Course Outline

Franklin Miller

Professor Franklin Miller is a faculty member in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he specializes in cryogenics, refrigeration, and energy systems. He completed his PhD work at the MIT Cryogenics Engineering Lab. His work focuses on the design, analysis, and optimization of cryogenic technologies, with particular expertise in Joule–Thomson (JT) cryocoolers, mixed-refrigerant systems, and microcryocoolers.

At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Professor Miller is actively involved in both research and teaching, helping to train the next generation of engineers in thermal sciences and low-temperature engineering. His research explores efficient cooling technologies for a wide range of applications, from scientific instrumentation to industrial and aerospace systems, with an emphasis on practical, scalable solutions.

Professor Miller has contributed to advancing cryogenic engineering through his work on compact and high-efficiency refrigeration systems, as well as through his engagement with the broader cryogenics community. He is a frequent contributor to technical conferences and educational programs, where he shares his expertise in cryocooler design and performance.

Through his academic leadership and technical contributions, Professor Miller continues to support innovation in cryogenic systems and their applications across emerging technologies.

Mark Zagarola

Dr. Mark Zagarola is a Principal Engineer and Partner at Creare LLC, where he has been a key contributor since joining the company in 1995. Over the course of his career at Creare, he has focused on the development of cryocoolers, heat exchangers, thermal management systems, and cryocooler control electronics primarily for space applications. He currently leads Creare’s cryocooler business area, guiding both technical innovation and program execution.

Dr. Zagarola has provided leadership on numerous cryocooler development programs, including turbo-Brayton and Joule–Thomson (JT) systems. His work has advanced critical technologies such as high-performance recuperators, gas-bearing turbomachinery, and sophisticated cryocooler drive electronics. His contributions have played a significant role in the maturation and deployment of reliable, high-efficiency cryogenic systems for demanding applications.

He has been deeply engaged in the broader cryogenics community, serving as Chairman of the 20th International Cryocooler Conference (ICC), as well as on the boards of both the ICC and the Cryogenic Society of America. In addition, he has served as a technical editor for multiple volumes of Advances in Cryogenic Engineering. In recognition of his long-standing service and impact, he received the ICC Exceptional Service Award in 2024.

He earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Rutgers University and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Princeton University. During his time at Princeton, he designed and led the development of a unique 28-ton pipe flow facility capable of generating highly accurate data at Reynolds numbers more than an order of magnitude higher than previous experiments. The data he collected, along with the theories he developed, provided important new insights into the scaling of wall-bounded shear flows.

Peter Bradley

Peter Bradley is a mechanical engineer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Boulder, Colorado, specializing in cryogenic engineering and experimental mechanics. His research focuses on material behavior in extreme environments, including hydrogen exposure and cryogenic temperatures, spanning both macro- and microscale testing. He has developed measurement techniques and instruments for characterizing MEMS and chip-scale devices operating in regimes from 4K to ambient conditions enabling precise evaluation of materials in demanding applications. Spanning much of his career at NIST he has done similarly to characterize regenerative and recuperative cryocoolers.

Mr. Bradley’s career spans four decades across NIST and NASA, including early work at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and the National Bureau of Standards. At NIST, he has served as a mechanical engineer, project leader in cryogenic technologies, and currently as part of the Fatigue and Fracture Group in the Applied Chemicals and Materials Division. He is also a dedicated mentor and collaborator, having worked with numerous graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and visiting scientists from many institutions worldwide.

He has been an active leader in the cryogenics community, serving as President of the Cryogenic Engineering Conference (CEC), a member of its Board of Directors since 2015, and Conference Chairman for CEC 2021. He has also held leadership roles with the International Cryocooler Conference and the Cryogenic Society of America. An inventor on multiple cryocooler patents, Bradley has received the MML Accolade for Measurement Science Excellence (2024), the U.S. Department of Commerce Bronze Medal (2018), and a NASA Award for Space Shuttle Tank Recertification (1989).

Xihuan Hao

Dr. Xihuan Hao is a Principal Cryogenic Systems Engineer at Bluefors Syracuse. He holds a Ph.D. in Cryogenic Engineering and has over 18 years of experience in the cryogenic industry. Xihuan's role involves developing new Cryomech cryocoolers and upgrading existing models. Xihuan has authored over 40 peer-reviewed scholarly papers, holds over 5 patents, and has won numerous honors and awards including Bluefors 2023 Innovation Champion, and the George T. Mulholland Memorial Award for Excellence in Cryogenic Engineering, awarded by the Cryogenic Society of America (CSA) in 2015.