Kiran Mahankali is a highly experienced materials scientist currently serving as a Staff Materials Scientist at Lyten since September 2021, where the focus is on designing and scaling up cathode materials for next-generation high energy density Li-S batteries. Previously, Kiran worked as a Battery Research Scientist at Paraclete Energy, specializing in Li-ion batteries and developing testing protocols for high-performance applications. Kiran's academic background includes a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and a Master's in Materials Science from Wayne State University, where significant research took place in electrochemical systems and functional nanomaterials. Kiran holds a Bachelor's degree in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from NIT Trichy.