I serve as the curator of the AMNH meteorite collection. AMNH affiliates, students, and I use the collection to understand early solar system processes such as planet formation. Our larger mission is to make meteorite samples available for research by scientists throughout the world. Collections-based research is vital to the exploration of space and a better understanding of our origins. (2004 white paper to NASA)

One focus of my research is modeling how gas, solid, and melt phases interact at high temperatures and low pressures, to understand the formation of the first solids, and molten (liquid) rock droplets in the solar system, which eventually led to the accretion of the planets. CONDENSATION
We also apply x-ray CT-scanning and microscopic imaging to meteorites to get 2 and 3-dimensional images of how they are put together. Check these links to see meteorites in a whole new light: TOMOGRAPHY (3D) and PETROGRAPHY (2D)

My research career began with investigations of how silver, copper, nickel and platinum-group metal ores form in the Earth. By seeing how sulfide minerals react in the laboratory, I was able to model their thermodynamic properties, and develop predictive tools to find metal-rich rock in existing mines. Some of this work is introduced here: MAGMATIC SULFIDES and HYDROTHERMAL SULFOSALTS