It’s an exciting time for science at 3M. Last Friday, our CEO, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton (in the above photo) and a whole host of other officials officially opened our new, cutting-edge R&D facility that will house hundreds of 3M scientists and engineers.

I’m a senior product development engineer in 3M’s Electronics Materials Solutions Division, and I get to be one of them. I love the design of the new R&D building – it’s an open and inviting space that lends itself perfectly to accommodating collaboration and innovation. In the new space, we’ll be working to develop and commercialize a new material which can help enable batteries to achieve higher energy and a longer life span.

Our battery team works to research and develop products for the battery industry. These products find applications ranging from portable handheld devices to vehicle electrification (yes: electric cars). It’s a field that is really capturing the public’s imagination right now – not to mention the imagination of engineers like me.

As we look to the future, what excites me most is how technology will be able to provide sustainable resources for the growing needs of global populations, while also balancing our planet’s future for generations to come.