Our research program focuses on understanding the large-scale behavior of the Earth and other planets through experimental study of geological materials under extreme conditions of pressure and temperature. We explore crystal structures, phase relations, equations of state, elasticity, and deformation behavior in a wide range of materials at extreme conditions up to and exceeding those at the center of the Earth.  Our main tools are static compression using diamond anvil cells combined with optical spectroscopy and x-ray techniques.  In addition, we use gas guns and high-powered lasers to generate dynamic compression lasting from nanoseconds to microseconds and explore material properties under these conditions using x-ray diffraction and laser interferometry.