VAB Profile: James Kwon

James Kwon (VIPER '20)

Degrees and Majors at Penn?

• BA in Chemistry and BSE in Chemical Engineering

Current Job?

• Senior Analyst at Cornerstone Research

Awards and Achievements

• Alpha Chi Sigma Award
• ACS Scholastic Achievement Award

Why did you join VAB?

• As graduation was virtual in 2020, I felt sad that I was not able to celebrate the wonderful accomplishments that my fellow VIPER students and I were able to accomplish during our four years at Penn. This had me thinking as I thought it would be much more difficult to maintain the amazing relationships that I had forged within the program as we were entering a new chapter in our lives. Given that the Class of 2020 had added a substantial number to the VIPER alumni, I felt that it was an opportune time to establish a formal VIPER Alumni society and the associated VIPER Alumni Board (VAB).

What part of the energy industry are you most excited about?

• I am most excited by the future development of energy storage systems particularly, batteries. Over the past couple of years, lithium ion battery manufacturing has grown exponentially due to electric vehicles and I think this is merely a taste of what this technology can offer. The future of batteries in applications such as electronic devices (cars, general consumer tech, medical devices, etc.), the electric grid, and even space exploration looks extremely bright with the potential to reshape society.

What is something that you're interested in?

• I'm interested in chairs and interior design more broadly because on the day to day, we don't really give much consideration to them but they can profoundly impact the way that a person may perceive and interact with a space

What is your favorite game or sport to watch and play?

• I love to watch the Eagles but don't really like playing football. My favorite sports to play are soccer, tennis, and volleyball.