Roberta Flemming

Dr. Roberta Flemming is a Full Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences within the Faculty of Science at Western University. She serves as the Director of the Micro X-ray Diffraction Facility at Western and is recognized as a Western Space Investigator. Her academic journey began with a Ph.D. from Queen's University in 1997, after which she established herself as a leading mineralogist specializing in planetary materials research.

Dr. Flemming's research program centers on mineralogy as a tool for understanding Earth and planetary processes. Her work spans planetary science and geology, with particular expertise in X-ray diffraction techniques, solid-state NMR spectroscopy, and crystallography. She investigates mineral behavior under varying pressure, temperature, and composition conditions to reveal insights about planetary formation and evolution. Her research has significant applications in meteoritics, kimberlite exploration, and planetary surface characterization.

Analysis of Dr. Flemming's recent publications reveals a strong focus on micro-X-ray diffraction applications across diverse contexts—from analyzing shock metamorphism in meteorites to characterizing minerals for diamond exploration. Her work demonstrates consistent innovation in applying diffraction techniques to solve geological problems, with increasing emphasis on planetary materials and instrumentation development for space exploration.

Dr. Flemming leads a multidisciplinary team funded by the Canadian Space Agency to develop a 'Miniaturized In-situ XRD for Mineralogical Characterization of Planetary Surfaces' with a focus on Mars exploration. She teaches courses including Earth Sciences 2206A: Mineral Systems, Crystallography and Optics, and Earth Sciences 3310B: Structure and Chemistry of Minerals and Materials.

Her laboratory work spans multiple facilities including offices in BGS 0172 and labs in BGS 1062-1063. Dr. Flemming's research group employs a comprehensive suite of analytical techniques including powder X-ray diffraction, micro-X-ray diffraction, electron probe microanalysis, and various spectroscopic methods to advance our understanding of mineral systems across terrestrial and extraterrestrial environments.