William E. Leonhard Professor of Mineral Physics
Seismological Laboratory

Jennifer M. Jackson

Mailing address:
1200 E. California Blvd., MC 252-21
Pasadena, CA 91125

Education

2005: Ph.D. Geology, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

2000: M.S. Mineralogy & Crystallography, Univ. of Notre Dame

1999: B.S. Honors, Mathematics with a minor in Geology, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

1998: Illinois Teaching Certification: Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry (Grades 6-12)

Positions Held

2020-present: William E. Leonhard Professor of Mineral Physics, Seismological Laboratory, Division of Geological & Planetary Sciences, Caltech

2012-2020: Professor of Mineral Physics, Seismological Laboratory, Division of Geological & Planetary Sciences, Caltech

2008-2017: Geophysics Option Representative, Division of Geological & Planetary Sciences, Caltech

2007-2012: Assistant Professor of Mineral Physics, Seismological Laboratory, Division of Geological & Planetary Sciences, Caltech

2005-2006: Visiting Scientist, Nuclear resonant and inelastic x-ray scattering group, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory

2005-2006: Postdoctoral Fellow, Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington

2000-2005: Predoc Fellow, Research & Teaching Assistant, Department of Geology, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

1999-2000: NSF-GRT and Teaching Assistant, University of Notre Dame, IN

1995-1996: Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Mathematics, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Research Interests

Combining experimental results with geophysical methods to better understand planetary interiors. By combining a suite of spectroscopic methods, primarily at advanced radiation sources, we determine the elastic, vibrational, and chemical properties of candidate planetary materials under extreme conditions of pressure and temperature. Through collaborations with Seismo Lab colleagues and collaborators around the world, we integrate the most recent mineral physics results with seismic observations and geodynamic modeling to gain a multi-dimensional understanding of the deepest parts of Earth's interior.

Specific areas include:

Ultralow velocity zones at Earth's core-mantle boundarys

Sound velocities of candidate deep Earth materials under extreme conditions and comparisons with seismological observations

Behavior of iron in deep Earth materials

Elastic mode softening in minerals, as they undergo phase transitions and their relationship with seismic observations

Development of techniques involving nuclear resonant scattering of synchrotron radiation, including melt detection at high-pressures

Exploration and development of new geophysical techniques for the study of planetary interiors, such as using barometers on floating balloon platforms to detect seismic events within the solid planetary body (targeted application: Venus)

Honors and Awards

2020: William E. Leonhard Professor of Mineral Physics, Caltech

2018: Visiting Fellow, Institut für Geophysik, University of Münster, Germany

2017: Visiting Professor, Université de Lille, France

2015: Techniques and Technologies for Investigating the Interior Structure of Venus, Keck Institute for Space Studies, Caltech & Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 2015-2017

2013-2014: COMPRES Distinguished Lecturer

2010: National Science Foundation Early CAREER Award

2008-2009: Mineralogical Society of America's Distinguished Lecturer

2005-2006: Postdoctoral Fellowship, Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington

2005: Mineral Rock Physics Student Award for Ph.D. thesis work, American Geophysical Union

2004: John C. Jamieson Award: Excellent contribution to high-pressure science, Gordon Research Conference, Research at High-Pressure

2001 and 2004: Harriett Wallace Award: Outstanding Geoscientist, Department of Geology, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

2004: Best Student Poster, Users Meeting of the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory

2004: Mineralogical Society of America Grant for Student Research in Mineralogy and Petrology

2002-2003: Predoctoral Fellowship, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

1999-2000: NSF Graduate Research Trainee (GRT) Scholarship, University of Notre Dame

Courses Taught

Introduction to Geophysics (Ge 11d)

Mineral Physics (Ge 164)

Analytical Techniques Laboratory (Ge 116)

Topics in Deep Earth Mineral Physics (Ge 169a)

Composition, Structure, and Chemistry of Planetary Interiors (Ge 169b)

Venus (Ge 193)

Select Synergistic Activities

2008 - 2017: Geophysics Option Representative, Caltech

2015-2016: Program Committee, 2016 COMPRES Annual Meeting

2014-2015: Writing team, Mineral physics planning document

2014-2015: Chair, Program Committee for the 2015 COMPRES Annual Meeting

2014-2017: Chair, SURF Administrative Committee, Caltech

2013-2017: Executive Committee Member (elected), COMPRES

2012-2015: Faculty Board (elected), Caltech

2012-2013: Core Committee, Division of Geological & Planetary Sciences, Caltech

2010-2013: Facilities Committee Member (elected), COMPRES

Workshop Co-organizer, Future Missions to Titan: Scientific and Engineering Challenges II, Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS), Caltech (Nov. 1-4, 2010)

Workshop Co-organizer, Future Missions to Titan: Scientific and Engineering Challenges I, Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS), Caltech (May 25-28, 2010)

2010: Technical Advisory Committee: Extreme Conditions, Advanced Photon Source Upgrade proposal

2009-2014: SURF Administrative Committee member, Caltech

2008: Geophysics Advisor, Nation's Needs of Isotopes: Present & Future, Department of Energy

Workshop Co-organizer, High-Resolution Inelastic X-ray Scattering, Advanced Photon Source (May 31 -June 1, 2008)

2008: Kavli Fellow, National Academy of Sciences

2008: Discovery Science Channel Interview, 'Journey to the Center of the Earth'

November 2005 – 2008: Executive Committee, Mineral and Rock Physics Focus Group, American Geophysical Union

2006: Mineral and Rock Physics representative on the program committee for the American Geophysical Union

2006-2007: Program Committee, COMPRES annual meeting

2008-present: Various Review, Search, and Strategic Planning Committees member, Division of Geological & Planetary Sciences, Caltech.

Referee for academic journals

Invited Plenary Talks

International School of Crystallography: From Novel Experimental Approaches to Applications in Cutting Edge Techniques (Erice, Italy 06/2009)

Long Range Planning Meeting for Deep Earth Mineral Physics, sponsored by The National Science Foundation (Tempe, AZ 02/2009)

International School on Mineralogy at Nonambient Conditions (Bressanone, Italy 02/2008)

Spring School, Tohoku University (Sendai, Japan 05/2007)

American Physical Society Meeting (Denver, CO 03/2007)

16th Annual V.M. Goldschmidt Conference (Melbourne, Australia 08/2006)

Invited Talks (2006-2020)

Seismological Laboratory Seminar (virtual), Caltech (2020)
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting, San Francisco (2019)
Tencent's Ways to Evolve Summit: Infinity Within (Beijing, China 2019)
27th IUGG General Assembly (Montréal, QC Canada 2019)
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (Germany 2019)
Deep Earth Mini-Symposium, University of Münster (Germany 2018)
Nuclear Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering Workshop, Argonne National Laboratory, IL (2018)
Study of Earth’s Deep Interior (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 2018)
Universität Potsdam, Institut für Erd- und Umweltwissenschaften (Potsdam, Germany 2018)
Department of Earth Sciences, Institute of Geophysics, ETH Zürich (Switzerland 2018)
Bayerisches Geoinstitut, Universität Bayreuth (Germany 2018)
Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie, Paris (France 2018)
Workshop on high energy-resolution inelastic x-ray scattering, Argonne National Laboratory, IL (2017)
Université de Lille, France (2017)
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (2017)
University of California, Los Angeles, CA (2016)
Gordon Research Conference: Research at High-Pressures (New Hampshire, July 2016)
Magma Oceanology Workshop (Japan, July 2016) International School of Crystallography (Erice, Italy 2016)
The International Conference on the Applications of the Mössbauer Effect (ICAME) (Hamburg, Deutschland 09/2015)
Synchrotron Radiation Instrumentation (SRI) Satellite Workshop: Emerging opportunies in high energy x-ray science: The diffraction limited storage ring (Advanced Photon Source, July 2015)
Opportunities in Earth, Environmental and Extreme Conditions Science at hard x-ray diffraction limited storage rings (Advanced Photon Source, June 2015)
Tohoku University (Sendai, Japan 08/2014)
Study of Earth's Deep Interior (Kanagawa, Japan 08/2014)
Photon Science Seminar, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (Hamburg, Deutschland 07/2014) (PDF)
American Geophysical Union, VGP Session on Subduction, Fall Meeting (San Francisco, CA, 12/2013)
COMPRES Distinguished Lecture Series: Indiana State University at South Bend / Notre Dame University, Michigan State University, Scripps at UC San Diego, Utah Valley University.
International Association for the Advancement of High Pressure Science and Technology (AIRAPT), held in conjunction with the Eighteenth Biennial International Conference of the APS Topical Group on Shock Compression of Condensed Matter (APS-SCCM) (July 7-12, 2013)
Gordon Research Conference: Interior of the Earth (June 2-7, 2013)
Advances in Crystallography at High-Pressure (IUCrHP/QuBS: Mito, Japan 09/2012)
Study of Earth's Deep Interior (Leeds, United Kingdom 2012)
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting (San Francisco, CA, 12/2011)
Dynamical Properties of Earth and Planetary Materials (Switzerland, 10/2011)
Science at the Hard X-ray Diffraction Limit, Cornell University (Ithaca, NY, 06/23/2011)
Ernest C. Watson Lecture (Pasadena, CA, 04/13/2011)
California State University (Northridge, CA, 03/29/11)
National Association of Geoscience Teachers (Pasadena, CA, 03/25/11)
User Science Seminar, Advanced Photon Source (Argonne, IL, 03/04/11)
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting (San Francisco, CA, 12/2010)
7th International Conference on Inelastic X-ray Scattering (Grenoble, France, 08/2010)
Study of Earth's Deep Interior (Santa Barbara, CA, 7/2010)
Machine Project (Los Angeles, CA, 04/2010)
California State University (Long Beach, CA, 04/2010)
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting (San Francisco, CA, 12/2009)
Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ, 09/2009)
International School of Crystallography: From Novel Experimental Approaches to Applications in Cutting Edge Techniques (Erice, Italy, 06/2009)
COMPRES Long Range Planning (Tempe, AZ, 02/2010)
International School on Mineralogy at Nonambient Conditions (Bressanone, Italy, 02/2008)
University of California (Los Angeles, CA, 10/2008)
Tennessee Technological University (Cooktown, TN, 04/2008)

MSA Distinguished Lecture Series: Bayreuth University, Germany (10/2008); University of Barcelona, Spain (10/2008); Oxford University, England (10/2008); Binghamton University, SUNY, NY (11/2008); University of Oklahoma, OK (11/2008); Northern Illinois University, IL (11/2008); University of Montana (04/2009); California State University, Chico, CA (04/2009); Humbolt State University, CA (04/2009)

Virtual Laboratory, University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN, 2007)
Study of Matter at Extreme Conditions (Miami, FL, 04/2007)
Frontiers in Mineral Sciences (Cambridge, England; keynote, 06/2007)
High-Pressure Mineral Physics Seminar-7 (Matsushima, Japan, 05/2007)
American Physical Society, March Meeting (Denver, CO, 03/2007)
16th Annual Goldschmidt Conference (Melbourne, Australia; keynote, 08/2006)
AGU Joint Assembly (Baltimore, MD, 05/2006)

Teaching Awards and Certification

2001: Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, Department of Geology,UIUC

2002: Teachers Ranked Outstanding by their Students, UIUC

2000 and 2001: Teachers Ranked Excellent by their Students, UIUC

1998: Illinois Teaching Certification: Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry (Grades 6-12)

Publications

Click here for Publications

Click here for select Abstracts

Please email me for a PDF version of my CV