Charles H. Langmuir

Charles H. Langmuir is the Higgins Professor of Geochemistry and Director of the Mineralogical and Geological Museum at Harvard University's Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences. He specializes in solid Earth geochemistry, focusing on plate tectonic cycles, ocean ridges, convergent margins, and intraplate volcanism. His research has included 20 ocean ridge cruises, including groundbreaking work in the Arctic Ocean. He co-authored the influential textbook How to Build a Habitable Planet and pioneered the PetDB geochemical database. His work on linkages between volcanism and glacial cycles has sparked significant scientific debate.

• Educations: B.A., Harvard University (1973); Ph.D., State University of New York at Stony Brook (1980)

Langmuir's research interests span mantle dynamics, hydrothermal geochemistry, and the evolution of Earth's composition. His recent studies explore mantle temperature variations and global ocean ridge basalt systematics. He has received major awards such as the Arthur Holmes Medal and Urey Medal for career contributions to geoscience.

• Labs/Teams: Leads the Solid Earth Geochemistry Lab at Harvard, actively recruiting students/post-docs for geochemistry and volcanology research.