Dr. Ramaswamy Murugan is Professor, Department of Physics, Pondicherry University, India. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from Pondicherry University, India in 1994. He was at University of Kiel, Germany as Guest researcher during 2005-2007. He was a visiting scientist at Shizuoka University Japan (2009), University of Texas Austin USA (2011) and Nagoya University, Japan (2013). His research focuses on the design, synthesis and characterization of functional materials in particular for applications in energy storage devices. His major contribution is the invention of zirconium containing lithium garnet oxide as electrolyte for the all solid state lithium battery. 

Prof. Dr. Werner Weppner is a longtime and highly recognized expert in the field of solid state electrochemistry since his doctorate at Dortmund University followed by a fruitful postdoctoral period at Stanford University, where he became involved in lithium battery electrodes and new solid electrolytes.  He then built up his solid state electrochemistry group at the new Max-Planck Institute for Solid State Research at Stuttgart and became a lecturer at Stuttgart University. In 1993 he took a Professorship and Chair for Solid State Ionics at the new Faculty of Engineering at the University of Kiel. His work covers a wide range of aspects of fast ion transport in solids from fundamental understanding, experimental techniques, materials characterization, development of new materials and principles with special attention to practical applications in lithium batteries, solid oxide fuel cells, sensors and electrochromic devices. The accumulated experience has final led to the discovery of the family of garnet type solid electrolytes. He is also involved in a large variety of academic and professional activities, among many others scientific conferences for the promotion of the field and Chief Editorship of the journal Ionics published by Springer.