Zhenxian Liu is a lead beamline scientist for the Frontier Synchrotron Infrared Spectroscopy Beamline under Extreme Conditions (FIS), currently under construction at National Synchrotron Light Source II, Brookhaven National Laboratory. FIS is the successor of U2A beamline, a dedicated high-pressure infrared diamond anvil cell facility at NSLS, which has been managed by Geophysical Laboratory since 1999. He develops novel experimental techniques (e.g., vacuum far-IR spectroscopy down to 30 cm-1 at high pressure) and assists users in carrying out research projects in geoscience, planetary science, materials science, condensed matter physics, chemistry, and biology. He also uses synchrotron infrared spectroscopy, Raman scattering, photoluminescence as well as synchrotron x-ray diffraction techniques to explore physical and chemical properties and phase transitions of hydrous minerals, simple molecular systems, and nanoscale materials at high pressures and variable temperatures.