Claire Zurkowski is a mineral physicist, experimentally studying the chemistry of planetary cores where pressures and temperatures are millions of times higher than ambient conditions. Her research methods include combining powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques to explore the phase relations and crystal structures of materials relevant to Earth and planetary deep interiors. She will be joining campus in September to work with Staff Scientist Yingwei Fei.  While at EPL, Zurkowski’s work will focus on determining liquid metal percolation in solid silicate mantle and investigating percolative behavior and element partitioning during planetary differentiation.