Thomas Kruijer
About Thomas Kruijer
Thomas Kruijer is a Staff Scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, specializing in isotope cosmochemistry and planetary evolution. He has held various academic and research positions in Europe and the United States, contributing to the understanding of isotopic variations in extraterrestrial materials.
Current Role at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Thomas Kruijer currently serves as a Staff Scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a position he has held since 2022. In this role, he focuses on advanced research in planetary science, utilizing state-of-the-art techniques for clean-lab sample preparation and element purification. His work involves investigating the early evolution of the solar protoplanetary disk and the genetic heritage of planetary building blocks.
Previous Experience at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Prior to his current position, Thomas Kruijer worked at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as a Postdoctoral Research Staff Member from 2017 to 2020. He also had a brief tenure as a Staff Scientist in 2020 for six months. During these periods, he developed and implemented methods for high-precision measurements on novel isotope systems, contributing to the laboratory's research capabilities.
Education and Expertise
Thomas Kruijer completed his PhD in Isotope Cosmochemistry at Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich from 2009 to 2013, graduating with honors. He also holds a BSc and MSc in Earth Sciences and Geosciences of Basins and Lithosphere, respectively, from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, where he graduated with honors. His educational background provides a strong foundation for his research in isotopic variations in extraterrestrial rock samples.
Academic Positions and Research Contributions
Thomas Kruijer has held several academic positions, including Professor of Impact and Meteorite Research at Museum für Naturkunde Berlin and Professor (W3-S) at Freie Universität Berlin from 2020 to 2021. He also worked as a Research Associate at the University of Muenster from 2014 to 2017. His research contributions focus on measuring small-scale isotopic variations in meteorites and lunar rocks, enhancing the understanding of planetary accretion and core formation.
Research Focus and Methodologies
Thomas Kruijer's research centers on the early evolution of the solar protoplanetary disk and the isotopic analysis of planetary building blocks. He specializes in the short-lived 182Hf-182W chronometer, which is crucial for studying planetary formation processes. His work employs high-precision measurement techniques to analyze extraterrestrial materials, contributing valuable insights into the history of our solar system.