Dr. Rebecca Fischer

Biography

Rebecca Fischer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard University. Her research aims to understand the formation, differentiation, and deep interior properties of Earth and rocky planets through high-pressure and high-temperature laboratory experiments alongside numerical modeling. She investigates the formation and chemical evolution of Earth, focusing on its modern state and the interior's phase diagrams and equations of state, as well as issues related to metal-silicate partitioning at high pressures and the chemistry of planetary accretion. Fischer's experimental work utilizes diamond anvil cells and laser-heating techniques to recreate the extreme conditions of the Earth's deep interior, which exceed 150 GPa in pressure and several thousand K in temperature. This work is supplemented by numerical simulations that explore the processes of accretion and differentiation, contributing to the understanding of the physical and chemical properties of Earth materials and the core formation process.

Research Interests