Mission Statement

Application of emerging beamline capabilities, such as the ability to probe the microstructures of multi-grain and multi-phase materials in three dimensions, in real time, is poised to revolutionize the testing and calibration of rheological models by elucidating the underlying physical processes of rock deformation. The NSF funded Research Coordination Network “In Situ Studies of Rock Deformation” will facilitate the integration of beamline technologies with deformation experiments and create new directions for experimental rock deformation research. Through the network, we will organize 5 workshops at various synchrotron and neutron beamlines over the next five years to provide training and education opportunities for a diverse group of experimentalists to gain necessary knowledge about beamline technologies, and for beamline scientists to recognize the needs and constraints associated with deformation research on geomaterials. Our goal is to foster collaborations across disciplines to develop new experimental methodologies for studying dynamic processes at various time scales.

The success of this new network depends on your participation. We wholeheartedly welcome anyone who is interested to join this growing group and participate in any way that works for you. Simply explore our developing website and reach out to ask questions or contribute suggestions.