Russell Hemley

Russell J. Hemley is a distinguished academic holding dual roles as Affiliate Professor in Earth and Environmental Sciences and Professor of Physics and Chemistry at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), where he also serves as the LAS Distinguished Chair in the Natural Sciences. He earned his B.A. in Chemistry from Wesleyan University (1977), followed by an M.A. (1980) and Ph.D. (1983) in Chemistry from Harvard University.

His research focuses on extreme conditions science, including high-pressure and high-temperature studies of materials. Key areas include the discovery of superconductors (notably high-Tc superhydrides), structural transformations in planetary materials, and development of novel synthesis methods under extreme conditions. Hemley has directed DOE-funded national materials science centers and contributed to advancements in neutron, X-ray, and laser-based high-pressure techniques.

Hemley has received prestigious awards such as the Balzan Prize and Percy W. Bridgman Award. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His lab, the Hemley Group, collaborates on projects like the Chicago/Doe Alliance Center (CDAC). He has authored over 660 publications, with recent work exploring ambient-temperature superconductivity and pressure-induced phenomena in hydrides and topological materials.