May 1, 2025 Sridharan named to Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorship Written By: Lili Sarajian Departments: Materials Science & Engineering|Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics Categories: Awards|Faculty|Research|Teaching Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics (NEEP) Professor Kumar Sridharan was named to a prestigious Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorship, an award recognizing outstanding teaching and scholarship. Prof. Sridharan has contributed 35 years of professional service to the University of Wisconsin–Madison in a variety of roles, including nearly 6 years as a full professor with his appointment split evenly between NEEP and the department of Materials Sciences and Engineering. Internationally recognized in the areas of both nuclear engineering and materials science, Prof. Sridharan’s pioneering research has spawned research groups world-wide and has been extensively cited in literature. His research spans a variety of disciplines including plasma-based surface modification and manufacturing, nuclear reactor materials, corrosion in nuclear energy systems, and cold spray materials deposition technology. Read more about the impacts of his work below: Plasma-Based Surface Modification and Coatings A key materials scientist in the NSF Engineering Research Center for Plasma-Aided Manufacturing in the 1990s, Prof. Sridharan conducted pioneering research on plasma-based surface modification and coatings which formed the basis for a patent on using Si-DLC films to protect computer hard-drives. Prof. Sridharan’s work also led to UW–Madison’s first Advanced Technology Program (ATP) and its first Department of Energy (DOE) CRADA grant awards. In 1997, his research program won the R&D 100 Award for the top 100 inventions of the year in partnership with General Motors Research Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Molten Salt-Cooled Reactor (MSR) Materials Research In 2005, Prof. Sridharan established the molten salt research program at UW–Madison, providing new insights into the corrosion of structural materials in Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) which offer significant advantages in safety and efficiency compared to light water reactors (LWRs). The experimental procedures he established have been emulated by researchers world-wide. He was also the key materials scientist in a DOE multi-university program that led to the spin-off company Kairos Power, which is now building a commercial MSR. Prof. Sridharan has supervised the research of numerous graduate students in this area and his original work has benefitted new UW–Madison faculty members. Cold Spray Materials Deposition Technology (CSMDT) In collaboration with Westinghouse and the DOE, Prof. Sridharan has spearheaded international efforts to apply Cold Spray Materials Deposition Technology (CSMDT) to nuclear energy systems to make them more accident tolerant in the event of a loss of coolant scenario. This technology has been implemented in large fuel cladding assemblies that have been successfully tested in commercial utility reactors. Three patents have emerged from his work and four of his students received job offers from Westinghouse even before they graduated. Prof. Sridharan has also received a patent for the manufacture of radiation damage resistant nanostructured steel fuel claddings for fast reactors and a patent will likely be issued for the extended use of CSMDT in fusion reactors. The technology has already been licensed by a start-up fusion reactor development company to improve efficiency by absorbing or desorbing isotopic species. Prof. Sridharan’s extensive and impactful research contributions have been matched by a deep passion for mentoring students. In fact, this award comes on the heels of his recognition as an outstanding undergraduate mentor earlier this spring. Sridharan has exhibited a remarkable talent for teaching and relating to students, consistently earning high student evaluations in his courses and providing research mentorship to students who now hold leadership positions in industry, academia, and national laboratories. With an eagerness to support the shared governance of our department and the College of Engineering, Prof. Sridharan has served the University of Wisconsin–Madison in many capacities. He has faithfully served on a variety of committees including the College of Engineering (CoE) Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Committee, Faculty Search Committees, the CoE Safety Committee, and numerous others. Professor Sridharan’s legacy of research, mentorship, and service to the UW–Madison has been an invaluable asset to our students, our faculty, and to the scientific community at large, and he continues to make novel and impactful contributions.