Emma Cuddy

Emma Cuddy is a PhD student in the Materials Science Engineering department at Stanford University. Her research uses quantum scale simulations to study the fundamental science governing material properties. Her focus is on materials that can help us achieve a greener, more sustainable, and more efficient energy landscape. Her earlier work involved investigating unconventional superconductors and the forces that govern stability in Lithium Ion batteries, with the aim of designing longer lasting batteries to reduce waste and cost of replacement. She now works with the Aqueous Battery Consortium (ABC) working to design cheap, energy dense, scalable aqueous batteries for grid storage deployment. Her focus is on simulating interfacial behavior and spectroscopy.

Emma was raised in Alexandria, Virginia between the largest estuary in the United States (the Chesapeake Bay) and the second largest coal producer in the country (West Virginia). This juxtaposition shaped a lifelong interest in the relationships between environment, energy, and economy. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree at Harvey Mudd College in 2021 and received her Masters in Materials Science Engineering from Stanford University in 2024. In addition to her research, Emma is passionate about science outreach and education as well as community organizing. She provides tours at SLAC National Laboratory, enjoys math tutoring, and TA’s and does course development for her department at Stanford. She is also a Steward and Trustee for the Stanford Graduate Workers Union and believes that developing sound policies and coming together as a community is the best way to enact change.