Kanani K. M. Lee

Curriculum Vitae download CV as pdf
Kanani K. M. Lee kanani -at- physics.nmsu.edu (replace -at- with @) Assistant Professor of Physics (Geophysics) Physics Department New Mexico State University MSC 3D Box 30001 Las Cruces, NM 88003 phone: (505) 646-1811 fax: (505) 646-1934 www.physics.nmsu.edu/~kanani

Research Interests
I employ various high-pressure and -temperature tools to study these effects on the physical and chemical properties of Earth materials, namely the phase diagram of Lower-Mantle assemblages, and the pressure-induced siderophile behavior of normally lithophile, chalcophile and atmophile elements.

Education
1999-2003 Ph.D., Geophysics
Department of Earth & Planetary Science
University of California, Berkeley
Thesis advisor: Raymond Jeanloz
Thesis: Exploring planetary interiors: Experiments at extreme conditions

In-situ high-pressure and high-temperature experiments are invaluable to understanding the interiors of planets primarily giving us insight into the relationship of pressure and temperature on the chemical and physical characteristics of planetary materials as well as testing current theories of planetary accretion, differentiation and evolution throughout a planet's lifetime. By using both static (laser-heated diamond anvil cell) and dynamic (laser-driven shock wave) techniques, I have attained the extreme conditions of planetary interiors. I have specifically analyzed the properties of the Earth's lower mantle by studying a natural peridotite at lower-mantle conditions. I have also studied the alloying of potassium and iron at high pressure in order to explore the possibility of radioactivity in the Earth's core, and have additionally studied water at very extreme conditions as it applies to icy giant planetary interiors.

1995-1999 Bachelor of Science, Physics, Magna Cum Laude
Department of Physics
University of San Francisco
Thesis advisor: Robert Pockalny, University of Rhode Island, GSO
Thesis: A comparison of circulation patterns at the mouth and head of Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island

Awards and Honors

2005-present Alexander von Humboldt Summer Fellow, Universität Bayreuth, Bayerisches Geoinstitut

2004-2005 O. K. Earl Postdoctoral Fellow, California Institute of Technology

2003 Outstanding student paper award, 2003 Fall American Geophysical Union meeting, Volcanology, Geochemistry & Petrology Section

2003 Sigma Xi Grants-In-Aid awardee

2000-2003 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow

Publications
K. K. M. Lee, L. R. Benedetti, A. Mackinnon, D. Hicks, S. J. Moon, P. Loubeyre, F. Occelli, A. Dewaele, G. W. Collins, and R. Jeanloz, "Taking Thin Diamonds to Their Limit: Coupling Static-Compression and Laser-Shock Techniques to Generate Dense Water," AIP Conference Proceedings 620, 1363 (2002). pdf

K. K. M. Lee and R. Jeanloz, "High pressure alloying of potassium and iron: Radioactivity in the Earth's core?," Geophysical Research Letters, 30(23), 2212 (2003). pdf

K. K. M. Lee, B. O'Neill, R. Jeanloz, "Limits to resolution in composition and density in ultra high-pressure experiments on natural mantle-rock samples," Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 143-144, 241 (2004). pdf

K. K. M. Lee, G. Steinle-Neumann and R. Jeanloz, "Ab-initio high-pressure alloying of iron and potassium: Implications for the Earth's core," Geophysical Research Letters, 31(11), L11603 (2004). pdf

K. K. M. Lee, B. O'Neill, W. R. Panero, S.-H. Shim, L. R. Benedetti and R. Jeanloz, "Equations of state of the high-pressure phases of a natural peridotite and implications for the Earth's lower mantle," Earth & Planetary Science Letters, 223(3-4), 381-393, (2004). pdf P-V data

K. K. M. Lee and G. Steinle-Neumann, "High-pressure alloying of iron and xenon: 'Missing' Xe in the Earth's core," Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 111, B02202, doi:10.1029/2005JB003781 (2006). pdf

K. K. M. Lee, L. R. Benedetti, R. Jeanloz, P. M. Celliers, J. H. Eggert, D. G. Hicks, S. J. Moon, A. Mackinnon, G. W. Collins, E. Henry, M. Koenig, A. Benuzzi-Mounaix, "Laser-driven shock experiments on pre-compressed water: Implications for icy giant planets," Journal of Chemical Physics, 125, 104701, doi:10.1063/1.2207618 (2006).pdf

K. K. M. Lee and G. Steinle-Neumann, "Ab-initio study of the effects of pressure and chemistry on the electron-capture radioactive decay constants of 7Be, 22Na and 40K," in press, Earth & Planetary Science Letters, (in press, 2008).

P. Loubeyre, P. M. Celliers, D. G. Hicks, E. Henry, A. Dewaele, J. Pasley, J. H. Eggert , M. Koenig, F. Occelli, K. K. M. Lee, R. Jeanloz, D. Neely, A. Benuzzi-Mounaix, D. Bradley, M. Bastea, S. Moon and G.W. Collins, "Coupling static and dynamic compressions: First measurements in dense hydrogen," High Pressure Research, 24(1), 25 (2004). pdf

P. M. Celliers, G. W. Collins, D. G. Hicks, M. Koenig, E. Henry, A. Benuzzi-Mounaix, D. Batani, D. K. Bradley, L. B. DaSilva, R. J. Wallace, S. J. Moon, J. H. Eggert, K. K. M. Lee, L. R. Benedetti, R. Jeanloz, I. Masclet, N. Dague, B. Marchet, M. Rabec Le Gloahec, Ch. Reverdin, J. Pasley, O. Willi, D. Neely and C. Danson, "Electronic conduction in shock-compressed water," Physics of Plasmas, 11(8), L41 (2004). pdf

R. Jeanloz, P. M. Celliers, G. W. Collins, J. H. Eggert, K. K. M. Lee, R. S. McWilliams, S. Brygoo, P. Loubeyre, "Achieving novel states through shock-wave loading of pre-compressed samples," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, doi/10.1073/pnas.0608170104 (2007). pdf

Recent Abstracts
K. K. M. Lee and G. Steinle-Neumann, "Pressure- and chemistry-dependent electron capture radioactivity," Fall AGU Meeting, San Francisco, V41F-1528, 2005.

K. K. M. Lee, P. D. Asimow, O. Tschauner, "Phase assemblage and stability of pyroxenite at Lower-Mantle conditions," Spring AGU Meeting, New Orleans, V42A-02, 2005.

K. K. M. Lee and G. Steinle-Neumann, "High-pressure alloying of iron and xenon: 'Missing' Xe in the Earth's core?," Eos Trans. AGU, 85(47), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract MR41A-08, 2004.

K. K. M. Lee, L. R. Benedetti, R. Jeanloz, A. Dewaele, F. Occelli, P. Loubeyre, D. Hicks, J. H. Eggert, P. M. Celliers, A. Mackinnon, S. J. Moon, G. W. Collins, E. Henry, A. Benuzzi-Mounaix, M. Koenig, and J. Pasley, "Laser-driven shock compression on pre-compressed water: Exploring icy giant interiors," Eos Trans. AGU, 84(46), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract V32G-06, 2003. OUTSTANDING STUDENT PAPER AWARD.

K. K. M. Lee, G. Steinle-Neumann and R. Jeanloz, "Quantum theory and high-pressure experiments on iron-potassium alloying: Radioactivity in the Earth's Core?," Eos Trans. AGU, 84(46), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract T31G-03 INVITED, 2003.

Teaching Experience

2006-present PHYS 451: Intermediate Mechanics, New Mexico State University

2001-2003 Taught and trained three undergraduate and four graduate students in the University of California, Berkeley's High-Pressure Mineral Physics group.

Spring 2000 Head Graduate Student Instructor, Geology/Astronomy 12 "The Planets," class size ~500 students, directly responsible for ~100 students.

Community Service

2005-present Referee, U.S. National Science Foundation, U. S. Department of Energy

2004-present Mentor, Women Mentoring Women, Caltech

2003-present Referee, Geophysical Research Letters

1996-2003 Exploratorium (a science, art, and human perception museum in San Francisco, CA; volunteer. Helped to develop and presented "Physics of Toys", an interactive laboratory used to teach physics of everyday phenomena to a wide audience on an individual basis.

Research Group Courses Personal

Last updated January 20, 2008

2005-present	Alexander von Humboldt Summer Fellow, Universität Bayreuth, Bayerisches Geoinstitut
2004-2005	O. K. Earl Postdoctoral Fellow, California Institute of Technology
2003	Outstanding student paper award, 2003 Fall American Geophysical Union meeting, Volcanology, Geochemistry & Petrology Section
2003	Sigma Xi Grants-In-Aid awardee
2000-2003	National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow

2006-present	PHYS 451: Intermediate Mechanics, New Mexico State University
2001-2003	Taught and trained three undergraduate and four graduate students in the University of California, Berkeley's High-Pressure Mineral Physics group.
Spring 2000	Head Graduate Student Instructor, Geology/Astronomy 12 "The Planets," class size ~500 students, directly responsible for ~100 students.

2005-present	Referee, U.S. National Science Foundation, U. S. Department of Energy
2004-present	Mentor, Women Mentoring Women, Caltech
2003-present	Referee, Geophysical Research Letters
1996-2003	Exploratorium (a science, art, and human perception museum in San Francisco, CA; volunteer. Helped to develop and presented "Physics of Toys", an interactive laboratory used to teach physics of everyday phenomena to a wide audience on an individual basis.