The mission of SEES (Synchrotron Earth and Environmental Science) is to advance research and education in synchrotron-based Earth and environmental science to better understand our planet from the atmosphere to the core, to address societally relevant problems, and to train the next generation of scientists. SEES is responsible for the management, operation, and development of multiple user facilities hosted at four DOE-operated US synchrotrons: Advanced Photon Source (APS), Advanced Light Source (ALS), National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II), and Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL).
2025 SEES-ISRD Joint Meeting
SEES and ISRD invite you to attend our annual meeting to be held jointly at the University of Chicago on August 11-13, 2025. Keynote speakers will discuss topics in rock and mineral deformation and rheological properties in Earth, and there will be a poster session with a broad scientific focus. All SEES and ISRD researchers are welcome and encouraged to attend. Click here to learn more.
Recent Publications
The mechanism behind pressure-induced isosymmetric second-order phase transitions
Zhong, Qifa, Jingui Xu, Dongzhou Zhang, Shanrong Zhang, Mengzeng Wu, Hailing Gu, Yi Zhou, and Dawei Fan. “The mechanism behind pressure-induced isosymmetric second-order phase transitions.” American Mineralogist (2024). https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2024-9497
Rare earth element (REE) speciation in municipal solid waste incineration ash
Yinghao Wen, Lei Hu, Pan Liu, Qian Wang, Estefania Garcia, Weiyao Yan, Yuanzhi Tang, “Rare earth element (REE) speciation in municipal solid waste incineration ash,” Appl. Geochem. 178, 106239 (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.apgeochem.2024.106239
Iron Bonding with Light Elements: Implications for Planetary Cores Beyond the Binary System
Yang, H.; Wang, W.; Mao, W.L. Iron Bonding with Light Elements: Implications for Planetary Cores Beyond the Binary System. Crystals 2024, 14, 1016. https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst14121016
An oxygen fugacity-temperature-pressure-composition model for sulfide speciation in Mercurian magmas
Brendan A. Anzures, Stephen W. Parman, Ralph E. Milliken, Olivier Namur, Camille Cartier, Francis M. McCubbin, Kathleen E. Vander Kaaden, Kelsey Prissel, Kayla Iacovino, Antonio Lanzirotti, Matthew Newville, “An oxygen fugacity-temperature-pressure-composition model for sulfide speciation in Mercurian magmas,” Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 388, 61-77 (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.gca.2024.11.012
Three Distinctive Steps for Heterogeneous Nucleation of Tunnel-Structured Mn Oxide on Quartz under Light Exposure
Haesung Jung, Byeongdu Lee, Doyoon Kim, Zhenwei Gao, Ping-I Chou, Young-Shin Jun, “Three Distinctive Steps for Heterogeneous Nucleation of Tunnel-Structured Mn Oxide on Quartz under Light Exposure,” Environ. Sci. Technol. 58 (48), 21200-21209 (2024). DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c07527
DEM simulation of the compression of crushable sand: does the initial particle shape matter?
D.Seo, J.Harmon, J.Andrade, and G.Buscarnera, “DEM simulation of the compression of crushable sand: does the initial particle shape matter?” Géotechnique Letters 2024 14:4, 1-14
Science Highlights
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Latest Happenings

Matt Whitaker Presents at FORCE
Matt Whitaker presented his talk titled “Using in site X-ray Diffraction and Imaging to Study Materials under Pressure” at the FORCE Seminar.
Synchrotron Earth & Environmental Science
The National Science Foundation Division of Earth Sciences has for many years supported a...