Overview of the Fusion Technology Group
The fusion technology group (FTG) within the Center for Plasma Material Interactions is one of the premiere fusion plasma engineering research laboratories for fusion in the US and the world. One of the foundational technologies that is being looked at is using flowing liquid metal systems, in particular flowing liquid lithium. Aside from various test stands, the FTG at CPMI also runs the Hybrid Illinois Device for Research and Applications (HIDRA). HIDRA is a steady state (< 10,000 s) stellarator which also has potential tokamak operation.
List of Professors and Postdocs
Currently the fusion technology group consists of 3 professors, 1 postdoc, and 12 graduate students
Fusion & liquid metal technology development: Emeritus Professor David N. Ruzic
HIDRA and THALASSA: Research Associate Professor Daniel Andruczyk
IGNIS: Professor Mohan Sankaran
Theory and modelling: Professor Davide Curreli
Post-doctoral fellow(s): Dr. Collin Clay, Dr. Jan Cecrdle (May 2026)
Affiliated Faculty: Prof. Jean Paul Allain (PSU, DOE), Dr. Brian Jurczyk (Starfire Industries), Dr. George Miley (Emeritus UIUC), Dr. Rajesh Maingi (PPPL), Dr. Andrei Khodak (PPPL), Dr. Luke Olsen (SRNL), Prof. Trudy Kriven (MatSE, UIUC), Prof. Angela Di Fulvio (NPRE, UIUC), Prof. Lorenzo Vergari (NPRE, UIUC), Prof. April Novak (NPRE, UIUC)
Current graduate students: Myles Bradley (Andruczyk), James Bramble (Ruzic), Gio Diaz (Ruzic), Steven Gula (Curreli, Andruczyk), Kenta Kawashimo (Andruczyk), Alexandr Khomiakov (Ruzic), Gia Mien Le (Andruczyk), Brady Moore (Ruzic), Nina Mihajlov (Andruczyk), Haoxuan Yu (Andruczyk, Curreli)
Visiting Students: Matteo Tizzoni (University of Pisa)