Yu Seung Kim, a materials scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory, was awarded the Energy Technology Division Walter van Schalkwijk Award in Sustainable Energy Technology by the Electrochemical Society for his significant contributions to fuel cell innovation, particularly in high-temperature proton exchange membrane (HT-PEM) fuel cells. Kim's research, validated through theoretical and experimental studies, has enabled HT-PEM fuel cells to operate efficiently at elevated temperatures without the need for bulky radiators and air intakes. His team's development of polymer electrolytes has increased fuel cells' power density by 60% while exhibiting minimal degradation. Kim's projects, including those funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy and the DOE's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, aim to develop fuel cells that function between 100 and 230 degrees Celsius without water. His work has also supported Advent Technologies in establishing a new factory to manufacture membrane electrode assemblies for fuel cells. With a background in chemical engineering and a strong publication record, Kim's expertise is shaping the Department of Energy's fuel cell research roadmap, with practical applications already underway.