Hi! I'm Manar Al Asad,
Reginald A. Daly Postdoctoral Fellow at EPS, Harvard University.
I am Planetary geophysicist studying how deep interior processes shape the evolution and habitability of terrestrial planets.
I am a geophysicist and planetary scientist who studies how the deep interiors of planets shape their evolution, surface environments, and habitability. My work focuses on how mantle convection, melt generation, and water cycling change through time, and how these processes influence tectonic regimes and planetary climates.
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I am currently a Reginald A. Daly Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University. My research connects interior dynamics to planetary-scale observations, such as crustal growth and magnetic field generation. I use tools from geodynamics, geochemistry, and planetary physics to understand how events in the mantle leave signatures in the geological record and affect planetary habitability.
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Before Harvard, I completed my PhD at Brown University with Prof. Harriet Lau. My doctoral work examined how transitions in Earth’s tectonic style, from sluggish- to active-lid regimes, influenced the evolution of Earth’s magnetic field. This work was published in Science Advances and recognized by the AGU Study of Earth’s Deep Interior Section Award for Graduate Research.
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Earlier in my career, I worked with Prof. Catherine Johnson as a mission research scientist with NASA’s MESSENGER and OSIRIS-REx teams. I studied Mercury’s magnetic field and the shape and topography of asteroid Bennu. These projects taught me to link theory, modeling, and observation, and they continue to guide how I think about planetary processes.
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My research philosophy centers on collaboration and accessibility. I am motivated by discussions with colleagues and students, and I believe that good science should be reproducible and shared.
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