Battery Diaries chp9: Turning Bachelor Course Projects into Battery Career Steps

Throughout my undergraduate studies in Chemical Engineering at Gebze Technical University, I made a conscious effort to ensure that my coursework was more than just a checklist of academic requirements. Instead, I treated each project-based course as a stepping stone toward my long-term vision in battery research and technology.

From my sophomore year, when I enrolled in a senior-level elective and co-authored my very first paper on critical raw materials in Li-ion batteries, to my junior year, where I led two different teams to explore Polyethylene Oxide (PEO) as a polymer electrolyte from both chemical engineering and polymer science perspectives, and finally to my senior year, when I strategically selected Ethylene Oxide production in our Process Design course because of its direct link to PEO and solid-state batteries—every decision was intentional.

This chapter of Battery Diaries brings these experiences together. It is not about one single project, but about how four different course projects across three years shaped my academic journey into a coherent battery-focused career path. Each project was a chance to practice leadership, to make bold choices, and to transform mandatory coursework into meaningful career steps.

First Attempt: Taking a Senior-Level Course in My Second Year

In my sophomore year(second year), I made one of the most decisive choices in my undergraduate education: I enrolled in Battery Technologies (KMB 461)🔗 Course Information – GTÜ KMB 461 Battery Technologies, a fourth-year technical elective typically reserved for seniors. The course, taught by Prof. Dr. Reza Demirçakan, a pioneering name in Turkey’s battery research and the first professor to welcome me into a laboratory, offered a comprehensive introduction to rechargeable battery systems.

Taking this course as a second-year student was not just about challenging myself academically. It was a deliberate decision to gain a broad overview of the field at an early stage and to surround myself with more experienced peers. For the first time, I worked alongside senior students on a research-oriented project, learning the dynamics of teamwork, division of tasks, and the basics of academic research methodology.

Among the various project topics available, I intentionally selected “Critical Raw Materials in Li-ion Batteries.” This was not a coincidence; understanding the raw material bottlenecks and supply chain vulnerabilities of lithium-ion batteries is key to envisioning the future of energy storage. By focusing on this subject, I not only deepened my knowledge of battery chemistry but also began to appreciate the geopolitical, economic, and sustainability dimensions of energy storage technologies.

This project resulted in my first co-authored paper, marking the very beginning of my academic contributions in the battery field. More than a grade or a class assignment, it was the first tangible step where I transformed a course into a career milestone.

🔗 Blog Post – My First Co-Authored Paper: CRMs in Li-ion Battery

Strategic Move: Exploring PEO as a Polymer Electrolyte Across Two Courses

In my third year, I took one of the boldest academic steps of my undergraduate journey: I aligned two different courses, Chemical Technologies and Introduction to Polymer Science and Engineering, around the same theme, Polyethylene Oxide (PEO) as a Polymer Electrolyte.

Normally, professors assigned topics to students, but in both courses I proactively proposed my own idea, ensuring that my work would directly serve my long-term goal in battery research. The reasoning was clear: PEO is one of the most studied polymer electrolytes for solid-state batteries, and understanding both its production process and its chemical fundamentals would give me a unique advantage.

In the Chemical Technologies course, I approached PEO from a chemical engineering perspective, focusing on the production of polymer electrolytes, the synthesis routes of ethylene oxide, and the steps of polymerization. Meanwhile, in the Polymer Science course, I worked with a materials science team to analyze the chemical structures, characterization techniques, and fundamental mechanisms of polymer electrolytes.

In both projects, I served as the team leader, selecting the topic, defining the scope, dividing tasks, and organizing meetings. I even held one-on-one sessions with teammates to address gaps and ensure quality. The workload was heavy, especially since this was my first formal exposure to polymer science, but it was also rewarding.

These projects not only deepened my knowledge of polymer electrolytes but also demonstrated my ability to connect courses strategically. By making a single topic serve two different academic contexts, I learned how to bridge chemistry, materials science, and chemical engineering into one coherent picture.

🔗 Blog Post – PEO as a Polymer Electrolyte: Chemical Technologies Project

From Lab to Plant: Ethylene Oxide as a Strategic Choice in Process Design

At the end of my third year, I faced the most defining course of the Chemical Engineering curriculum: Process Design. The task was to design a chemical plant from the ground up, choosing a product, creating the process flow diagram, performing safety and economic analyses, and presenting a complete engineering design.

When the options were presented, I immediately focused on Ethylene Oxide (EO). This was not just a random selection; it was a deliberate, strategic move. EO is the essential precursor of Polyethylene Oxide (PEO), the polymer electrolyte I had already studied extensively in my junior year. By choosing EO, I connected my Process Design course to my previous projects, effectively linking laboratory-scale understanding to industrial-scale engineering.

As the team leader, I coordinated the entire workflow, assigning responsibilities, setting milestones, and ensuring consistency between technical design and presentation. Our work covered not only the synthesis routes and reactor design but also addressed critical aspects such as safety hazards, cost evaluations, and process optimization.

This project marked my first real attempt to think beyond the lab bench and envision how battery-related materials are produced at scale. It was the moment I realized that laboratory innovation and industrial production are not separate worlds but interconnected stages of the same journey. For me, it was not just a course requirement, it was a rehearsal for the future of scaling up battery technologies.

🔗 Blog Post – Production of Ethylene Oxide: Process Design Project

So in a way, this whole journey has been like a mini-battery roadmap:
From an early Battery Technologies course, to the PEO project, then the Ethylene Oxide process design, each step brought me closer to connecting classroom learning with a real-world battery vision.