Graduate Students Directory

Salma Ahmed

I use density function theory and ab-initio molecular dynamics to study matter in extreme conditions, which include the conditions of planet interiors. My latest project was to study high pressure electrides, in which valence electrons of atoms instead localize in the interstitial sites of the material. I received my bachelor's and master's degrees in chemistry at San Francisco State University, where my previous research was simulating superionic metal halides as a proxy for Li-ion batteries. I have also been an NSF-GRFP Fellow since 2023.

Advisor: Burkhard Militzer

Colin Baciocco

I am a geomorphologist who studies how the hydroclimate and landscapes interact, particularly in the Arctic. My work involves an interplay between field observations, lab analysis of materials collected in the field, and implementing those observations with geomorphological theory and numerical / analytical modeling. I also develop methods for using very large remote sensing datasets to answer geomorphological questions.

Projects: - Thesis project (advised by Madison Douglas): Mechanistic models of thermoerosional gully networks in ice-rich permafrost - Second Project (advised by Bill...

Tyler Cadena

Advisor: Michael Manga

Education: B.S. Geological Sciences: General Geology, University of Texas at Austin

Prajna Paramita Das

Advisor: Bruce Buffett

BS-MS degree (Undergraduate) from IISER Kolkata, India

Kyla De Villa

I use computer simulations (ab initio and machine learning) to study the properties of materials under the extreme conditions of planetary interiors. By calculating equations of state and transport properties of planetary ices, I then perform magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations of ice giant planets to infer the role of radially varying material properties on magnetic field morphologies and heat flows. Similarly, using atomistic shock simulation techniques, I study giant impact induced shock synthesis of prebiotic species.

Advisor: Burkhard...

Sharma Mrinal Dursun

Advisor: Barbara Romanowicz/Weiqiang Zhu

Anthony Fuentes

Advisors: Nicholas Swanson-Hysell and Paul Renne

Education: MS 2019 (Geology) University of New Hampshire; BS (2016) UC Santa Barbara

Yuancong Gou

Advisor: Richard Allen

Education: B.S. 2020 (Geophysics) Nanjing University

Caroline Hasler

Advisor: Paul Renne

Education: B.Sc. in Physics, ETH Zurich

Zhenyu He

Advisor: David Romps

Xuancheng Huang

Advisor: Wenbo Wu

Interests: seismology, ocean bottom DAS (distributed acoustic sensing), and earthquake physics.

Jiwoon Hwang

Advisor: Bethanie Edwards

Kian Kafaie

Advisor: Daniel Stolper

Celia Kong-Johnson

Advisor: Daniel Stolper

Education: BA in Geochemistry and Environmental Geochemistry and BA in Applied Math at Brown University, 2025

Contact: ckong-johnson@berkeley.edu

Isabel Koran

Advisor: Francis Macdonald

Isis Lemus

Advisor: Roland Bürgmann

Langlang Li

I am a graduate student in geochemistry. My research interests are watershed geochemistry, bedrock weathering and plant root ecology. I am particularly interested in understanding why and how deep roots grow into bedrock layers, and how these processes may help inform solutions for our ecosystem sustainability under future climate change.

Advisor: Benjamin Gilbert

Danielle Lindsay

Advisor: Roland Bürgmann

Education: BSc (Geology) and MSc (Geophysics) from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand