Melissa Sims

Dr. Melissa Sims is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), joining in Fall 2024. She holds a B.A. in Physics from the College of Charleston, a B.S. in Geophysics from the University of South Carolina, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Geoscience from Stony Brook University (2018).

• Research Focus: Planetary interiors, meteorite impacts, and material behavior under extreme conditions. Investigates solar system formation and planetary evolution using shock experiments (gas-gun, laser) and techniques like X-ray diffraction.

Previously, she was an NSF EAR Postdoctoral Fellow at Johns Hopkins University and a visiting scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Her work bridges geophysics, materials science, and planetary dynamics.

• Awards: NSF EAR Postdoctoral Fellowship

Advising and grants: No specific grants or student advisees listed. Active in high-pressure experimentation and dynamic impact studies.