About the Lecture
Established in 2015, the Dana M. Dourdeville Lecture on Engineering in Service to Society aims to bring high-profile speakers to campus whose career and impact embody the spirit of engineering in service to society. The speakers should inspire students to see the engineering discipline as one having an impact on society that is both profound and transformative. 
2025 Lecture - Stacey F. Bent
Tiny Layers, Big Impact: New Tech for Chips, Batteries, and Beyond
November 10, 2025
5:30 p.m.
From the smartphones in our pockets to the batteries that will power a clean-energy future, the performance of modern technologies depends on our ability to engineer materials with atomic precision. Professor Stacey Bent of Stanford University is using chemistry to advance atomic layer deposition (ALD), a technique that enables exceptional precision in shaping materials interfaces. This research shows how tiny, atomic-scale layers can transform semiconductor processing—creating innovative nanoscale structures for advanced microelectronics—as well as sustainable energy, where engineered coatings boost the performance and durability of batteries and other energy conversion systems. By connecting fundamental engineering science with real-world applications, Prof. Bent’s work demonstrates how atomic-scale insights can drive innovations that may improve the future of both electronics and clean energy.
About the Speaker
Stacey F. Bent is the Jagdeep and Roshni Singh Professor at Stanford University, where she is Professor of Chemical Engineering, Professor of Energy Science and Engineering, and Professor, by courtesy, of Chemistry, of Materials Science and Engineering, and of Electrical Engineering. She recently completed a five year term as Stanford's Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs.