Research interests:

Claire Zurkowski is a Staff Scientist in the Equilibrium Physics at Extreme Conditions (EPEC) group at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Claire received her Ph.D. in Geophysical Sciences from the University of Chicago in 2021 and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Earth and Planets Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington before joining EPEC in 2022. Claire utilizes static compression to probe equations of state, phase transitions, and melting of planetary and condensed matter physics materials. At Livermore, Claire specializes in developing toroidal diamond-anvil cell configurations to probe these material properties at multi-megabar conditions.

Professional Experience:

[2024 - present] Equilibrium Physics at Extreme Conditions - Research Scientist, Lawrence Livermore National Labtoratory

[2022 - 2024] Equilibrium Physics at Extreme Conditions - Postdoctoral Researcher, Lawrence Livermore National Labtoratory, working with Zsolt Jenei.

[2022 - 2024] Visiting Scientist, Earth and Planets Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science, working with Yingwei Fei.

[2021 - 2022] Postdoctoral Fellow, Earth and Planets Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science, working with Yingwei Fei.

Education:

[2021] Ph.D. University of Chicago (Geophysical Sciences)

[2016] B.S. San Francisco State University (Geology)

Publications:

Zurkowski, C.C., Yang, J., Chariton, S., Prakapenka, V. and Fei, Y., (2026) High pressure formation of the eight‐fold coordinated post‐post spinel MgFe2O4. Geophysical Research Letters, 53, e2025GL120161 DOI

Zurkowski C. C., Lim R. E., Pardo O. S., O’Bannon E. F., Glazyrin K., Soderlind P., Jenei Zs. (2024) Improving equation of state calibrations in the toroidal DAC—the case study of molybdenum. Journal of Applied Physics, 136, 075901. DOI (Editor's Pick)

Zurkowski C. C., Yang J., Miozzi F., Vitale S., O'Bannon III E. F., Jenei Z., Chariton S., Prakapenka V. B., and Fei Y. (2024) Exploring toroidal anvil profiles for larger sample volumes above 4 Mbar. Scientific Reports, 14 DOI

Zurkowski C. C., Lavina B.,Prissel K., Chariton, S., Prakapenka V. B., and Fei Y. (2024) Structure and titanium distribution of feiite characterized using synchrotron single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. American Mineralogist, 109, 144-149. DOI

Zurkowski C. C., Yang J., Chariton S., Prakapenka V. B., and Fei Y. (2022) Synthesis and stability of an eight-coordinated Fe₃O₄ high-pressure phase: Implications for the mantle structure of super-Earths. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 127, e2022JE007344. *Special Section: Exoplanets: The Nexus of Astronomy and Geoscience. DOI

Zurkowski C.C., Lavina B., Case A., Swadba K., Chariton S., Prakapenka V.B., and Campbell A.J. (2022) Fe₅S₂ identified as a host for sulfur in Earth and planetary cores. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 593, 117650. DOI

Zurkowski C.C., Lavina B., Chariton S., Prakapenka V.B., and Campbell A.J. (2022) Stability of Fe₂S and Fe₁₂S₇ to 125 GPa– implications for S-rich planetary cores. Geochemical Perspectives Letters, 21, 47 - 52. DOI

Zurkowski C. C., Lavina B., Brauser N. M., Davis A. H., Chariton S., Tkachev S., Greenberg E., Prakapenka V. B., and Campbell A. J. (2022) Pressure-induced C23-C37 transition and compression behavior of orthorhombic Fe₂S to Earth's core pressures and high temperatures. American Mineralogist: Journal of Earth and Planetary Materials, 107, 1878-1885. DOI

Zurkowski C.C., Lavina B., Chariton S., Greenberg E., Prakapenka V.B., and Campbell A.J. (2021) The crystal structure of Fe₂S at 90 GPa based on single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. American Mineralogist: Journal of Earth and Planetary Materials, 107, 739-743. DOI

Zurkowski C. C., Lavina B., Chariton S., Greenberg E., Tkachev S. N., Prakapenka, V.B., and Campbell A. J. (2020) The novel high-pressure/high-temperature compound Co₁₂P₇ determined from synchrotron data. Acta Crystallographica E76, 1665-1668. DOI

Book Chapters:

Zurkowski, C.C., and Fei, Y. (2023) Mineralogy of Planetary Cores. In Celebrating the International Year of Mineralogy: Progress and Landmark Discoveries of the Last Decades (207-247). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. DOI

Invited Talks

[2025] 29th AIRAPT Intl. Conference on High Pressure Science and Technology, Matsuyama, Japan, 2025,
"Exploring conditions beyond that of Earth in the diamond anvil cell"

[2025] 24th International Conference on the Science of Compression in Condensed Matter, Washington, DC,
"Diversifying the sample environment in the tDAC for ultra-high pressure experiments"

[2025] High Energy Density Science Seminar, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory,
"Diversifying the sample environment in the tDAC for planetary science applications"

[2024] University of California, Los Angeles,
"Progress in synchrotron multigrain X-ray diffraction techniques-- Exploring the petrology of deep planetary interiors"

[2024] Argonne National Lab
"Achieving quasihydrostatic equations of state in the toroidal diamond anvil cell-- The case study of Molybdenum"

[2024] University of California, Berkeley,
"Crystallography and phase relations of iron sulfides at Earth and planetary core conditions"

[2024] Southern Illinois University,
"Mysteries beyond our solary system-- Characterizing the mineralogical building blocks of rocky exoplanets"

[2024] University of Utah,
"Mysteries beyond our solary system-- Characterizing the mineralogical building blocks of rocky exoplanets"

[2024] University of Alabama Tuscaloosa,
"Progress in synchrotron multigrain X-ray diffraction techniques-- Exploring the petrology of deep planetary interiors"

[2024] University of Tennessee Knoxville,
"Mysteries beyond our solary system-- Characterizing the mineralogical building blocks of rocky exoplanets"

[2024] Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
"Mysteries beyond our solary system-- Characterizing the mineralogical building blocks of rocky exoplanets"

[2024] Boise State University,
"Mysteries beyond our solary system-- Characterizing the mineralogical building blocks of rocky exoplanets"

[2023] University of Lille,
"Progress in synchrotron multigrain X-ray diffraction techniques-- Exploring the petrology of deep planetary interiors"

[2023] University of Bristol,
"Progress in synchrotron multigrain X-ray diffraction techniques-- Exploring the petrology of deep planetary interiors"

[2023] Lafayette College,
"Mysteries beyond our solary system-- Characterizing the mineralogical building blocks of rocky exoplanets"

[2023] West Chester University,
"Mysteries beyond our solary system-- Characterizing the mineralogical building blocks of rocky exoplanets"

[2023] Macalester College,
"Mysteries beyond our solary system-- Characterizing the mineralogical building blocks of rocky exoplanets"

[2023] American Geophysical Union,
"Assessment of the platinum, gold, and rhenium scales at multimegabar pressures using new compression data from toroidal anvil experiments"

[2023] IUCr Congress,
"Probing the interiors of Earth and planetary cores using synchrotron multigrain X-ray diffraction"

[2022] IUCr High Pressure Workshop,
"Iron-sulfide crystallography at the extremes– Insights into rocky planetary cores"

[2022] Lorentz Center Diversity of Rocky Exoplanets Workshop,
"Exoplanetary mineralogy and advances in experimental tools to probe exoplanetary deep interiors"

[2022] Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, High-Pressure Physics Group,
"Crystallography at the extremes: Insights into Earth and exoplanetary deep interiors"

[2021] Carnegie Institution for Science, Experimental Petrology and Mineral Physics Group,
"High P-T multigrain synthesis and the importance of powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction techniques"

[2021] Carnegie Institution for Science, Experimental Petrology and Mineral Physics Group
"Investigating the structural properties of Fe-rich sulfides to Earth’s core pressures and high temperatures"

Awards:

[2024] Editor's Pick, Journal of Applied Physics
[2024] Postdoc Poster Symposium Award, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
[2024] Publication Award in Physical and Life Sciences, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
[2023-2024] Mineralogical Society of America Distinguished Lecturer, Peter Buseck New Developments in Mineralogy and Petrology lecturer
[2021] Advances in synchrotron-based research towards understanding the structure,
evolution, and dynamics of Earth and planetary interiors workshop postdoc participation award, APS
[2020] Arts, Science + Culture Initiative Graduate Collaboration Grant awarded
[2019] Student Presentation Award, COMPRES Annual Meeting
[2018] Student Presentation Award, COMPRES Annual Meeting
[2018-2021] NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
[2017] Outstanding Student Paper Award, Mineral and Rock Physics, AGU Fall Meeting
[2017] McCormick Fellowship, University of Chicago
[2016] Department Honoree, San Francisco State University
[2013-2016] Deans List, Pratt Institute, University of Maryland, San Francisco State University
[2014] Distinguished Flying Cross Scholarship
[2013] Presidential Scholarship, Pratt Institute
[2013] Valedictorian, The John Carroll School
[2013] Judith Resnik Award for Women in the Sciences
[2013] William J. Sacco Award for Applied Mathematics Scholarship
[2013] Math, Physics, and Art Student of the Year

Outreach:

[2025] Elected member of the APS High-Pressure Proposal Review Panel
[2024] Elected member of the SEES (Synchrotron Earth and Environmental Science) user committee
[2023] MSA distinguished lecturer
[2023] AGU session chair
[2023] Livermore family day tourguide
[2022] Carnegie Trustee poster session presenter
[2022] AGU session convener
[2021] Advances in synchrotron-based research towards understanding the structure,
evolution, and dynamics of Earth and planetary interiors workshop, APS, session chair
[2020] Art-science interview with Notre
[2020] Art-science interview with Space Us
[2019] Art-science interview with UChicago News
[2019] Twitter account manager for AGU's Mineral and Rock Physics section
[2019] Instagram account manager for @ArtSciInitiative
[2019-2020] Vice Chair of COMPRES student planning committee
[2019-2020] AGU student representative for Mineral and Rock Physics
[2018-2019] COMPRES student planning committee member
[2018] Women in Graduate Science Student Leadership Team - University of Chicago - Geophysical Sciences representative
[2018] Physical Sciences Divison Dean's Student Advisory Committee - University of Chicago - Geophysical Sciences representative
[2017] Docent in the mineralogy and meteorite exhibitions of the Field Museum in Chicago
[2017] Math and science tutor at the Marillac Social Center in Chicago
[2016] UChicagoGrad Lab Tours (Featured Speaker)
[2016] Upward Bound Tutoring Program serving high school students of low income families
[2016] Argonne National Lab's Hour of Code volunteer at Peck Elementary School
[2016] Mentor Matching Engine mentor for high school STEM students at the Illinois Science and Technology Institute

Press

Check out this APS highlight on my recent paper published in Geochemical Perspectives Letters based on data collected at APS Sector 13 ID-D.

Check out this UChicago News article discussing the relationship between my research and my textile design. An edited version of this article was also published by APS.