Research Vision

My research explores how materials behave under extreme pressure and temperature conditions similar to those found deep inside planets or created in advanced laboratories. By pushing matter to these limits, I uncover new scientific principles and create pathways to transformative technologies.

I focus on three interconnected directions - 

• Extreme-Condition Synthesis and Characterization: Discovering and studying new materials that form unique atomic structures with remarkable properties.

• Instrumentation and Method Development:  Building and advancing experimental tools, such as X-ray and spectroscopic methods, to probe materials in real time.

• Academic–Industry Collaboration for Future Materials Discovery:  Collaborating closely with theorist colleagues to deeply understand the physics of materials, and partnering with industry to connect my scientific discoveries with current technological requirements, standards, and real-world impact. 

These efforts have revealed exciting classes of materials, including high-temperature superconductors, high-energy-density (HED) compounds, quantum materials, geophysically relevant and planetary interior materials, and thermodynamically anomalous materials such as those with negative thermal expansion (NTE) and negative linear compressibility (NLC). Together, these discoveries expand our understanding of physics while shaping next-generation materials for energy, quantum technologies, electronics, and defense applications.

My perspective is that curiosity-driven exploration and technological innovation go hand in hand. By studying matter at its extremes, I aim to contribute both to the advancement of fundamental science and to solutions for society’s most pressing technological challenges.