diffusion

Bruce Watson

Sun, 2010-06-13 02:05 — watsoe

Name:	Bruce Watson
Title:	Institute Professor
Department	Earth and Environmental Sciences Materials Science and Engineering
School	Science
Center	New York Center for Astrobiology
Website:	http://www.rpi.edu/~watsoe

Bio E. Bruce Watson
Abbreviated Professional Biosketch

Education
Williams College, 1968-1969
University of New Hampshire (B.A. in Geology, 1972)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Ph.D. in Geochemistry, 1976)

Professional Career
September 1976-August 1977: Post-doctoral Fellow, Carnegie Institution of Washington
1977-present: Assistant --> Full Professor, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
1990-1995: Chairman, Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, RPI
1991-1994: Associate Dean of Science for Environmental Programs, RPI
1995-present: Institute Professor of Science, RPI
2011-present: Prof. of Materials Sci. & Eng. (secondary appointment), RPI

Memberships, Awards and Honors
F.W. Clarke Medal of the Geochemical Society, 1983
NSF Presidential Young Investigator, 1984-1989
Fellow of the following societies: Geochemical Society, American Geophysical Union, Mineralogical Society of America, Geological Society of America, European Association for Geochemistry
American Academy of Arts and Sciences (fellow, 1996)
National Academy of Sciences (member, 1997)
President, Mineralogical Society of America, 1998
Arthur L. Day Medal, Geological Society of America (1998)
Participating Guest, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (1999)
Distinguished Alumnus, Engineering & Physical Sciences, University of New Hampshire (1999)
R.A. Daly Lecturer, American Geophysical Union, 1999
Listed in A to Z of Earth Scientists (150 notable Earth scientists, 18th century to present), 2002
Original Member, Highly Cited Researchers, ISI/Thomsen Scientific, 2002
Oualline Lecturer, University of Texas at Austin, 2004
V.M. Goldschmidt Medal, Geochemical Society, 2005
W.H. Bucher Medal, American Geophysical Union, 2006
Kliegel Lecturer, California Institute of Technology, 2008
Murchison Medal, Geological Society of London, 2011

Professional Service Highlights
Principal Editor, Elements Magazine, 2006-2009
Associate Editor, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 1985-1988
Editor, Chemical Geology, 1991-1995
Editorial Boards: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 1997-1999; Geofluids, 2003-
Member, NRC Advisory Panel on “Physics and Chemistry of Earth Materials”, 1986
Panel Member, NSF Division of Earth Sciences, 1987-1990
Mineralogical Society of America Awards Committee, 1989-1990; fellows committee (2008-2009)
Geochemical Society: Clarke Medal Committee, 1986-1989; Councilor (1991-1994); Budget Committee, 1990; Nom. Committee (1998-2000); Goldschmidt Conference Publicity Chairman, 1990
NSF Site Committee for the Stony Brook Center for High-Pressure Research, 1992
Am. Geophys. Union: VGP Fellows Committee (1992-1995; 2001-2003); VGP Nom. Committee (1997)
Roebling Medal Committee, Mineralogical Society of America, 1993-1994
Chairman, Department of Energy O.P.A. Review Panel (Geochemistry), 1993
NSF Continental Margins Steering Committee and Workshop, 1993
Committee of Visitors, Petrology & Geochemistry Program, NSF/EAR, 1993
Committee of Visitors, Instrumentation & Facilities Program, NSF/EAR, 1997, 2010 (co-chair)
Member, Advisory Committee to the Geosciences Directorate, NSF, 2008-2010
Miller Medal Committee, National Academy of Sciences, 2010
Visiting Committees, Geoscience departments: McGill University (1991); Carnegie Inst. Geophys. Lab. (1992, 2000); Brown University (1993) Harvard University (1994, 1999); University of Houston (2002); University of Maryland (2003); Arizona State University (2004; chair); University of New Hampshire (2004; chair); Rice University (2000, 2005); California Institute of Technology (2010).
Nominating Committee, National Academy of Sciences, 2011-present
Long-range Planning Committee, Mineralogical Soc. of America, 2011-present

Research Group Profile
General interest areas
In my group we do mostly inorganic geochemistry focusing on chemical equilibria and transport phenomena in solid-Earth systems (and to some extent in other terrestrial planets and meteorites). This umbrella takes in a wide range of systems, spanning the realm from core-mantle interactions to climate proxies. We use mainly experimental approaches—coupled in some cases with numerical modeling—to characterize processes that operate in and on the Earth to redistribute the chemical elements on scales ranging from micrometers to kilometers. This overarching interest involves specific studies of several types, including: 1) partitioning of trace elements between minerals, silicate melts and fluids; 2) atomic and molecular diffusion in crystals, grain boundaries, silicate melts and supercritical water; 3) equilibrium and kinetic properties of low-abundance minerals that sequester geochemically-important isotopes and trace elements; 4) wetting behavior of fluids and melts in rocks; 5) permeability of (and bulk diffusion in) polyphase materials consisting of crystals and fluid; and 6) dissolution and growth kinetics of minerals, in particular as the latter might bear on non-equilibrium uptake of elements and isotopes. The primary application areas of current research include “environmental” conditions on earliest Earth (as these might bear on the origin of life), time-temperature evolution of igneous and metamorphic systems, and the underlying thermodynamic/kinetic basis of climate proxies.

Personnel
Daniele J. Cherniak (Research Professor)
Jay B. Thomas (Senior Research Associate)
Nicholas Tailby (Post-doc)
Dustin Trail (Post-doc)
Ling Bo Xing (PhD student)
Veronika Homolova (PhD student)
Michael Ackerson (PhD student)
Maxwell Cane (PhD student)
Sebastian Mergelsberg (undergraduate student)
Matthew Warbrick (undergraduate student)
Carlo DiLorenzo (undergraduate student)

Summary of research themes
1. Accessory minerals and crustal processes
Support: NSF
Topics: Diffusion and trace-element partitioning in minerals that serve as the main hosts for rare elements and radioactive isotopes; diffusion modeling for thermochronology
People: Ling Bo Xing (grad. student); Mike Ackerson (grad. student); Daniele Cherniak (Res. Professor); E.B. Watson

2. Geochemical and cosmochemical kinetics
Support: NSF; NASA
Topics: Diffusion and solubility of noble gases in rock-forming minerals; diffusion and partitioning of elements and isotopes of importance to planetary differentiation; diffusive fractionation of dissolved volatiles in magmas
People: Max Cane (grad. student); Jay Thomas (Sr. Res. Scientist); D. J. Cherniak; E.B. Watson

3. Grain-boundary phenomena in rocks
Support: DOE
Topics: Diffusion of incompatible elements (including diffusive fractionation); “wettability”
People: Matt Warbrick (undergrad); J. Thomas; E.B. Watson

4. Inorganic geochemistry bearing on the origin of life
Support: NASA Astrobiology Institute
Topics: Zircon and quartz thermometry and oxygen/H2O barometry of ancient zircons; biosignature retention; isotope fractionation processes that mimic biosignatures
People: Sebastian Mergelsberg (undergrad); Veronika Homolova (grad. student); Dustin Trail (post-doc); Nick Tailby (post-doc); E.B. Watson

5. Kinetic effects on trace-element and isotope fractionation
Support: NSF
Topics: Near-surface process in minerals affecting isotopic uptake during crystal growth
People: E.B. Watson; Saroj Nayak (RPI Physics); J. Eiler (Caltech)

Details

Funding Agency

Keywords

Education Ph.D.: MIT (Geochemistry) B.S.: University of New Hampshire (Geology)

Scholarly Works:

http://homepages.rpi.edu/~watsoe/publications.htm