Jennifer Jackson

Jennifer Jackson serves as the William E. Leonhard Professor of Mineral Physics and Vice Provost at the California Institute of Technology within the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences. She leads research at Caltech's Seismological Laboratory, focusing on deep Earth and planetary interior processes through experimental and observational approaches.

Her educational background includes:

• B.S. from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (1999)
• M.S. from University of Notre Dame (2000)
• Ph.D. from University of Illinois (2005)

Jackson's research investigates mineral behavior under extreme planetary conditions, utilizing diamond-anvil cells, infrared lasers, and synchrotron x-ray techniques. She examines how chemical complexity in minerals shapes Earth's interior dynamics from the core to volcanic systems, with recent expansion into balloon-based infrasound detection for Venus exploration. Her work bridges mineral physics, geophysics, and planetary science to understand seismic wave propagation, phase transitions, and planetary evolution.

Recent publications reveal consistent focus on high-pressure mineral properties of iron-bearing compounds and planetary analog studies, with strong emphasis on experimental innovation and cross-disciplinary applications for terrestrial and extraterrestrial environments.

No specific scientific awards were documented in the provided materials.

Jackson actively mentors graduate students including Eli Bird, Ojashvi Rautela, Ben Strozewski, Rebecca Wipfler, and Cijin Zhou. Her research group maintains significant collaborations with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and colleagues across Caltech's Seismological Laboratory, particularly with faculty members Mike Gurnis, Zhongwen Zhan, and Zachary Ross on deep Earth dynamics projects.

The Jackson Lab operates advanced experimental facilities for high-pressure mineral physics and develops novel geophysical techniques like balloon-deployed seismometers. This work occurs within Caltech's Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences alongside postdoctoral researchers including Wei Mao, focusing on multi-scale analysis of planetary interior structures through combined experimental, observational, and modeling approaches.