Materials Science Research Lecture

Webinar Link:

https://caltech.zoom.us/j/83276652110

Webinar ID: 832 7665 2110

Abstract:

The application of extreme environments (including variable pressure, temperature and irradiation) can induce dramatic changes in materials and give us a much broader field to discover new phases and explore novel phenomena. This has applications to a wide range of fields including Earth and planetary science, materials science, condensed matter physics, and solid state chemistry. Improving our understanding of the modifications that occur at high pressure can also provide guidance for designing improved materials with desirable properties that can be utilized for energy-related applications. I will present some examples to demonstrate the range of new materials and properties which can be altered under extreme environments. In particular, I will focus on experimental work using high pressure as a powerful variable for tuning materials behavior.

More about the Speaker:

Wendy's research focuses on the behavior of materials under extreme conditions. She uses diamond anvil cells and laser-shock techniques to access high pressure and variable temperature and studies the dramatic changes that are induced using a suite of laboratory and synchrotron x-ray and x-ray free electron techniques. Her work has application to understanding Earth and planetary interiors and developing new energy-related materials, and she is an author on over 180 publications. She is a fellow of the Geochemical Society, the European Association of Geochemistry, the American Geophysical Union, and the Mineralogical Society of America.