Science, Music and Participation: Babak Anasori Brings a Different Perspective on Research to HG Energy

June, 15, 2026

This morning, HG Energy had the pleasure of welcoming Professor Babak Anasori for an inspiring and highly engaging scientific talk. Professor Anasori, who is joining the group as a visiting researcher for the next month, shared his expertise on “Composition and Defect Control in MXenes for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction”, offering valuable insights into one of the most promising families of advanced materials for future energy technologies.

Babak Anasori is a Rising Star Associate Professor in the School of Materials Engineering and the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University. Internationally recognized for his pioneering work on MXenes, a class of two-dimensional materials with remarkable properties and applications in energy storage, catalysis, electronics and sustainability, he has become one of the leading voices in this field.
What made today’s session particularly memorable was not only the scientific content, but also the way it was delivered.
The talk started with music.
As Babak explained, films use music to capture attention, create emotion and enhance the experience. Why should scientific communication be any different?
That philosophy set the tone for a session that was far from a conventional lecture. Throughout the presentation, participants were encouraged to interact, ask questions and share ideas. The audience became part of the conversation rather than simply listening from their seats.
One of the highlights was hearing songs about MXenes created by Babak himself, bringing creativity and humor into a highly technical subject. The combination of rigorous science, storytelling, music and interaction created an atmosphere that was both enjoyable and intellectually stimulating.
The experience reminded us that science does not have to be heavy or difficult to engage with. Learning can be dynamic, collaborative and even fun, without losing depth or rigor.
We are delighted to have Babak with us over the coming weeks and look forward to continuing the discussions, collaborations and exchange of ideas that began this morning.