BINGHAMTON, N.Y. Oct. 9, 2019 — New York State United Teachers today congratulated NYSUT member M. Stanley Whittingham, a distinguished professor of chemistry and materials science at Binghamton University on winning the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Whittingham is a member of the United University Professions Binghamton Chapter.
“Professor Whittingham exemplifies the hard work of our higher education faculty across the state and their dedication to pioneering new ideas and research that will advance our society as a whole,” NYSUT President Andy Pallotta said. “This is precisely the kind of work done by our UUP faculty that makes New York colleges and universities so sought after by students from around the state, country and globe. We applaud Professor Whittingham and his fellow Nobel laureates for their work and for receiving this prestigious award.”
Whittingham was awarded the Nobel Prize alongside fellow researchers John B. Goodenough of the University of Texas at Austin and Akira Yoshino of Meijo University in Japan and Ashai Kasei Corporation.
“Professor Whittingham is an outstanding, groundbreaking chemist and a strong unionist who understands and reflects the importance of being a union member in word and deed,” said United University Professions President Fred Kowal. “We are proud of his work, which will benefit us all. Professor Whittingham is a shining example of what makes SUNY great — its people.”
According to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (PDF), Whittingham has worked on developing methods that could lead to fossil fuel-free energy technologies. Whittingham’s work led to the discovery of an energy-rich material, which he used to create an innovative cathode in a lithium battery. That cathode was the basis for work by Goodenough and Yoshino that led to the creation of commercially available lithium-ion batteries used today.
NYSUT represents more than 78,000 active academic faculty and other professional staff members who work at SUNY, CUNY, community college and private campuses across New York state.
New York State United Teachers is a statewide union with more than 600,000 members in education, human services and health care. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.