Sébastien MERKEL

Present position

Professor, Unité Matériaux et Transformations, Université de Lille, France

Scientific interests

Geophysics, Deep Earth – Texture, Microstructures, Anisotropy – Physical properties of the Earth's mantle, D" layer, and inner core – Mineral physics – Seismic anisotropy – X-ray diffraction - Synchrotron radiation – High pressure/ high temperature experiments

Research experience

• 2010–: Professor, Unité Matériaux et Transformations, Université de Lille, France
• 2014–2019: Junior Member, Institut universitaire de France
• 2006–2010: CNRS Research Scientist, Laboratoire de Structure et Propriétés de l'Etat Solide, then Unité Matériaux et Transformations, Université Lille 1, France
• 2004–2006: Miller Research Fellow, Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley, United States
• 2002–2004 : JSPS post-doctoral fellow, Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo, Japan.
• 1999–2002: PhD at the Laboratoire des Sciences de la Terre, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, France, and the Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington DC, Etats-Unis, supervised by Philippe Gillet and Russell J. Hemley
• 1997–1999: undergraduate researcher at the Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington DC, United States, with Russell J. Hemley
• Summer 1997: Master's research project at the Laboratoire de Géophysique et Tectonique, Université Montpellier II, France, with Jean Chéry
• Summer 1996: summer intern at the Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington DC, United States, with Russell J. Hemley and David M. Teter
• Summer 1995: summer intern at the Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, France, with Bruno Guiderdoni

Education

• 2009: Habilitation à diriger les recherches, Université Lille 1, France
  Title : Plasticity under pressure: experimental approach
• 1999–2002: PhD thesis at the Laboratoire des Sciences de la Terre of the École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, France, and at the Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington DC, United States
  Title: Elasticity and preferred orientations in the deep Earth: an experimental approach
  Advisors: Philippe Gillet (ENS Lyon) and Russell J. Hemley (Geophysical Laboratory)
• 1994–1997: Magistère des Sciences de la Matière à l'École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, France
• 1996–1997: Master's Degree in Statistical Physics and Non Linear Phenomena at the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, France
• 1994–1996: Undergraduate studies in Physics at the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, France
• 1992–1994: Mathématiques Spéciales et Supérieures, Lycée du Parc, Lyon, France
• 1992: Baccalauréat, Lycée International de Ferney-Voltaire, France

Distinctions

• 2020: Blaustein invited professor, Stanford University, United States
• 2014–2019: Junior Member, Institut universitaire de France
• 2011: Research Excellence Medal, European Mineralogical Union
• 2002: Mineral and Rock Physics Outstanding Student Award, American Geophysical Union

Professional Involvement

• 2021–: funding member for the Commission on Diffraction Microstructure Imaging at the International Union of Crystallography
• 2019–2022: council member for the American Geophysical Union, president-elect then president for the Mineral and Rock Physics section
• 2017–: executive committee member for the UMET lab
• 2012–: executive committee member for Mineral and Rock Physics section at the American Geophysical Union
• 2017–2022: head of Teaching Committee for the physics department of the school of sciences and technologies of the Université de Lille
• 2015–2019 : representative for the Dynamics and Extreme Conditions at the User Organization of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
• 2015–2018: chair for the Mineral and Rock Physics Early Career Award at the American Geophysical Union

Supervision

Post-doctoral fellows

• 2021–2022 : John Keith Magali Velasquez
• 2021: Marzena Baron
• 2013–2014: Angelika Rosa, fellowship of the Swiss National Fund

PhD students

• 2022–, Chloé Molines, Université de Lille, co-supervised by N. Hilairet,
  Stress and deformation in- and ex-situ in rocks from subduction zones
• 2018–2022, Jeffrey Gay, Université de Lille
  Microstructures and anisotropy of pyrolite in the Earth’s lower mantle: insights from high pressure/temperature deformation and phase transformation experiments
• 2018–2022, Tommaso Mandolini, Université de Lille, supervision by N. Hilairet, Université de Lille
  Microstructural evolution of polymineralic aggregates deformed under high pressure and temperature: an in- situ and post-mortem study on olivine+serpentine
• 2018–2021, Estelle Ledoux, Université de Lille, supervision shared with D. Jacob, Université de Lille
  Transformation and deformation microstructures in the Earth mantle: application to periclase and wadsleyite
• 2014–2017, Christopher Langrand, Université de Lille, supervision shared with N. Hilairet, Université de Lille
  Experimental Study of Perovskite / Post-Perovskite Phase Transformation Mechanism and its Kinetics in the Earth Mantle
• 2010–2013, Ainhoa Lincot, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, supervision shared with P. Cardin, UJF Grenoble
  Direct model of inner core seismic anisotropy and study of textures in the α-ε transition in iron
• 2009–2013, Caroline Bollinger, Université Lille 1
  Rheology of polycristalline olivine under upper mantle conditions : study with a D-DIA
• 2008–2011, Carole Nisr, Université Lille 1, supervision shared with P. Cordier, Université Lille 1
  In situ study of dislocations in high pressure minerals

Master's and other students supervised

• 2022: Corentin Savignoni, Université de Lille, Undergraduate research project
• 2020-2021: Hélène Ginestet, Université de Lille, Undergraduate research project
• 2018: Rayanna Moustapha, Sarah Combet, Université de Lille, Undergraduate research project
• 2017: Hajar Benouda, Université Lille 1, Undergraduate research project
• 2016: Mathieu Thierry, Université Lille 1, Undergraduate research project
• 2015: Agnes Valovics, University of St Andrews, Scotland, Undergraduate research project
• 2015: David Fuseau, Université Lille 1, Undergraduate research project
• 2014: Ali Dia, Université Lille 1, Master's research project
• 2014: Benjamin Malfait, Guillaume Bonamis, Université Lille 1, Undergraduate research project
• 2013: Loraine Boust, Lycée Malherbe, Caen, Undergraduate research project
• 2012: Amélie Malpot, Ecole Centrale de Lille, Master's research project
• 2012: Maxime Thiebaut, Rémi Fourrier, Université Lille 1, Undergraduate research project
• 2011: Florian Marmuse, Lycée Louis-le-grand, Undergraduate research project
• 2008: Marion Gruson, Ecole Centrale de Nantes, Master's research project
• 2007: Carole Nisr, Université Lille 1, Master's research project
• 2005: Lowell Miyagi, University of California, Berkeley, non-official supervision of the first year of the PhD thesis. Official advisor: Hans-Rudolf Wenk
• 2003: Tristan Ferroir, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, undergraduate research project

Scientific production

• 77 publications in international scientific journals, 15 other publications
• 63 invited presentations (seminars, conferences, summer schools, etc)
• Citation metrics (source: Web of Science, December 2022): 2408 citations, h-index: 30
• Complete list of publications