I'm a postdoctoral researcher researching the physical properties of minerals to better understand the properties of the Earth's mantle. Through laser spectroscopy techniques I measure the sound speeds of minerals and glasses under both ambient conditions and at high pressure and temperature conditions using diamond anvil cells with laser heating. Such measurements can be compared to seismic profiles to assess the abundance of such mineral phases in the deep earth. General temperature dependence at high pressures also can help to infer lateral temperature/compositional heterogeneity in the mantle.