The Geochemistry/Geochemist Group at DTM has four staff members: Conel Alexander, Rick Carlson, Larry Nittler, and Steve Shirey. With the support of chemistry lab manager, Mary Horan, mass spec lab manager, Tim Mock, and ion probe specialist, Jianhua Wang, research projects involving the staff can range from a short, informal nature to those that are long term. Research collaborations are welcome on almost any professional level: as an intern, a pre-doctoral fellow, a post-doctoral fellow, a visiting scientist, or a Tuve fellow. Most projects are NSF or NASA funded, but with the Carnegie Institution’s high level of ongoing lab support, important scientific questions can be attacked without the proposal lead-time that NSF or NASA funding requires. The most fruitful collaborations are those that align with the interests of the staff and the type of analyses suited to our facilities (see below).
Cosmochemists address the early history of the solar system, the formation and early evolution of meteorites, and the nature of the impact cratering process on Earth. Research in geochemistry combines laboratory and field studies of modern and ancient rocks from diverse geographic areas.
Staff
Staff Scientists
Conel M. O'D. Alexander - Cosmochemistry; isotopic chemistry and origin of interstellar grains
Richard W. Carlson - Isotope geochemistry; history and nature of chemical evolution of the Earth's crust and mantle; early history of the solar system
Larry R. Nittler - Cosmochemistry; presolar grains in meteorites; secondary ion mass spectrometry and planetary remote sensing
Steven B. Shirey - Igneous petrology; isotope geochemistry; trace element geochemistry; geochemical evolution of the Earth's crust and mantle
Technical Staff
Mary Horan - Geochemistry Laboratory Manager
Timothy Mock - Mass Spectrometry Laboratory Manager
Jianhua Wang - SIMS Lab Manager
Postdoctoral Fellows
Andrea Patzer - Ph.D. Max-Planck-Institution for Chemistry (2000)
Kei Shimizu - Ph.D. Brown University (2016)
Jonathan Tucker - Ph.D. Harvard University (2016)
Maximilien Verdier-Paoletti - Ph.D. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle de Paris (MNHN) (2017)
Da Wang - Ph.D. washington State University, Pullman (2018)
Facilities for Research
TIMS
Thermo Scientific Triton XT Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometer (2019)
Thermo-Fisher Triton (2004)
ICP-MS
Nu Plasma HR, Nu Plasma II, Axiom
SIMS
NanoSIMS 50L, Cameca 6f with 1 Meter Magnetic Sector
Chemistry Laboratories
Multiple clean-room facility equipped for all aspects of sample preparation
SEM
JEOL 6500F
Also on campus:
JEOL JXA-8530F Automated Field Emission Electron Microprobe, JEOL 8900 electron microprobe, Zeiss Auriga FIB-SEM, FTIR, Raman Spectroscopy
Supporting Laboratories
Optical Microscopy, Microsampling, Rock Room, Machine Shop, Electronics Laboratory