People

Leadership

  • Russell Hemley

    Russell Hemley, Director

    Professor and LAS Distinguished Chair in the Natural Sciences, Physics and Chemistry
    University of Illinois Chicago
    rhemley@uic.edu

    My research explores the behavior of matter and materials in extreme environments, notably high pressures and temperatures.

  • Stephen Gramsch

    Stephen Gramsch, Deputy Director

    Research Professor, Chemistry
    University of Illinois Chicago
    sgramsch@uic.edu

    I’m interested in the structural, electronic, and thermodynamic stability of inorganic crystalline solids and their response to high pressure and temperature.

Staff and Administration

  • Muhetaer Aihaiti

    Muhetaer Aihaiti

    Research Professor, Physics
    University of Illinois Chicago
    maihaiti@uic.edu

  • Ravhi Kumar

    Ravhi Kumar

    Research Professor, Physics
    University of Illinois Chicago
    ravhi@uic.edu / LinkedIn

    I specialize in high-pressure research of correlated, functional, and superconducting materials and mentor and train CDAC/affiliated students and postdocs.

  • Zhenxian Liu

    Zhenxian Liu

    Research Professor, Physics
    University of Illinois Chicago
    zxliu@bnl.gov / Google Scholar

    I develop spectroscopic techniques, like novel synchrotron infrared spectroscopy, to explore physical and chemical properties and phase transitions of materials under extreme P-T conditions.

  • Thomas Aláan

    Thomas Aláan

    Business/Administrative Associate
    University of Illinois Chicago
    talaan@uic.edu / LinkedIn

Academic Partners

Students and Postdocs

  • Audrey Berlin

    Audrey Berlin

    Graduate Student
    University of Utah
    audrey.berlin@utah.edu / LinkedIn

    I study deformation using high-pressure, high-temperature experiments and plasticity models.

  • Husam Farraj

    Husam Farraj

    Graduate Student
    University of Illinois Chicago
    hfarra3@uic.edu / LinkedIn

    I study the stability and structural changes of complex oxides under extreme conditions, including high pressure and temperature.

  • Clayton Halbert

    Clayton Halbert

    Graduate Student
    University of Illinois Chicago
    chalbe3@uic.edu / Webpage

    I’m interested in the discovery and fine tuning of functional materials using high pressure and temperature, from superconductors to thermoelectrics.

  • Roma Ripani

    Roma Ripani

    Graduate Student
    University of Illinois Chicago
    rripani2@uic.edu / LinkedIn

    My research is focused on characterizing a widely used rocket fuel, hydrazine, under extreme conditions.  

  • Kui Wang

    Postdoctoral Associate
    University of Illinois Chicago
    kuiwang2@uic.edu / Google Scholar

    I study superconductivity and quantum transport under high pressure, focusing on elemental systems for novel phenomena and hydrides for high-temperature superconductivity.

  • Zack Whipple

    Zack Whipple

    Graduate Student
    University of Illinois Chicago
    zwhipp2@uic.edu / Google Scholar

    I concentrate on synthesizing and characterizing aluminum- and nitrogen-based high-energy-density materials, like nanoparticles, using extreme conditions.

Hannah Bausch, Graduate Student
Northwestern University
hannah@earth.northwestern.edu

Devi Biswajeet, Graduate Student
University of Illinois Chicago
dbiswa4@uic.edu

Brian Blankenau, Graduate Student
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
bjblank2@illinois.edu

Alexa Cabrera, Graduate Student
University of Illinois Chicago
acabre26@uic.edu

Grady Clopton, Graduate Student
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
gclopton@illinois.edu

Adam R Denchfield, Graduate Student
University of Illinois Chicago
adench2@uic.edu

Gubisch Sumner, Graduate Student
George Washington University
sumner.gubisch@gwmail.gwu.edu

Masashi Kimura, Graduate Student
University at Buffalo
masashik@buffalo.edu

Masashi W. Kimura, Graduate Student
University at Buffalo
masashik@buffalo.edu

Alexander C. Mark, Graduate Student
University of Illinois Chicago
amark5@uic.edu

Jacob Minnette, Graduate Student
University of Tennessee - Knoxville
jminnet1@vols.utk.edu

Angela Pak, Graduate Student
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
apak@illinois.edu

Allison Pease, Graduate Student
Michigan State University
peaseall@msu.edu

Morgan Redington, Graduate Student
University at Buffalo
morganey@buffalo.edu

Thomas Subak, Graduate Student
Northwestern University
thomassubak2028@u.northwestern.edu

Zack Whipple, Graduate Student
University of Illinois Chicago
zwhipp2@uic.edu

Charlie Zoller, Graduate Student
University of Illinois Chicago
czoller2@uic.edu

Affiliated Students and Postdocs

  • Laura Gardner

    Laura Gardner

    Graduate Student
    Northwestern University
    lauragardner2024@u.northwestern.edu / Website

    I use vibrational spectroscopy to study high-pressure mineral phases, lunar soils, and biominerals. 

  • Abdul Haseeb Manayil Marathamkottil

    Abdul Haseeb Manayil Marathamkottil

    Graduate Student
    University of Illinois Chicago
    amanay2@uic.edu / LinkedIn

    My research focuses on synthesizing lanthanum-based ternary superhydrides and exploring their structural and electronic properties.

  • Fatemeh Safari

    Fatemeh Safari

    Postdoctoral Research Associate
    University of Illinois Chicago
    fatsaf@uic.edu / Linkedin

    My research focuses on synthesis and characterization advanced materials, including high-energy density materials, high-entropy alloys under extreme conditions.

  • Eduardo De Toledo Poldi

    Eduardo De Toledo Poldi

    Graduate Student
    University of Illinois Chicago
    edetol3@uic.edu / Google Scholar

    I'm interested in the pressure- and temperature-dependent behaviors of electronic and magnetic properties of novel materials.

Tirzah Abbott, Graduate Student
Northwestern University
tirzah.abbott@northwestern.edu

Luisa Fernanda Chavarria Chavarria, Graduate Student
Michigan State University
chavar18@msu.edu

Farid Fattahpour, Graduate Student
University of Illinois Chicago
sfatta2@uic.edu

Laura Gardner, Graduate Student
Northwestern University
lauragardner2024@u.northwestern.edu

Cosmic Gober, Graduate Student
University of Illinois Chicago
gober2@uic.edu

Shilpa Hazra, Graduate Student
University of Illinois Chicago
shazra3@uic.edu

John Hirtz, Graduate Student
University of Tennessee - Knoxville
jhirtz@vols.utk.edu

Anmol Lamichhane, Graduate Student
University of Illinois Chicago
alamic2@uic.edu

Ritabrata Mondal, Graduate Student
University of Illinois Chicago
rmonda2@uic.edu

Tianyu Su, Graduate Student
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
tianyus5@illinois.edu

Affiliated Faculty

  • Jordi Cabana

    Jordi Cabana

    Professor, Chemistry
    University of Illinois Chicago
    jcabana@uic.edu

  • Juan Carlos Campuzano

    Juan Carlos Campuzano

    Professor, Physics
    University of Illinois Chicago
    jcc@uic.edu

  • Tom Driver

    Tom Driver

    Professor, Chemistry
    University of Illinois Chicago
    tgd@uic.edu

  • Hyowon Park

    Hyowon Park

    Assistant Professor, Physics
    University of Illinois Chicago
    hyowon@uic.edu

  • Nilesh Salke

    Nilesh Salke

    Research Assistant Professor, Physics
    University of Illinois Chicago
    nilesh@uic.edu / Google Scholar

    I am interested in studying superconducting hydrides, nitrides, quantum materials, and advanced materials at extreme pressure and temperature conditions.

  • Michael Trenary

    Michael Trenary

    Professor, Chemistry
    University of Illinois Chicago
    mtrenary@uic.edu

Center Scientific Advisory Committee

Dana Dattelbaum
Los Alamos National Laboratory

Jon Eggert
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

David Funk
Los Alamos National Laboratory

Christian Mailhiot, Chair
Sandia National Laboratories

Ibo Matthews
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Martin Schoonen
Brookhaven National Laboratory

Chris Seagle
Sandia National Laboratory

CDAC Affiliates

  • Andrew Campbell | University of Chicago
    Phase transitions in e-FeOOH
    Students : Elizabeth Thompson, Anne Davis

    Andrew Cornelius | University of Nevada-Las Vegas
    Pressure induced structural transitions in heavy fermion systems
    Students : Melanie White, Vahe Mrktchyan, Brian Light

    C.W. (Paul) Chu | University of Houston
    High-pressure x-ray diffraction of cuprate superconductors; single-crystal diffraction of Ge
    UIC Student Collaborator : Alexander Mark

    James Hamlin | University of Florida
    Studies of low-Z superconductors
    Students/Postdocs : J. Lim, Ajinkya Hire

    Janice Musfeldt | University of Tennessee
    Electronic and magnetic properties of materials at high pressures
    Students : Amanda Clune, Kevin Smith, Nathan Harms

    Ryan Klein | National Renewable Energy Laboratory
    Collapse of magnetic order in Jarosite

    Shanti Deemyad | University of Utah
    High pressure studies of topological insulators
    Students : Tushar Bhowmick, Tessa McNamee, Moira Hicks

    Valery Levitas | Iowa State University
    Studies of shear deformation
    Students/postdocs : Sorb Yesudhas, Feng Lin.ere

  • Sakun Duwal | Sandia National Laboratories
    Charlie Zoller, Muhtar Ahart, Russell Hemley: EOS of H2-He mixtures

    Blake Sturtevant | Los Alamos National Lab
    Ravhi Kumar, Russell Hemley: X-ray studies of metal phase transition kinetics

    Dana Dattelbaum | Los Alamos National Lab
    Muhtar Ahart, Russell Hemley: EOS of novel energetic materials

    Jon Belof | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
    Russell Hemley: Nucleation and growth in solid-solid phase transitions

    Richard Kraus | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
    Russell Hemley: Fe melting curve and solidification at TPa pressures at NIF

    G.W. Collins | Laboratory for Laser Energetics
    Russell Hemley: Quantum transitions of hydrogen at TPa pressures at Omega

    Andrew Shamp | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
    Tiange Bi, Eva Zurek (Buffalo): Novel high pressure Li-F-H chemistry

    Tadashi Ogitsu | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
    Shuai Zhang (LLE) – 1. Katie Hilleke, Eva Zurek (Buffalo): Boron at extreme conditions; 2. Elif Ertekin (Illinois – UIUC): Shape memory alloys

    Luke Shulenberger, Chris San Marchi | Sandia National Laboratories
    Elif Ertekin (Illinois – UIUC) shape memory alloys

    Blake Sturtevant | Los Alamos National Lab
    Lowell Miyagi (Utah): D-DIA technique development

    Chris Seagle, Josh Townsend | Sandia National Laboratories
    Steven Jacobsen, Hannah Bausch (Northwestern): Thermodyamic properties of (Mg,Fe)O at core-mantle boundary conditions (Z Fundamental Science Program)

    Blas Uberuaga | Los Alamos National Lab
    Maik Lang, Will Cureton, Zach Chaney, John Hirtz (Tennessee): Radiation damage in materials for nuclear energy applications

    Hector Lorenzana | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
    Maik Lang, Will Cureton, Zach Chaney, John Hirtz (Tennessee): Effects of strongly ionizing radiation and coupled extremes on materials contaning nanoscale gas bubbles