About this Event
The theme for Autumn 2026 is “Challenges and Solutions for Critical Materials in Energy and Electronics.” Distinguished guest speakers and panels discuss leading-edge business and technology innovations coming from Asian companies and research institutions. Planned topics include R&D into alternative materials for rare earths, battery recycling, regulatory approaches, and supply chain resilience. While technical approaches will be introduced, most content should be accessible to those with a general background.
On September 24th, Dr. Richard Dasher, Director of US-ATMC, provides an overview of challenges and solutions related to critical materials and their supply chains in energy and electronics domains. The dramatic increase in data center capacity and rising demand for battery energy storage have led to shortages of materials from water to copper, lithium, cobalt, and nickel. Meanwhile, geopolitical conflicts are bringing in uncertainties in accessing critical materials such as ruthenium, gallium, germanium, and rare earths at exactly the time as advances in semiconductor technologies are increasing demand. This session will survey solutions to such challenges, such as the development of new manufacturing processes, AI-driven development of replacement materials, recycling, and also policy and economic measures. In so doing, it will also serve as an introduction to subsequent sessions by guest speakers in this weekly series that continues on Thursdays until December 3.
Open to the public at no charge for in-person or by Zoom attendance. Seminars will take place on most Thursdays between September 24 – December 3, 2026.
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Dr. Richard Dasher has directed the US-Asia Technology Management Center and served as adjunct faculty at Stanford since 1994. From 1998 – 2017, he served concurrently as Executive Director of the Center for Integrated Systems (now Stanford System X Alliance). In 2004, Dr. Dasher became the first non-Japanese person to join the governance of a Japanese national university, serving on the Board of Directors and then on the Management Council of Tohoku University until 2011. Other service (selected) includes the Program Committee of the World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI) of MEXT since its founding in 2007, and advisory roles with research institutes, accelerators, and nonprofits in Thailand, China, Japan, S. Korea, Canada, France, Germany, and the U.S. Dr. Dasher received the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation in 2023 for long-term promotion of economic relations between Japan and the U.S.
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Agenda:
- 4:30 pm – 5:50 pm Discussion and Audience Q&A
- 5:50 pm – 6:30 pm Networking over light refreshments
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To attend in-person, please register over Eventbrite.
To attend by Zoom, TBA.
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Parking options:
- Memorial Way, Stanford, CA 94305 [Google Map]
- Lasuen St. and Roth Way, Stanford, CA 94305 [Google Map]
- Please check parking signs carefully to ensure that permitted parking (A or C) and metered spaces are free after 4:00 pm. Paid parking is enforced around The Oval until 6:00 pm.
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This program is part of our series on "Topics in International Technology Management: Challenges and Solutions for Critical Materials in Energy and Electronics".
For our schedule of speakers, please visit our event page here.
Session Recordings are typically posted within 3 business days after each session on our .
Event venue & nearby stays
Stanford University, Bishop Auditorium, Stanford, United States
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