Prof. Efim Oks
Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics, Russia
Title: Development of fore-vacuum plasma-cathode electron sources of pulsed large-radius electron beams based on a cathodic arc
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Brief Bio:
Efim Oks, PhD (1985) and Doctor of Science (1994) in Plasma Electronics, is Head of the Physics Department at Tomsk State University and leads the Plasma Sources Laboratory at the Institute of High Current Electronics. Renowned for pioneering vacuum arc discharge studies, he focuses on generating multiply charged metal ions, advancing ion sources, and developing plasma electron sources. His collaborative work includes high-charge ion injector projects at Germany’s GSI and vacuum arc research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. His current research explores high-current pulsed electron beams in high-pressure fore-vacuum environments (1–100 Pa) and their applications in modifying dielectric materials (ceramics, glass, polymers). His talk addresses beam formation, plasma dynamics, and practical innovations.
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Prof. Michael Kurrat
Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany
Title: Considerations on data management in VCB research
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Brief Bio:
Michael Kurrat (Member, IEEE) received the Dipl.-Ing. degree in electrical engineering and the Dr.-Ing. degree from the University of Dortmund, Germany, in 1988 and 1993, respectively. Previously, he worked at the Felten and Guilleaume Switchgear Division, Krefeld, Germany. Since 2001, he has been a professor with the elenia Institute for High Voltage Technology and Electrical Power Systems, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany, where he has been the Managing Director, since 2005. Since 2017, he has been the Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Information Technology, Physics.
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Prof. Flyura Djurabekova
University of Helsinki, Finland
Title: State-of-the-art understanding of fundamentals of vacuum arcing phenomenon within the CLIC project at CERN |
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Brief Bio:
Professor Flyura Djurabekova focuses on the field of Materials in Extreme Environments. She serves as the Head of the Materials Physics Division and the Vice-Head of the Department of Physics at the University of Helsinki. She is leading a computational material physics group at the Accelerator Laboratory of more than 20 members, including graduate students and postdoctoral researchers as well as undergraduate students and a number of visiting researchers.
Her 25-years research experience revolves around multiscale modeling of various phenomena, including fundamental mechanisms of vacuum arcing under high electric fields and radiation effects in materials. She is one of the founders of the international workshop series “Mechanisms of Vacuum Arcing” which is almost annually held in different places in the world. She is leading the international committees of two (and a member in two more) major conferences in the field of radiation effects. She is also a prominent member of ISDEIV PISC.
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Dr. Helena Kaufmann
Siemens Energy, Germany
Title: Plasma-cathode interaction in vacuum, unipolar and high-pressure arcs |
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Brief Bio:
Helena Kaufmann received the M. Sci. degree (incorporating bachelor’s level study) in physics from the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, U.K., in 2012, and the Ph. D. degree from the University of Madeira, Portugal, in 2019. Her thesis focused on theory and modeling of the plasma-cathode interaction in vacuum and unipolar arcs. She was a researcher and teaching assistant with the Physics Department, University of Madeira, from 2019 to 2022. In October 2022, she joined Siemens Energy as a research engineer and is currently involved in the development of vacuum interrupters.
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Prof. Dirk Uhrlandt
Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology, Germany
Title: Spectroscopic Studies of Fast Phenomena in Vacuum |
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Brief Bio:
Dirk Uhrlandt was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1965. He received the Diploma degree in physics and the Ph.D. degree in theoretical physics from Greifswald University, Greifswald, Germany, in 1991 and 1997, respectively. Since 1993, he has been with the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP Greifswald), Greifswald, where he is currently a Scientific Board Member. He teaches high-voltage engineering with the University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany. His current research interests include arc plasmas in different applications and their simulation and optical diagnostics.
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Prof. Guanjun Zhang
Xi’an Jiaotong University, China
Title: Surface secondary electron emission and charge trap parameters: physics, measurement and applications |
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Brief Bio:
Guanjun Zhang, is a professor at Xi’an Jiaotong University's School of Electrical Engineering and director of its Advanced High Voltage and Plasma Technology Center. He earned B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from XJTU (1991, 1994, 2001). Specializing in high-voltage insulation, plasma applications, and discharge physics, he has held research positions at Tokyo Tech, Princeton University, and Southampton University. A recipient of the NSFC Distinguished Young Scholar Award and IEEE ISDEIV Chatterton Award, he has authored 200+ papers, delivered 40+ invited talks, and holds 50+ patents. His honors include China’s Top 100 Doctoral Dissertation Award and MOE Fok Ying Tong Research Award.
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Prof. Akiko Kumada
The University of Tokyo, Japan
Title: Effect of Contact Materials on the DC Interruption Characteristics of a TMF Vacuum Circuit Breaker |
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Brief Bio:
Akiko Kumada received the B. Eng., M. Eng., and Dr. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Tokyo in 1994, 1996, and 1999, respectively. Since April 2017, she has been in the University of Tokyo as a professor of electrical engineering. She currently serves as vice dean of the graduate school of engineering at the University of Tokyo. Since 2024, she has been serving as a vice president of administration of the IEEE Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation Society.
She directs the high voltage laboratory in the University of Tokyo, and is conducting research related to high-voltage insulation and current interruption technology for the development of high-voltage DC transmission networks and the upgrading of existing AC transmission networks.
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Dr. Nicola Pilan
Consorzio RFX, Italy
Title: Summary of fifteen years of HVDC experiments and tests in vacuum at the High Voltage Padova Test Facilities |
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Brief Bio:
Nicola Pilan received his B.S. degree, cum laude, in mechanical engineering, a M. S. degree in Plasma Physics and his Ph. D in Electrical Engineering from the University of Padova, Italy, in 2003, 2004 and 2009 respectively. He is a researcher at the Consorzio RFX in Padova, where he is involved in R&D activities for the ITER neutral beam injector, with 40+ scientific publications in this field. He contributed to the construction and commissioning of the high-voltage test facilities in Padova, currently used to test devices and carry out high-voltage experiments in vacuum, up to 800kVdc. He proposed a probabilistic method to predict the hold-off voltage of a multi-electrode system insulated by vacuum. In recent years he has conducted research on microdischarges and X-ray radiation characterizing the conditioning of high voltage direct current devices insulated by long vacuum gaps.
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Dr. Huantong Shi
Xi'an Jiaotong University, China
Title: Wire-shorted rod-pinch diode for flash x-ray radiography and dynamic x-ray diffraction |
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Brief Bio:
Huantong Shi, is a professor at Xi'an Jiaotong University's School of Electrical Engineering. He received the B.S. and Ph. D degrees in electrical engineering from Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, in 2012 and 2017, respectively. He published 30+ papers, holds 10+ patents, and authored 1 monograph on electrical wire explosion funded by the National Publication Foundation (as the second author). His main research interests include pulsed power technology and plasma physics. He participated in the development of load diagnostic platform for the National Major Science and Technology Infrastructure on electromagnetically driven fusion.
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