Al Emran
Planetary Astronomer (NASA)
Emran is a planetary astronomer with a broad range of research interests. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow at JPL working on characterizing the surface of Mars using NASA’s orbital spacecraft observations. During his Ph.D. at Arkansas, his research involved deciphering surfaces of trans-Neptunian and Kuiper belt objects, such as Triton and Pluto, using radiative scattering models, machine learning, and simulated laboratory experiments. He used orbital observations for an improved understanding of dunes on Mars during his graduate research at Auburn. Emran loves his mother planet and also worked on Earth in understanding the dynamics of coastal morphology and vegetation using satellite images. He likes to continue his research emphasizing exploration of the solar system bodies (planets, moons, asteroids, and icy bodies) and beyond (exoplanets).