Welcome to the PTXRt lab!

As the PTXRt Lab, we explore geochemical processes through the lens of Pressure, Temperature, Composition, Isotopic Ratio, and Time (PTXRt) to understand the formation, evolution, and differentiation of planetary bodies. Our research combines isotopic measurements with high-pressure, high-temperature experiments and kinetic modeling to investigate geological processes on Earth, the Moon, and beyond.

My name is Peng Ni (倪鹏). I am currently an Assistant Professor at the Department of Earth, Planets, and Space Sciences in University of California, Los Angeles. I obtained my Bachelor’s Degree in Geology at Peking University in 2011 and my PhD in Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 2017 with a John Dorr Academic Achievement Award. My PhD thesis focused on studying Cu diffusion in silicate melts and volatile abundances in the lunar mantle. After my PhD, I joined the Geophysical Laboratory (now part of the Earth & Planets Laboratory) of Carnegie Science as a Carnegie Postdoctoral Fellow.

I apply a wide range of geochemical tools to geological and planetary problems. My recent projects include diamond inclusion studies to understand the recycling of surface materials, including volatiles, to Earth’s deep interior; understanding the volatile budget an volcanic activities on the Moon via study of the Apollo samples; and experimentally studying the behavior of moderately volatile elements. More details of some of my recent projects can be found under the Research page.