Dr. Judy Jeevarajan from the UL Research Institutes Delivers a Seminar at UMD

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CALCE hosted a lecture titled “Failure Investigation of the First Large Lithium-ion Battery Used in Aircraft” on Monday, April 27, 2026, at the University of Maryland. The lecture examined the 2013 thermal runaway events involving lithium-ion batteries used in the main engine and auxiliary power unit systems of a commercial aircraft. The events occurred within a week of each other after the aircraft had been exposed to snowy cold-weather conditions.

The lecture was delivered by Dr. Judy Jeevarajan, Vice President and Executive Director of the Electrochemical Safety Research Institute at UL Research Institutes. Dr. Jeevarajan discussed the cell and battery design, the failure investigation process, and the probable causes of the battery failures. Her presentation also placed the aircraft case study in the broader context of battery safety, including the importance of testing cells under operating conditions, considering aging effects and thermal distribution, evaluating safety standards, and discussing mitigation strategies for advanced battery systems.

Dr. Jeevarajan brings nearly 30 years of experience in battery safety research, with expertise in lithium-ion and sodium-ion chemistries, thermal runaway and propagation, battery fire characterization, recycling, flow battery safety, and hydrogen safety. She also serves on technical working groups for several standards organizations, including ULSE, SAE, IEC, the UN Informal Working Group, and AIAA, and chairs the IEC SC21A subcommittee on battery standards.

The lecture highlighted the importance of detailed failure investigation to identify root causes, inform improved battery designs, and guide the development of more effective testing and safety protocols for lithium-ion battery systems, as they are increasingly used in transportation, aerospace, and other high-performance applications.

For more information about this seminar, please contact Dr. Diganta Das

Published May 12, 2026