Energy Experts

From biofuels to batteries, UW–Madison has a wealth of expertise in energy. The researchers working in energy at UW–Madison are generating the knowledge and clean technologies that will accelerate a transition to sustainable, resilient, and affordable energy systems. This resource connects you to UW–Madison faculty conducting research in all areas of energy. If you are a UW–Madison faculty member working in energy and would like to be added to this list, please email communications@energy.wisc.edu

For specific media requests, please contact Mary Blanchard.

Name/Email Title/Department Research Interests

Ive Hermans

hermans@chem.wisc.edu

Investigator

John and Dorothy Vozza Professor of Chemistry
College of Engineering, College of Letters & Sciences

  • Synthesis of heterogeneous catalysts
  • Immobilization of homogeneous catalysts
  • Catalytic and kinetic studies
  • Unravelling of reaction mechanisms
  • (In situ) spectroscopy (Infrared, Raman, UV-Vis)
  • Reactions in supercritical fluids and expanded liquid phases
  • Use of renewable resources
  • Quantum-chemical and theoretical kinetic calculations
  • Reaction engineering
  • High-pressure reaction technology

Andrea Hicks

hicks5@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Assistant Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering
College of Engineering

  • Sustainability
  • Environmental systems analysis and optimization
  • Life cycle assessment
  • Agent-based modeling
  • Rebound effect
  • Environmental implications of technology

Chris Todd Hittinger

cthittinger@wisc.edu

Investigator

Professor of Genetics for the J.F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution
College of Agricultural & Life Sciences

  • Yeast genetics, biodiversity, and synthetic biology
  • Evolutionary genomics
  • Carbon metabolism
  • Brewing
  • Isobutanol
  • Fermentation

Tracey Holloway

taholloway@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Jeff Rudd and Jeanne Bissell Professor of Energy Analysis and Policy
Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies

  • Air quality research
  • Atmospheric dynamics
  • Climate change and public health
  • Regional air quality

George Huber

gwhuber@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Professor of Chemical & Biological Engineering
College of Engineering

  • Renewable energy
  • Biofuels and biochemicals
  • Heterogeneous catalysis
  • Pyrolysis
  • Zeolites
  • Conceptual process design

Randy Jackson

rdjackson@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Campbell-Bascom Professor of Grassland Ecology
College of Agricultural & Life Sciences

  • Structure and function of managed, semi-natural, and natural grassland ecosystems
  • Landscape-level nutrient exchange
  • Ecosystem-level carbon and nutrient cycling
  • Plant community responses to disturbances

Tom Jahns

jahns@engr.wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Grainger Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering
College of Engineering

  • Power electronics
  • Microgrids
  • Electric machines and actuators
  • Adjustable-speed drives
  • Brushless motor drives and generators
  • Automotive and aerospace electric systems

Hongrui Jiang

hongrui@engr.wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering
College of Engineering

  • MicroElectroMechanical System
  • Microsensors and microactuators
  • BioMEMS and micro-optics
  • Microfluidics
  • Lab on chips
  • Biomimetics and bioinspiration

Song Jin

jin@chem.wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Professor of Chemistry
College of Letters & Sciences

  • Solar energy conversion 
  • Energy storage
  • Nanomaterials
  • Renewable Energy applications

Sarah Johnston

sarah.johnston@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Assistant Professor of Agriculture and Applied Economics
College of Agricultural & Life Sciences

  • Industrial organization
  • Energy and environmental economics
  • Renewable energy subsidies

Shawn Kaeppler

smkaeppl@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Professor of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences
College of Agricultural & Life Sciences

  • Seed development and composition
  • genetic and genomic analysis
  • Lignocellulosic biofuel
  • Abiotic stress tolerance
  • Epigenetics

Heidi Kaeppler

hfkaeppl@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Associate Professor of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences
College of Agricultural & Life Sciences

  • Genetic engineering and gene-editing of crops for genomics/epigenomics research and genetic improvement
  • Enhancement of bioenergy-related traits

Steve Karlen

skarlen@wisc.edu

Investigator

Scientist
Wisconsin Energy Institute

  • Lignin biosynthesis, structure, chemistry, and reactions
  • Lignocellulosic bioprocessing
  • Development of synthetic methodology
  • Analytical instrumentation, including NMR, MS, HPLC, GC, XRD, and many other types
  • Exotic materials
  • Nano-technology

Mikhail Kats

mkats@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Dugald. C. Jackson Faculty Scholar
College of Engineering

  • Optics and photonics
  • Nanoscience and nanotechnology
  • Optical materials
  • Thermal radiation
  • Metasurfaces
  • Thin-film optics
  • Device physics
  • Human vision

Jason Kawasaki

jkawasaki@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Harvey D. Spangler Assistant Professor of Materials Science & Engineering
College of Engineering

  • Heteroepitaxy of Heusler and intermetallic thin films
  • Thermoelectrics
  • Topological insulators
  • Engineering electronic and magnetic properties via strain and quantum confinement
  • Molecular beam epitaxy
  • Scanning tunneling microscopy
  • Photoemission spectroscopy

Eric Kazyak

kazyak@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Wisconsin Energy Institute

  • Beyond Lithium Batteries
  • Advanced Characterization and Imaging of Batteries
  • Electrolysis and Catalysis
  • Solid-state Batteries
  • Metal Electrodes
  • Interfacial Coatings
  • Battery Safety and Abuse

Paul Kelleher

paul.kelleher@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Associate Professor of Medical History and Bioethics, Philosophy
School of Medicine & Public Health

  • Ethical and philosophical aspects of climate change policy
  • Ethics and economics of pricing carbon dioxide emissions
  • Health and environmental policy

Tricia Kiley

pjkiley@wisc.edu

Affiliate

Professor and Department Chair of Biomolecular Chemistry
School of Medicine & Public Health

  • Biomolecular folding and interactions
  • Gene expression
  • Metals in biology
  • E. coli

Younghyun Kim

younghyun.kim@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
College of Engineering

  • Secure and reliable CPS
  • Powering the loT
  • Lower-power embedded systems
  • Energy harvesting and storage

Hoon Kim

hoonkim@wisc.edu

Affiliate

Research Chemist at USDA Forest Products Laboratory

  • Lignin/plant cell wall chemistry
  • Lignin models/natural compounds synthesis
  • Artificial lignin (dehydrogenation polymer or DHP) synthesis
  • Plant cell wall structural analysis
  • Solution-state 2D NMR
  • Plant cell wall polymerization and lignification

Dan Klingenberg

dan.klingenberg@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
College of Engineering

  • Colloid science
  • Suspension rheology
  • Electromagnetic phenomena in materials
  • multiphase flow
  • Experimental rheology of fiber suspensions
  • Simulation of Brownian electro- and magnetorheological suspensions
  • Simulation of fiber suspensions

Sage Kokjohn

kokjohn@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
College of Engineering

  • High efficiency energy conversion
  • Thermodynamics and fluid mechanics
  • Turbulent combustion modelling

Siddarth Krishna

krishna3@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Assistant Professor of Chemical & Biological Engineering
College of Engineering

  • Renewable fuels and chemicals
  • Metabolic engineering/synthetic biology
  • Sustainable catalytic technologies
  • Kinetics and mechanisms

Ananth Krishnamurthy

ananth.krishnamurthy@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Professor of Industrial & Systems Engineering
College of Engineering

  • Production inventory systems
  • Assembly operations
  • Product variety and customization
  • Warehouse systems
  • Quick response manufacturing

Chris Kucharik

kucharik@wisc.edu

Investigator

Professor of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences
College of Agricultural & Life Sciences, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies

  • Sustainable Biofuels
  • Agroecosystem modeling
  • Sustainable agriculture
  • Terrestrial carbon sequestration
  • Urban heat islands

Gerald Kulcinski

glkulcin@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Grainger Professor of Nuclear Engineering-Emeritus; Director Emeritus, Fusion Technology Institute
College of Engineering

  • Magnetic/inertial fusion reactor systems studies
  • Radiation damage and nuclear materials
  • Near term applications of fusion energy
  • Lunar mining of helium-3
     

James LaGro

jalagro@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Professor of Planning & Landscape Architecture
College of Letters & Sciences

  • Sustainable cities
  • Water resources
  • Infrastructure siting
  • Land use and landscape ecology
  • Green infrastructure

Robert Landick

landick@bact.wisc.edu

Investigator

Dr. Laurens Anderson Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry, Faculty Affiliate for Bacteriology
College of Agricultural & Life Sciences

  • Regulation of transcript elongation in bacteria and humans
  • Genetic analysis of RNA polymerase
  • RNA polymerase structure and function
  • Regulation of Bacterial RNAP
  • Transcriptional Regulation in vivo

Tyler Lark

lark@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Scientist
Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies

Rebecca Larson

rebecca.larson@wisc.edu

Energy Expert

Associate Professor of Environmental Studies
Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies

  • Biological waste
  • Manure management
  • Handling and treatment of agricultural and food processing waste
  • Land application of various waste streams
  • Waste-to-energy technologies