Alexandra Navrotsky, PhD, has been described as the world’s leading scientist in the field of thermochemistry of minerals and solid-state materials. She earned her BS, MS, and PhD in physical chemistry at the University of Chicago, and did postdoctoral work in Germany and at Penn State University. For her research, she designed and improved the instrumentation used in high temperature reaction calorimetry. She developed methods for measuring the energetics of crystalline oxides, of glasses, amorphous, and nanophase and porous materials, of hydrous phases and carbonates, and, more recently, of nitrides and oxynitrides. The mineral K2Na10(UO2)3(SO4)9·2H2O is named Navrotskyite in her honor. She is also devoted to the education and training of the next generation of scientists, with a special emphasis on underrepresented groups.
