Roadmap Roundtable

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The BRIGHT Institute is developing a comprehensive strategy to establish North Carolina as a national leader in battery innovation, critical materials, advanced energy technologies, and workforce development.

Join industry and academic leaders on April 28 to map critical gaps, align priorities, and co‑design solutions for a resilient battery materials supply chain. 

Key RoadMap Questions 

• Critical Materials Value Chain Gaps 
  • Where are the most critical bottlenecks in today’s battery materials supply chain—from extraction to end‑of‑life? 
  • Which materials (Li, Ni, Co, Mn, graphite, Cu, emerging alternatives) face the greatest technical, economic, or geopolitical risk? 
• Research & Technology Translation 
  • What fundamental research gaps are limiting scale‑up, cost reduction, or sustainability? 
  • How can universities accelerate lab‑to‑pilot‑to‑industry translation for critical materials technologies? 
  • Where are pre‑competitive R&D collaborations most needed? 
• R&D Services & Infrastructure 
  • What shared R&D services, pilot facilities, testing, and validation capabilities are missing for industry partners? 
  • How can academic institutions provide rapid, industry‑aligned technical support? 
• Workforce Development & Training 
  • What skills gaps exist across mining, processing, manufacturing, recycling, and quality control? 
  • How can academia co‑design workforce training programs, certifications, and apprenticeships align with industry needs? 
• Supply Chain & Logistics Management 
  • Where do supply chain inefficiencies, traceability challenges, or logistics risks impact battery materials? 
  • How can data, modeling, and systems research improve resilience, transparency, and domestic sourcing? 
• Leadership & Ecosystem Building 
  • What role should academic institutions play in regional and national leadership for battery critical materials? 
  • How do we build sustained partnerships across industry, government, and academia to strengthen U.S. competitiveness? 

Agenda

• 9:00 AM Welcome & Arrival
  • Check-In & Networking Breakfast
• 9:45 AM Opening Plenary
  • Welcome remarks from BRIGHT Institute leadership.
• 10:00 AM Workgroup Session I
  • Mapping Critical Gaps in Battery Industry Needs — Lead Fireside Discussion
• 11:00 AM Break
  • Coffee & Networking Break
• 11:15 AM Workgroup Session II
  • Mapping the Academic Innovations Landscape in Batteries, Microelectronics, and Energy Harvesting Technologies — BRIGHT Identity
• 12:15 PM Break
  • Lunch & Networking
• 1:15 PM Workgroup Session III
  • Leading BRIGHT as a Hub for Workforce and Training Needs for the Region
• 2:15 PM Closed Session – Board
  • Strategic planning session for BRIGHT Institute Advisory Board members
• 3:15 PM Adjourn
  • Closing reception & next steps

Details

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