Professor Mari Lundström, Elmery co-founder and Chief Advisor, has received the prestigious Faraday Medal in Electrochemistry, becoming the first Finnish researcher to receive the award.
Date:
Category:
The Royal Society of Chemistry presented the 2026 Faraday Medal to Lundström in York, United Kingdom, on August 24. The international award recognizes outstanding achievements in electrochemical research and innovation.
For Lundström, the award is the latest recognition of a career combining fundamental research, industrial experience, and the practical development of new technologies for recovering and recycling metals. Becoming the first Finnish recipient of the award also marks a significant milestone for Finnish research in electrochemistry and hydrometallurgy.
From industry to academia
Lundström began her career in industry while completing her doctoral studies and received her Doctor of Science (Technology) degree from Helsinki University of Technology in 2009.
After several years working with industrial hydrometallurgical processes, she returned to academia and joined Aalto University as Professor of Hydrometallurgy in 2015.
Her research focuses on hydrometallurgy, electrochemistry, metal recycling, and the development of more sustainable ways to separate and recover metals. She has published more than 200 scientific papers and has led research in areas including battery recycling, electronic waste, precious metals, and critical raw materials.
Lundström also founded BatCircle, Finland’s national battery recycling ecosystem, bringing together universities, research organizations, and industry. In 2026, she was elected as a member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters.
From research to industrial application
A central theme in Lundström’s work has been finding better ways to recover metals from increasingly complex raw materials.
One of the innovations emerging from this research is Electrodeposition Redox Replacement, or EDRR.
Together with Aalto University Senior University Lecturer Kirsi Yliniemi, Lundström began exploring the use of EDRR for metal separation in 2015. The method combines forced and spontaneous electrochemical reactions to selectively separate metals from solution.
In 2022, Lundström co-founded Elmery to take EDRR from academic research toward industrial application. Today, she continues to support Elmery as Chief Advisor, while the technology is being developed and applied together with industrial companies around the world.
For Elmery, Mari’s career represents an important part of our own story: turning scientific research into practical solutions for industrial metal recovery.
Recognition of long-term impact
The Faraday Medal highlights the growing importance of electrochemistry in solving one of the major material challenges of the coming decades.
Metals are essential for electrification, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, and modern industry. At the same time, many are becoming increasingly critical due to rising demand, limited availability, and concentrated supply chains.
Lundström’s work has consistently focused on getting more value from the resources already available – recovering metals more efficiently, developing new recycling routes, and reducing the need for additional chemicals in metallurgical processes.
The Faraday Medal is a significant recognition of her contribution to hydrometallurgy, electrochemistry, and the circular use of metals.
On behalf of everyone at Elmery: congratulations Mari – very well deserved!