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Mingda Lyu, Dr.

Instrumentation Scientist

Rigaku Innovative Technologies

About Me

I am an Instrumentation Scientist at Rigaku Innovative Technologies, and my research focuses on R&D of X-ray optics and instrumentation. Before joining Rigaku in June 2022, I was a Postdoctoral Appointee at HPCAT, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, and a Visiting Investigator at Earth & Planets Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science. I received my Ph.D. in Geological Sciences from Michigan State University under the supervision of Prof. Susannah Dorfman in May 2021.

I am transposing my experience acquired in academia to industry. I have been working on the research and development of synchrotron facilities with various X-ray techniques since 2013. During my M.Sc., Ph.D., and Postdoc research, I have been intensively using a wide variety of techniques including X-ray imaging and tomography, single-crystal and powder XRD, X-ray spectroscopy, geochemical micro-analysis, high-pressure experiments, data reduction and modeling, scientific software development, parallel and high-performance computation, which have multidisciplinary applications in geochemistry, geophysics, planetary science, and material science.

Interests

  • X-ray Instrumentation
  • Software Development
  • Mineral Physics
  • Experimental Petrology
  • Geochemistry
  • Thermodynamics

Education

  • Ph.D. in Geological Sciences, 2021

    Michigan State University

  • M.Sc. in Geochemistry, 2016

    Peking University

  • B.Sc. in Geology, 2013

    Sun Yat-Sen University

Research

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Deep carbon cycling

The stable host phases for carbon in Earth’s mantle, which have controlled storage and fluxes of carbon through the planet over …

Lower mantle heterogeneities

Thermal and/or chemical heterogeneities in the mantle might be produced by primordial mantle materials, chemical differentiation during …

Core formation and properties

Earth’s core consists of the liquid outer core and solid inner core, which is an almost iron-nickel alloy. Seismic and cosmochemical …

Thermodynamic modeling

The structure and composition of Earth's interior provide the fundamental information for scientists to interpret geological activities …

Teaching

GLG-321: Mineralogy and Geochemistry

Teaching Assistant: Adapting mineralogy laboratory to online mode; teaching and grading two 10-student sections of online mineralogy laboratory

GLG-201: The Dynamic Earth

Teaching Assistant: Taught and graded three 30-student sections of laboratory exercises for introductory geology in both inperson and online modes

Selected Awards

  • 2022: Finalist, Harry H. Hess Postdoctoral Fellowship, Princeton U
  • 2022: Excellence in PhD Research Award, EES, MSU
  • 2021: Award for Graduate Research, SEDI, AGU
  • 2021: John C. Jamieson Student Paper Award, MRP, AGU
  • 2021: Finalist, Morton K. Blaustein Postdoctoral Scholar, Johns Hopkins U
  • 2020: Pringle Endowed Fellowship, EES, MSU
  • 2018: Alfred J. and Ruth Zeits Endowed Fellowship, CNS, MSU
  • 2018: Pringle Endowed Fellowship, EES, MSU
  • 2017: Best Presentation Award, COMPRES
  • 2017: Neal Research Scholarship, EES, MSU
  • 2016: Geological Sciences Alumni Fellowship, EES, MSU
  • 2016: Outstanding Graduate, PKU
  • 2016: Li Siguang Outstanding Student Award, Li Siguang Foundation
  • 2015: National Scholarship, Ministry of Education of China
  • 2015: Innovation Award, PKU
  • 2015: Academic Scholarship of Geochemistry, PKU
  • 2014: Excellence in Learning Award, PKU
  • 2013: “Genius to Know” Scholarship, Educational Foundation of CETV
  • 2013-16: Academic Scholarship, First Class, PKU
  • 2013: Outstanding Graduate, SYSU
  • 2009-13: Academic Scholarship, Second Class, SYSU

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