Shichun Huang
Professor, Sun Yat-sen University
I use elemental and isotopic tracers, in combination with mineralogy and petrology, to study the Earth’s mantle and the early Solar system.

Education:
BSc in Geochemistry    University of Science and Technology of China
PhD in Geochemistry    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Honors and Awards            
2025            Fellow, Mineralogical Society of America
2020            CAREER award, National Science Foundation

External Service
Associate Editor, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Editorial Board Member, The Innovation
Editorial Board Member, Critical Insights in Geochemistry and Geophysics

Research Interests
High temperature geochemistry; Igneous and metamorphic petrology; Metal stable isotope geochemistry; Cosmochemistry

Recruitment
We welcome applications from outstanding MS and PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and research fellows to join our research team.
Email

huangsc6@mail.sysu.edu.cn

Address
Room A208, Haiqin Building No.2, Zhuhai Campus, Sun Yat-sen University, Tangjiawan, Zhuhai City
 

Selected Publications
1.Huang, S. (2025). How hot is the inside of the Earth? Nat. Rev. Earth Environ. 6, 437, doi:10.1038/s43017-025-00698-3.

2.Li, Y., Hardin, J., Wang, W., Wu, Z. and Huang, S. (2025). Mineral-melt calcium isotope fractionation factors constrained using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations and their implications to calcium isotope effects during partial melting in the upper mantle. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta. 396, 51-70, doi:10.1016/j.gca.2025.02.032.

3.Shakespeare, C. J., Li, M., Huang, S., Zhu, Z. and Steffen, J. H. (2025). The effects of the carbon-to-oxygen ratio on the condensate compositions around Solar-like stars. Astron. J., 169:180, doi:10.3847/1538-3881/adaead.

4.Huang, S. (2024). Plume-plateau interaction. AGU Advances, 5, e2024AV001464, doi:10.1029/2024AV001464.

5.Dong, X.-H., Wang, S.-J., Wang, W., Huang, S., Li, Q.-L., Liu, C., Gao, T., Li, S. and Wu, S. (2024). Highly oxidized intraplate basalts and deep carbon reservoir. Sci. Adv. 10, eadm8138, doi:10.1126/sciadv.adm8138.

6.Wang, W., Walter, M. J., Brodholt, J. P. and Huang, S. (2024). Early planetesimal differentiation and late accretion shaped Earth’s nitrogen budget. Nature 
Commun. 15, 4169, doi:10.1038/s41467-024-48500-0.

7.Huang, S. and Jacobsen, S. B. (2022). Calcium isotope compositions as a means to trace carbonate recycling. Natl. Sci. Rev. 9, nwab173, doi:10.1093/nsr/nwab173.

8.Tschauner, O., Huang, S., Yang, S., Humayun, M., Liu, W., Gilbert Corder, S. N., Bechtel, H. A., Tischler, J. and Rossman, G. R. (2021). Discovery of davemaoite, CaSiO3-perovskite, as a mineral from the lower mantle. Science 374, 891-894, doi:10.1126/science.abl8568.

9.Wang, W., Tschauner, O., Huang, S., Wu, Z., Meng, Y., Bechtel, H. and Mao, H.-k. (2021). Coupled deep mantle carbon-water cycle: Evidence from lower-mantle diamonds. The Innovation, 2, 100117, doi:10.1016/j.xinn.2021.100117.

10.Li, M., Huang, S., Petaev, M. I., Zhu, Z. and Steffen, J. H. (2021). Maximum temperatures in evolving protoplanetary discs and composition of planetary building blocks. Mon. Notices Royal Astron. Soc. 503, 5254–5262, doi:10.1093/mnras/stab837.

11.Huang, S., Tschauner, O., Yang, S., Humayun, M., Liu, W., Gilbert Corder, S. N., Bechtel, H. A. and Tischler, J. (2020). HIMU geochemical signature originating from the transition zone. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 542, 116323, doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116323.

12.Li, M., Huang, S., Petaev, M. I., Zhu, Z. and Steffen, J. H. (2020). Dust condensation in evolving discs and the composition of planetary building blocks. Mon. Notices Royal Astron. Soc. 495, 2543–2553, doi:10.1093/mnras/staa1149.          

13.Li, Y., Wang, W., Wu, Z. and Huang, S. (2019). First – principles investigation of equilibrium K isotope fractionation among K – bearing minerals. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta. 264, 30–42, doi:10.1016/j.gca.2019.07.038.      

14.DeFelice, C., Mallick, S., Saal, A. E. and Huang, S. (2019). An isotopically depleted lower mantle component is intrinsic to the Hawaiian mantle plume. Nature Geosci. 12, 487–492, doi:10.1038/s41561 – 019 – 0348 – 0.    

15.Tschauner, O., Huang, S., Greenberg, E., Prakapenka, V., Ma, C., Rossman, G., Shen, A. H., Zhang, D., Newville, M., Lanzirotti, A. and Tait, K. (2018). Ice–VII inclusions in diamonds: Evidence for aqueous fluid in Earth’s deep mantle. Science 359, 1136–1139, doi:10.1126/science.aao3030.

16.Zhao, X., Zhang, Z., Huang, S., Liu, Y., Li, X. and Zhang, H. (2017). Coupled extremely light Ca and Fe isotopes in peridotite. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta. 208, 368–380, doi:10.1016/j.gca.2017.03.024.

17.Zhang, J., Huang, S., Davis, A. M., Dauphas, N., Hashimoto, A. and Jocobsen, S. B. (2014). Calcium and titanium isotopic fractionations during evaporation. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta. 140, 365–380, doi:10.1016/j.gca.2014.05.022.

18.Petaev, M. I., Huang, S., Jacobsen, S. B. and Zindler, A. (2013). Large Pt anomaly in the GISP2 ice core points to a cataclysm at the onset of Younger Dryas. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 110(32), 12917–12920, doi:10.1073/pnas.1303924110.

19.Huang, S., Farkaš, J., Yu, G., Petaev, M. I. and Jacobsen, S. B. (2012). Calcium isotopic ratios and rare earth element abundances in refractory inclusions from Allende CV3 chondrite. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta. 77, 252–265, doi:10.1016/j.gca.2011.11.002.

20. Huang, S., Farkaš, J. and Jacobsen, S. B. (2011). Stable calcium isotopic compositions of Hawaiian shield lavas: Evidence for recycling of ancient marine carbonates into the mantle. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta. 75, 4987–4997, doi:10.1016/j.gca.2011.06.010.

21.Huang, S., Hall, P. S. and Jackson, M. G. (2011). Geochemical zoning of volcanic chains associated with Pacific hotspots. Nature Geosci. 4, 874–878, doi:10.1038/ngeo1263.

22.Huang, S., Farkaš, J. and Jacobsen, S. B. (2010). Calcium isotopic fractionation between clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene from mantle peridotites. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 292, 337–344, doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2010.01.042.        

23.Huang, S., Regelous, M., Thordarson, T. and Frey, F. A. (2005). Petrogenesis of lavas from Detroit Seamount: Geochemical differences between Emperor Chain and Hawaiian volcanoes. Geochem. Geophys. Geosystem. 6(1), Q01L06, doi:10.1029/2004GC000756.

24.Huang, S. and Frey, F. A. (2005). Recycled oceanic crust in the Hawaiian plume: Evidence from temporal geochemical variations within the Koolau shield. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 149, 556–575, doi:10.1007/s00410–005–0664–9.

25. Huang, S. and Frey, F. A. (2003). Trace element abundances of Mauna Kea basalt from phase 2 of the Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project: Petrogenetic implications of correlations with major element content and isotopic ratios. Geochem. Geophys. Geosystem. 4(6), 8711, doi:1029/2002 GC000322.                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Textbooks

1. McSween, H. Y., Moersch, J. M., Dunne, W. M., Dygert, N., Emery, J. P., Fedo, C. M., Huang, S., Kah, L. C., McCanta, M. C. and Thomson, B. J. (2026). Planetary Geoscience, 2nd edition, to be published by Cambridge University Press.