| publications || courses taught || special accomplishments |

Professional experience

2/08-Present Principal Research Scientist, and 11/93-1/08 Research Scientist, Department of Earth, Atmospheric & Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA.

  • Supervised and maintained the MIT Electron Microprobe Facility.
  • Trained faculty, researchers and students in the operation of the electron microprobe.
  • Taught courses in Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA), Analysis of Geological Materials, and Petrology.
  • Routinely analyzed minerals, glass, ceramics, metals, semiconductors, and superconductors by applying innovative techniques including:
    • complete micrometer-scale quantitative chemical analysis of elements with atomic number > 5 including light elements (B, C, O and F), rare earth elements (REE), and actinites (U and Th) using wavelength dispersive spectrometry (WDS).
    • high-resolution imaging at high magnifications with back-scattered electrons (BSE), secondary electrons, x-rays (elemental mapping), and cathodoluminescence.
  • Special projects included analysis of asbestos, lead (in industrial paint), fluorine (in tooth), hydroxy-apatite, concrete, and Ge-As-Se-Te alloys.
  • Performed original research in petrology and geochemistry (see publications).

11/91-10/93 Research Scientist, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY.

  • Maintained an ARL-SEMQ2 electron microprobe, trained faculty and students, and performed petrological research.

9/90-10/91 Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Department of Mineral Sciences, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY.

  • Studied the chemistry of meteorites using an ARL-SEMQ electron microprobe.

6/91-10/91 Technical Support Consultant, Information Systems Department, Nabisco Brands, Parsippany, NJ.

2/85-5/91 Adjunct Lecturer/Graduate Fellow, City University of New York, New York, NY.

  • Taught Historical and Physical Geology at Brooklyn College, Hunter College and College of Staten Island.

2/84-5/89 Research Assistant, Department of Geology, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY.

  • Developed a thermodynamic database on oxides and silicates for phase equilibria calculations using multiple regression, optimization and other numerical techniques.

Special Accomplishments

  • October 14-16, 2015: Invited speaker at "From melt to igneous rock", an international workshop at Trabzon, Turkey.
  • February, 2008: Interview with Nature-India; doi:10.1038/nindia.2008.131.
  • January, 2002: Interview with Martin Redfern on BBC World Service/Discovery: "Lost Continents, Vanished Oceans" .
  • 1991: Appeared in an American Museum of Natural History (New York) documentary about meteorites.
  • Reviewed research award applications for National Science Foundation and other orgranizations.
  • Peer reviewed manuscripts for well-known international journals.