Battery and Energy Storage Technology (BEST) Makerspace
About Us
The Battery and Energy Storage Technology (BEST) Makerspace is an experiential battery education hub where students learn to design, build and test batteries. It has capabilities for electrode slurry mixing, casting, battery cell assembly and electrochemical and thermal characterization.
The space is used for faculty-led courses, student projects, workforce training and hands-on training experiences for our industry partners. Our vision is to train the next generation of battery scientists and engineers for the state, region and nation.
BEST Makerspace equipment is available for use by NC State researchers for training purposes.
On-Demand Industry Training Workshops
- Introduction to Coin Cells
- Other topics available upon request.
Academic Course Offerings
Fall 2026
- MSE 290-002 Fundamentals of Lithium-Ion Batteries
- A fundamental study of standard lithium-ion batteries.
- Electrochemical principles, test methods and data analysis.
- History of batteries.
- Overview of typical anode, cathode, and electrolyte materials and their mechanisms of energy storage.
- Open to all engineering disciplines.
- MSE 490-001 Materials and Manufacturing of Lithium-Ion Batteries
- This course studies the relationship between materials structure, processing and performance of lithium-ion batteries.
- Basic electrochemical principles for battery testing.
- Material supply chain and processing for industry-standard materials.
- Material structure, composition, and their effects on electrochemical performance.
- Open to all engineering disciplines.
Spring 2027
- MSE 290-002 Fundamentals of Lithium-Ion Batteries
- A fundamental study of standard lithium-ion batteries.
- Electrochemical principles, test methods and data analysis.
- History of batteries.
- Overview of typical anode, cathode, and electrolyte materials and their mechanisms of energy storage.
- Open to all engineering disciplines.
- MSE 490-005 Battery Performance and Assessment
- How do we assess battery performance and connect the data to real-world implications? This lecture and lab course introduces students to the principles and methods needed to evaluate and compare battery performance across applications.
- Topics include:
- Introductory battery engineering
- Performance metrics and tests including capacity, rate capability, cycle life, safety, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
- Data acquisition, data analysis, and interpretation methods
- Students will gain hands-on experience with battery testing equipment, design test protocols, collect and analyze performance data and communicate findings in technical reports.
Contact Us
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