Minta Akin is a staff physicist in the LLNL High Pressure Physics group, where she studies a broad range of topics to understand materials’ response at high pressure and high temperature conditions. This work includes research on kinetic processes, phase changes, and reactions; understanding how materials differ in their response across multiple compression rate regimes (quasistatic, ramp, and shock compression); and equations of state. Areas of emphasis include the role of heterogeneities and pores in modifying material response, the evolution of force networks, and the determination of high-precision, high-accuracy temperature states.

Minta applies experimental and computational techniques to address these topics, including synchrotron and pulsed x-ray diffraction; x-ray and optical imaging; spectroscopic methods; pyrometry; advanced simulations; velocimetry; statistical analysis methods; and image processing. She specializes in highly diagnosed (“kitchen sink”) experiments and develops new diagnostics as well.

Minta received her BS in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology in 2003 and her PhD in physical chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin in 2008, where she examined surface-limited reactions and the role of chemical dopants on phase changes in water. She joined LLNL in 2010 as a postdoc.

Ph.D. Physical Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, 2008

B.S. Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, 2003