern for the EV transition involves addressing constraints posed by the limited availability of raw battery minerals. Establishing domestically-sourced battery chemistry solutions has the potential to address these limitations. is the founder and CEO of Ten-nine Technologies, overseeing the production of her designed to increase battery cathode capacity. This additive material alleviates strain on the cathode supply chain and is crafted through a sustainable, carbon-neutral production process. Tackling the challenges associated with EV charging infrastructure involves boosting the availability and function of the network. An essential component of this endeavor includes cultivating a proficient and expanded workforce. Developing a for EV supply equipment operations and maintenance providers empowers individuals to enhance their skills for emerging jobs, cultivating a talent pipeline of certified technicians crucial for the success of charging infrastructure. As the CEO and co-founder of SkillFusion, guides this initiative to drive expansion of the charging network nationwide. Implementing sustainability solutions for transportation seems monumental, yet it presents an exciting opportunity. Innovative leaders are developing solutions to support sustainable transportation technologies, and it is inspiring to see women leading the way and spearheading initiatives in this field.  

What Alan is Checking Out: 

Alan’s Thoughts:

I’ve been enjoying Linda Yates’ latest book The Unicorn Within: How Companies Can Create Game-Changing Ventures at Startup Speed. Linda provides not only a discussion of innovation but a “how to” manual for large companies to beat start-ups at their own game. Innovation is a form of corporate renewal and is essential to retaining and growing market share amid fierce competition. Many companies are quite adept at incremental innovation spurred by continuous improvement or cost-reduction initiatives. However, radical innovation can be more difficult to achieve, especially in large, risk-averse corporations. Linda provides insight into how large corporations can be successful entrepreneurs through venture building and venture investing. This International Women’s Day let’s celebrate Linda, the founder and CEO of Mach 49 and a Henry Crown Fellow with the Aspen Institute. Her relentless drive has companies across industries rethinking their strategies, and now she is setting her sights on transforming the auto industry. Linda, and all the trailblazers like her, inspire us to push boundaries and forge our own paths. In Linda’s own words, “The time to start is now. The moment is here. Go do great things.”  

What Morghan is Checking Out:

Morghan’s Thoughts:

The SET 50F is the first crash dummy modeled after the female body. Women are 73% more likely to be injured in frontal collisions compared to men which is a scary but true statistic. Previous models such as the Hybrid III dummy used by the European New Car Assessment Program intended to represent a small woman, however, it is a scaled-down version of a male model. This Swedish creation is the first to be modeled entirely after a woman. Along with the SET 50F, new computational modeling allows for an unlimited number of models to be tested virtually, and studying real-life scenarios will also help improve the safety of women involved in crashes. Despite these developments, Jessica Jermakain, Vice President of Vehicle Research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, talks about how efforts should go further past this. She mentions a good point in the article; new technologies can help improve the safety of women in vehicles, however, it is something that should continue to evolve and be in the minds of those working within the automotive industry.